Spoken Words:
• Vernon – Immanuel
• Jeromie – Lamb of God
• Isa- Savior
Sermon: Life of Christ - Good Friday - Savior
Introduction:
We have been looking at a few names of Jesus over the last few weeks.
Jesus is known by many different names as we have been discovering over this Easter season - Names have significance. They have power. They define something – they symbolize something or someone – they state a meaning and even a mission. The truth is names are more than a bunch of letters grouped together to sound pleasant to the ear. Names are more than a convenience allowing people to talk to each other and associate a person with that name. Names are given in the Bible by God to reveal spiritual truth, mission, purpose, and paint an image of a person’s character.
So, what’s in a name? A name shouts messages, reveals revelations about of whom it speaks, it describes the actions and character of the person being named.
As I was pondering all the names of Jesus 198, I came across this thought in Rob Bells book: Everything Is Spiritual:
“I saw how the name of God keeps changing—one person uses this word, this group uses that word, later on they name it something else. Elohim, Yahweh, Adonai, Theos—the list goes on. I saw how each of these names comes out of the particular struggles and hopes of that time and place, reflecting economics and politics and shifting consciousness.”
After reading this a thought spoke to me about Jesus – (Recall) Jesus is Love personified – Jesus is God’s love made visible to see, feel, touch, taste and smell – Why does he have so many names? Because of the millions of miracle’s he has done, the billions of personal touches of healing for people, the millions of revelations He has revealed to people, because of the His personal touch on millions of lives. He has so many names because He has done billions of acts of love for people, nations, churches, countries and people like you and me, Jesus names describe what He has done and is doing- I think before He returns their will be more names added to the 198 to describe Him! Because he will still continue being the Amazing Savior He is!
Jesus – God in the flesh – manifested through the Holy Spirit is right there in the middle of it all! His Spirit is all around us not adrift in the space continuum of time in another place- far away! His Spirit is connected to everything in this world! He is there in the middle of the night “God with us” – I know Him - I have talked a lot to Him this last week in the middle of the night! Sleepless nights but God is with me! He is even involved in our daily life, and we need to somehow see it, name it, embrace it and define it! We need to tell other people about it, we need to reveal it to them as well. Maybe creating another name for God to describe what He did or is doing is something we all should do! Make God – Make Jesus personal! So, I believe the names will keep coming because God’s is endlessly at work in this world – He has not returned yet more names are coming.
Do you have a name of Jesus which stands out to you? No really do you? Does it describe a miracle He did for you? Does it tell of a healing? Does it speak of a revelation He gave you? Does it explain a divine moment with Him?
So, let me ask which name of His 198 names speaks to you?
The many names of Jesus tell us who He was, Who He is and Who He will be in the future.
T.S. - But tonight, we are going to focus on Jesus’ name: “Savior” I would add a little more description to this name so indulge me this Good Friday evening service, “The Amazing Savior!”
Thesis: Jesus is our Savior – My Amazing Savior – He is the one who came to rescue us as we were drowning in a world filled with sin. His acts of heroism for others is endless and He has saved billions from drowning in this evil world. His life saving acts to me are why I call Him “The Amazing Savior!”
Question: Can you indulge me for a moment as I share how Amazing Jesus is!
Listen to how amazing our Savior is from Scripture:
Luke 5:9-10: (NASB) 9For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
Luke 2:47: (NIV) 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Matthew 12:23: (NASB) 23All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” (After he sets free a demon possessed person)
Mark 1:22: (NIV) 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
Luke 4:36: (NIV) 36All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”
Matthew 15:31: (NIV) 31The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Matthew 21:20: (NIV) 20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Mark 9:15: (NASB) 15Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him (They had seen the miracles, the raising of people from the dead, the miraculous feeding of the crowds).
Matthew 22:22: (NIV) 22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. (When Jesus said “Give to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s – when he was addressed about paying taxes).
The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that people were amazed at Jesus! What He (Love Personified) did to save people, rescue people, deliver people from the ravages of this sin filled world. They were amazed by what He did, by what He said, by His teachings, by His miracles, by His actions, and by His conduct. They were taken back in amazement at His act of mercy and kindness. Jesus astounded the people of his day!
