JESUS OUR SAVIOUR: THE ONE WHO CAME TO RESCUE US
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SERIES INTRODUCTION
“DISCIPLESHIP (FOLLOWING JESUS)”
As we begin this new year together, we step into a journey that is both ancient and urgently needed—the journey of discipleship. Not a programme, not a course, not a spiritual hobby, but the very heartbeat of what it means to belong to Jesus Christ.
Across the Gospels, Jesus repeated one simple, life-altering invitation:
“Follow Me.”
Not admire Me from a distance.
Not occasionally visit Me on a Sunday.
But Follow Me—walk with Me, learn from Me, obey Me, become like Me.
This year we will explore what it truly means to follow the risen Christ in the 21st century. We will look at His teachings, His character, His mission, His priorities, and His call upon every believer. We will discover that discipleship is not about becoming more religious—it is about becoming more like Jesus.
Discipleship is:
A call to transformation—a changed heart, a renewed mind, a surrendered will.
A call to imitation—to walk in the dust of the Master, shaped by His Word and His ways.
A call to mission—to be fishers of people, carriers of the Gospel, servants in a broken world.
A call to relationship—to love Jesus deeply and follow Him joyfully, daily, and wholeheartedly.
My prayer is that this year, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will not simply learn about discipleship. We will live it.
We will not merely study the teachings of Christ. We will obey them.
We will not only proclaim the Gospel. We will embody it.
May this series lead us to surrender more fully, to trust more deeply, to love more passionately, and to follow Jesus more faithfully than ever before.
Church, let us begin this journey together—with open Bibles, open hearts, and open hands—ready to respond to the voice of our Saviour who still calls today:
“Come, follow Me.”
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SERMON INTRODUCTION — THE RESCUE WE ALL NEED
Church, before any of us becomes a disciple… before any of us can follow Jesus… we must first be rescued.
The Gospel begins with a rescue mission.
Not a self-help plan.
Not a moral improvement project.
Not an invitation to religion.
A rescue mission.
Jesus did not come to this world to give us advice.
He came to save us.
He did not come to boost our self-esteem.
He came to redeem our souls.
He did not come to help us cope with life.
He came to give us new life.
The angel said to Joseph:
Matthew 1:21 (NLT): “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
The very name Jesus — Yeshua — means “The LORD saves.”
This is where discipleship begins:
With the Saviour who came to rescue the lost.
JESUS’ MISSION STATEMENT
Luke 19:10 (NLT): “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
These words summarise the heart of God, the mission of Christ, and the foundation of discipleship.
POINT 1 — JESUS THE SAVIOUR WHO SEEKS THE LOST
Jesus says He came to seek and to save.
The Greek word is ??t?? (zeteo) — to pursue, to search intentionally, to look for something precious.
Jesus is not indifferent.
He is not passive.
He is not waiting for sinners to come to Him.
He goes after them.
Jesus speaks these words after calling Zacchaeus down from the tree—a man rejected by society, enslaved by greed, and spiritually empty.
Jesus sought him out, called him by name, and transformed his life.
Zacchaeus wasn’t searching for Jesus—Jesus was searching for Zacchaeus.
John 1:43 (NLT): “Jesus… found Philip and said to him, ‘Come, follow me.’”
Jesus found Philip.
Jesus finds us.
Charles Stanley: “God takes responsibility for the life placed fully in His hands.”
And it begins here—God takes responsibility for the lost soul that He Himself seeks and saves.
We are not disciples because we found Jesus.
We are disciples because Jesus found us.
POINT 2 — JESUS THE SAVIOUR WHO SAVES COMPLETELY
He does not merely seek.
He saves.
The Greek word for save is s??? (sozo) — to rescue, deliver, heal, make whole, preserve, and restore.
That is why the Gospel is not self-improvement.
It is not rehabilitation.
It is not behaviour modification.
The Gospel is salvation — a divine rescue of the lost, the guilty, and the spiritually dead.
Romans 5:6 (NLT): “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”
We were helpless, hopeless, and unable to save ourselves.
But Jesus came—the perfect Saviour for imperfect people.
Titus 3:4–5 (NLT): “When God our Saviour revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
We are saved not because of what we do,
but because of what Christ has done.
Tim Keller: “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
This is the heart of salvation—our sin is deep, but Christ’s love goes deeper still.
Jesus does not partially save.
He completely saves.
He eternally saves.
He irrevocably saves.
And the disciple begins where the Saviour rescues.
POINT 3 — JESUS THE SAVIOUR WHO SATISFIES OUR SOULS
Salvation is not only rescue from something—it is rescue into something.
Jesus rescues us from sin, death, judgement, and hell…
and rescues us into relationship, purpose, identity, joy, and eternal life.
John 10:10 (NLT): “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
The Greek word for life is ??? (zoe) — not mere existence, but fullness of life—God’s life, eternal life.
The Saviour satisfies:
The mind with truth
The heart with peace
The soul with forgiveness
The life with purpose
Jesus doesn’t just save us from sin—He saves us for Himself.
Max Lucado: “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way.”
The Saviour not only rescues.
He restores.
He renews.
He transforms.
This is discipleship—learning to live the life only the Saviour can give.
Stop looking for satisfaction outside of Jesus.
Everything else fades.
Christ alone satisfies.
THE LOST MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
A climber once slipped from the side of a mountain.
Dangling from a single rope in a freezing storm, he screamed for help.
Hours later, a rescue team arrived.
One rescuer lowered himself, attached the climber to his own harness, and whispered:
“You cannot save yourself. Trust me.”
The man had only one choice—
let go of the cliff and trust the rescuer.
Church, this is salvation.
We let go of our self-effort, self-righteousness, and self-rescue…
and trust the only Saviour strong enough to pull us from the cliff of sin.
THE GOSPEL — WHY WE NEED A SAVIOUR
We need a Saviour because:
All have sinned (Romans 3:23)
Sin leads to death (Romans 6:23)
We cannot save ourselves
God is holy
Judgement is real
Eternity is unavoidable
But the good news is:
Jesus took our place.
He bore our sin.
He died our death.
He paid our debt.
He rose again.
He offers salvation to all who believe.
CALL TO ACTION — BECOME A FOLLOWER OF THE SAVIOUR
Discipleship begins with salvation.
You cannot follow Jesus until Jesus saves you.
And He is ready to save right now.
Turn from sin.
Turn to Christ.
Trust the Saviour.
Follow Him daily.
Live in His rescue, His love, His life, His victory.
INVITATION TO SALVATION:
If you have never surrendered to Christ, pray:
“Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner in need of a Saviour.
Thank You for dying for me.
Thank You for rising again.
I turn from my sin, I trust in You, and I choose to follow You.
Save me, cleanse me, and make me Yours.
Amen.”
BENEDICTION:
May the God who sent His Son to seek and save the lost
fill your heart with assurance, your mind with peace,
and your life with the joy of salvation in Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Go now and live as disciples of the One who rescued you.
Amen.