Does Jesus Amaze you today? Have you been taken back and gulped and said “Wow, Jesus is so Amazing!”
Share the story from Wednesday of the Dove after receiving the news of the tumor on my bladder!
By the way Jesus is still amazing people today and that is why we are all still talking about him today 2,000 of years later. This is why movies are made about His life – and death. Why over time millions of books have been written about Him and also why billions of people claim to follow Him. This why millions call Him their Savior even today. This is why I call Him “My Amazing Savior!”
Definition of Savior: Savior what a name for Jesus! I was interested in looking up in the dictionary – I knew it meant way more than my limited definition. So, what did I discover? What does that name really mean? Here’s what I discovered: “A Savior is a person who saves another person’s life by putting their own life on the line.” They are called Life-saver’s – Heroes – people willing to sacrifice their life for the sake of another!
Savior referring to Jesus – is defined as – “THE ONE WHO SAVES FROM ANY FORM OR DEGREE OF EVIL. IN ITS HIGHEST SENSE THE WORD INDICATES THE RELATION SUSTAINED BY OUR LORD TO HIS REDEEMED ONES, HE IS THEIR SAVIOR. THE GREAT MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT SALVATION AND THE SAVIOR. IT IS THE “GOSPEL OF SALVATION.” FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SECURES TO THE SINNER (PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME) A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE WORK OF REDEMPTION. SALVATION IS REDEMPTION MADE EFFECTUAL TO THE INDIVIDUAL BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” (From Parsons Bible Dictionary).
T.S. – Let’s take a moment tonight to discuss what it means to be a Savior: A life –saver!
I. Life – saviors – (Stories)
a. A “Savior” according to the dictionary I searched in is one who saves another from death – history is filled with story upon story of one person saving another person in a life threatening moment in time. We call these people heroes – lifesavers!
i. Illustration from the movie “The Guardian”, 2006 about Coast Guard rescue swimmer’s who are the elite division which was formed in the early 1980’s.
1. Stories of real-life rescue swimmers – Heroes – Life Savers!
a. Story 1: During Hurricane Katrina, In 2005 Faulkner (A rescue swimmer) rescued 48 people during one 12-hour shift, along with many others during rescue operations on subsequent shifts? She was nominated by the International Maritime Organization for its “Exceptional Bravery at Sea” award for rescuing three people from a sailboat during a storm with 45-knot winds and 15-foot high seas. As she approached the boat during that operation, a wave lifted the stern and swept her underneath. The 63-foot sailboat came down on top of her twice while she was trapped between the rudder and the screw. She escaped and Faulkner went on to get three people off the boat and into the helicopter.” Can I hear the word “Amazing?”
i. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_swimmer#Rescue_swimmers_in_the_media
ii. During Hurricane Katrina the coast guard rescue swimmers saved over 33,500 people.
1. Can we say the word together again? “Amazing!”
b. Story 2: For his heroic feats during Hurricane Harvey, Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Gantt, a Coast Guard aviation survival technician, or rescue swimmer, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
i. He swam at night through 80 knot winds in the middle of the hurricane, he literally ripped through a roof without the aid of a chainsaw to get people out of the house and was repeatedly hoisted more than 100 feet into the air while battling turbulence, high winds and dangerous power lines around him as he aided in the rescue of 59 people in Houston, Texas, as Hurricane Harvey battered the area in August 2017.
1. Can we say it again, “Amazing!”
c. These are just two stories of saviors – rescue swimmers who did amazing feats to save others.
i. In my research of the rescue swimmers program created by the Coastguard, which was founded in 1984 – 11 swimmers have died but 100’s have lived to go save countless others. Amazing!
b. Saviors – people who risk or even give their life up to save others I think numbers in 100,000 across the world and across time. I wonder really, how many amazing stories we don’t know about? God knows by the way!
i. Stories of people being saved in battle by another soldier, soldiers who throw themselves on grenade to save their friends, stories of people being saved from drowning by others, stories of people going to distant lands to save people from starvation and disease, Missionaries who gave their life to tell people about the “Amazing Savior.” I could share stories of one person coming along side another person in a dark moment of time and helping save another from disaster. The person who helps talk a person of the cliff of suicide. The people who went out to rescue a 12 year old girl being attacked by a shark of the Coast of NC. These guys stopped the sharks attack on her, putting themselves in between the shark and her. The rescue swimmer said, “The shark kept ramming his nose into me to get to her, as I got between the shark and the girl.” Can I hear: “Amazing!”
c. There are many stories I could have pulled from history, from recent events today to share with you – but I am going to just pick a few more true stories to share with you (So please hang with me):
i. Story 3: We have all heard of the sad story of the Titanic and the many people who drowned from its wreck and sinking:
1. Survivor Eva Hart remembers the night very well, it was April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a 300-foot gash in the starboard side: She said, "I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people." Although twenty life-boats and rafts were launched with too few people in them and only partly filled-most of the passengers ended up struggling in the icy seas while those in the boats waited a safe distance away.
2. But One Lifeboat No. 14 could not stay on the sideline – they could not be bystanders to people drowning – so they did row back to the scene after the unsinkable ship slipped from sight at 2:20 A.m. Alone in the dark, it chased cries in the darkness, seeking and saving a precious few. Incredibly, no other boat joined it. Some were already overloaded, but in virtually every other boat, those already saved rowed their half-filled boats aimlessly in the night (away from the people drowning), listening to the cries of the lost. Each feared a crush of unknown swimmers would cling to their craft, eventually swamping it. They never sought to go rescue the people who were drowning right before them.
a. One boat Lifeboat 14 chose to go save the drowning while 19 others hovered at a distance watching and listening to people drown and take their last gasps of air. History has told this story over and over and made movies about this horrible disaster and the choices which were made that night.
i. Many choose not too save other’s, but a few choose to risk their lives to save as many people as possible! Can I hear it again: “Amazing!”
b. Application: Lifeboat 14 was filled with saviors – people willing to risk – no offer their lives on behalf of those who were dying so they could be saved from certain death.
i. But sadly, only 1 out of 20 choose to save others and be called life-savers – heroes! The other 19 were crippled by fear and selfishness and more concerned about themselves than those dying around them.
ii. What would you have done? No seriously?
3. Reminder of “The Amazing Savior” Jesus is “The Amazing Savior” He gave His life for billions of people. He said what His mission and purpose was: "I came to seek and to save the lost.”
a. But He commissioned us to do the same. He called us to go save lives to be His Life-Savers!
b. But we face a large obstacle today: fear. While people drown in the treacherous waters around us, we are tempted to stay dry and make certain no one rocks our boat.
i. We hear the cries for help, but we ignore them, we drown them out with loud music, busyness, and even ear plugs. But Jesus love personified heard the cry of the people and came to save them by giving up His own life.
ii. Story 4: A drowning man in China: The story is told by Watchman Nee of his stay in China with twenty other Christians. The bathing accommodations were inadequate in the home where they were lodging, so they went for a daily dip in the river. On one occasion, one of the men got a cramp in his leg and began sinking fast. Mr. Nee motioned to one of the other men, who was an excellent swimmer, about the drowning man. To his astonishment, however, the man did not move. He just stood there and watched the drowning man. Mr. Nee was agitated, but the swimmer was calm and collected. Meanwhile, the voice of the drowning man grew fainter and more desperate. Mr. Nee hated the swimmer who just stood and watched on the shore when he could have jumped into the river and rescued the drowning man. As the drowning man went under for what looked like the last time, the swimmer was there in a moment, and both were soon safely on shore. After the rescue, Mr. Nee chewed out the swimmer, accusing him of loving his life too much and being selfish. The response of the swimmer revealed, however, he knew what he was doing. He told Watchman that if he had gone too soon, the drowning man would have put a death grip on him and they would have both drowned in the river, and he was right. He told Mr. Nee that a drowning man cannot be saved until he is utterly exhausted and ceases to make the slightest effort to save himself.
1. Application: Such is the case with our salvation. When we stop trying to save ourselves, then the Lord can step in and save us when we yield to Him. When you see the final struggle that is a sign that you’re now sensitive to sin and that is where God can help save you.
a. These stories are taken and adapted from a sermon by Daniel Darling on sermoncentral.com.
d. In May Lucado’s book, “No Wonder They Call Him the Savior”
i. Story from Book: Ian
1. “I just want to know what counts.” Deep Irish brogue. Dark, deep eyes. The statement was sincere. “Don’t talk to me of religion, I’ve been down that road. And please, stay off theology. I have a degree in that. Get to the heart of it, okay? I want to know what counts.” His name was Ian. He was a student at a Canadian university where I was visiting. Through a series of events he found out I was a Christian and I found out he wanted to be but was disenchanted. “I grew up in the church,” he explained. “I wanted to go into the ministry. I took all the courses, the theology, the languages, the exegesis. But I quit. Something just didn’t click.” “It’s in there somewhere,” he spoke with earnestness. “At least I think it is.” I looked up from my coffee as he began to stir his. Then he summarized his frustration with one question. “What really matters? What counts? Tell me. Skip the periphery. Go to the essence. Tell me the part that matters.” The part that matters. I looked at Ian for a long time. The question hung in the air. What should I have said? What could I have said? I could have told him about church. I could’ve given him a doctrinal answer or read him something classic like the Twenty-third Psalm, “The LORD is my shepherd . . . ” But that all seemed too small. Maybe some thoughts on sexuality or prayer or the Golden Rule. No, Ian wanted the treasure—he wanted the meat. Stop and empathize for a second. Can you hear his question? Can you taste his frustration? “Don’t give me religion,” he was saying. “Give me what matters.” What does matter? In your Bible of over a thousand pages, what matters? Among all the do’s and don’ts and should’s and shouldn’ts, what is essential? What is indispensable? indispensable? The Old Testament? The New? Grace? Baptism? What would you have said to Ian? Would you have spoken on the evil of the world or maybe the eminence of heaven? Would you have quoted John 3:16 or Acts 2:38 or maybe read 1 Corinthians 13? What really matters? You’ve probably wrestled with this question. Maybe you’ve gone through the acts of religion and faith and yet found yourself more often than not at a dry well. Prayers seem empty. Goals seem unthinkable. Christianity becomes a warped record full of highs and lows and off-key notes. Is this all there is? Sunday attendance. Pretty songs. Faithful tithings. Golden crosses. Three- piece suits. Big choirs. Leather Bibles. It is nice and all, but . . . where is the heart of it? I stirred my coffee. Ian stirred his. I had no answer. All my verses so obediently memorized seemed inappropriate. All my canned responses seemed timid. Yet now, years later, I know what I would share with him. Think about these words from Paul in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. “First importance” he says. Read on: That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 1 There it is. Almost too simple. Jesus was killed, buried, and resurrected. Surprised? The part that matters is the cross. No more and no less. The cross. It rests on the timeline of history like a compelling diamond. Its tragedy summons all sufferers. Its absurdity attracts all cynics. Its hope lures all searchers. And according to Paul, the cross is what counts. My, what a piece of wood! History has idolized it and despised it, gold-plated it and burned it, worn and trashed it. History has done everything to it but ignore it. That’s the one option that the cross does not offer. No one can ignore it! You can’t ignore a piece of lumber that suspends the greatest claim in history. A crucified carpenter claiming that he is God on earth? Divine? Eternal? The death-slayer? No wonder Paul called it “the core of the gospel.” Its bottom line is sobering: if the account is true, it is history’s hinge. Period. If not, it is history’s hoax. That’s why the cross is what matters.”
a. From Lucado, Max. No Wonder They Call Him the Savior - (The Bestseller Collection). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
ii. Max in this book shares the different perspectives of people and events from the day Jesus choose to give His life up for us!
1. Pilates view, Roman Soldiers view, religious rulers view, kings vie, and many others!
iii. Max Lucado notes the amazing words from Jesus: “Life- Saver – Rescue Swimmer” - His words echoed “Father, forgive them.” LUKE 23:34
1. Can I her the word again, “Amazing!”
2. He shares of how Scripture describes Jesus’ crucifixion:
a. It was horrible! Humiliating! Unthinkable! Unjust!
b. The dialogue according to Scripture Friday morning was filled with bitterness.
i. From the onlookers we hear: “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!”
ii. From the religious leaders, “He saved others but he can’t save himself.”
iii. From the soldiers, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
1. Max notes, “Bitter words. Acidic with sarcasm. Hateful. Irreverent. Wasn’t it enough that he was being crucified? Wasn’t it enough that he was being shamed as a criminal? Were the nails insufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short? For some, apparently so. Peter, a writer not normally given to using many descriptive verbs, says that the passersby “hurled” insults at the crucified Christ. They didn’t just yell or speak or scream. They “hurled” verbal stones. They had every intention of hurting and bruising. “We’ve broken the body; now let’s break the spirit!” So, they strung their bows with self-righteousness and launched stinging arrows of pure poison.”
a. Can you picture the scene? Can you hear the hurtful – ripping words?
2. Max adds, “Of all the scenes around the cross, this one angers me the most. What kind of people, I ask myself, would mock a dying man? Who would be so base as to pour the salt of scorn upon open wounds? How low and perverted to sneer at one who is laced with pain. Who would make fun of a person who is seated in an electric chair? Or who would point and laugh at a criminal who has a hangman’s noose around his neck? You can be sure that Satan and his demons were the cause of such filth. And then the criminal on cross number two throws his punch. “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” The words thrown that day were meant to wound. And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt. That’s why James called the tongue a fire. Its burns are every bit as destructive and disastrous as those of a blowtorch.”
a. This part of Good Friday is not “Amazing – it’s evil – makes my stomach turn – my anger boil!
c. Application and lesson to learn here: Yet Jesus had chose to swim to the rescue of those who were insulting him, putting nails in Him, humiliating Him. Yes, they were the ones drowning in the cesspool of sin and instead of thanking Him they were cursing Him. They were drowning and the rescue swimmer was trying to save them, and they were cruel and evil to Him.
i. He chose the words, “Father Forgive them!”
1. Wow what an Amazing Savior!
ii. Who does that? Drowning victims who are panicking do – they are only centered on self-preservation! Not Amazing! But Jesus kept pushing swimming into the raging sea of humanity and sin, right into the swells of the storm of sin and its ravaging effects. The waves were pounding on Him, wounding Him, blooding Him. But He kept swimming to save the billions drowning. He swam through the icy water filled with dead bodies ravaged by the storm of sin. He swam – He swam He endured the insults the pain and the sorrow to get to the rescue point to save the mass drowning.
iii. But he got there – He never stopped, He never gave up, He never got angry instead he forgave them,
iv. He gave His life to save all of us who have insulted Him, neglected Him, never appreciated His sacrifice, and even cursed him for His action of love to save us.
1. Can you say it with me: “What an Amazing Savior!”
iv. I want you watch this video from Skit Guys on the perspectives from Good Friday and see why I say Jesus was, is and will always be - “The Amazing Savior!”
1. Video: Good Friday – Skit Guys.
Conclusion:
The few stories I shared tonight help us understand what it means to be a “Savior” – “A life saver”– “A rescue swimmer”, “A hero” One who places their life on the line for others.
So, I want you to consider where you are at with Jesus who is the One and only! “The Amazing Savior” He is the ultimate- the most legendary Savior. He is the “Amazing life-giving rescue swimmer of the human race.!” Jesus the Rescue Swimmer” (Jesus now has 199 names I know Him by – added one more “Amazing Savior!”) Maybe you need to think of a name for Jesus based on what He has done for you?
Summary:
Jesus chose to dive into the storm filled, ravaging storms of sin. His sacrifice and the giving of His life has saved billions. His sacrifice has delivered people out of addictions, crime, pain, sickness, disease, financial ruin, abuse and many other horrible things. Jesus is still jumping into the stormy waters of sin today to save people like you me, He is still pulling people out of the cesspool seas of sin and evil. He is reaching out his hand tonight to save you and I – all you have to do is reach out and grab His hand – He will pull you to safety! Wow what an Amazing Savior!
