Who Did Christ Come to Save?
I have really been blessed with the church plant in Morristown that my family is a part of. We’ve been going thru the book of Genesis (expository – line by line, chapter by chapter)
This last Sunday, Pastor James preached on Genesis chapter six (what a trippy chapter!), but afterwards since it was Palm Sunday he went thru the book of John in 12 minutes to illustrate who it was that God came to save.
Jesus first went to Canaan – to a group of party-ers at a wedding, and displayed himself with the first miracle of turning water into wine. He came for the merry. Odd, no?
And then you next see him with Nicodemus – a Pharisee – taking the time to explain how to become born again. He came for religious Jewish men.
Next, he is witnessing to the woman at the well. She was a Samaritan – a half breed – a despised ungodly tramp who had a seriously messed up life. He came for non-Jewish sin-laden women
Then you see him with a Nobleman. This was a man responsible for oppressing Jews. Would the Messiah, the Saviour of the Jews, have anything to do with such a vile person? Yes, he went to the trouble of saving the Nobleman’s son’s life. He came for rulers and soldiers.
After that, we see him with a paralytic man. This fellow could not walk. He was passed daily by all sorts of people yet nobody would help him into the pool of water to be healed. Jesus made this man whole again. He came for weak and lame men
And then we see Jesus on a mountain side with a huge crowd. They were hungry, and he fed them. He came for the hungry.
Soon after, a woman caught in the very act of adultery was brought to him by indignant prideful Pharisees. In love and gentleness her life was spared and he told her to go and sin no more. He came for whores, prostitutes and weak-willed women.
And then a blind man was given sight. He came for the blind
And then finally, in John chapter 11 we see something utterly breathtaking. In all the other accounts Christ comes for those who are low, very low, but at least they can offer something. They are able to perhaps plead with him for healing, or could offer promises of better behaviour… but what does Jesus do in chapter 11? In a perfect demonstration of who he is, he goes to the very graveyard. Dead people can offer nothing. Nothing but bad odor. Yet Christ goes to the very helpless among helpless and raises Lazarus to life. He came for the dead.
It is not what we can offer. It’s not what we can ‘do for him’. He does it all. Ephesians 2: 1-10
Jesus, the Messiah, is the light of the world. The Saviour who came to rescue the souls of men. There is no one who has sinned too much. And there is no one who is too ‘righteous’ to be saved. Remember Nicodemus? Christ came for the world – that means there is no group of people who are exempted. He came for them all. No one is out of his reach. And yet all are not saved. It is only those who respond to him, who repent and turn from their sin, who fully realize they are incapable of saving themselves. It is by Christ alone, by grace, and thru faith alone that we have access to the Father. This world is short – very short – compared to eternity. Where will you spend eternity?
That’s a lot to ponder over during this week leading up to Resurrection Sunday
Thank you, Lord, for coming for us. Come back again for us soon.
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April 7th, 2009 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 8 Comments 8 Responses to ' Who Did Christ Come to Save? 'Leave a reply |
on April 7th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Wow…. girl…. great post. Well said. Love it.
on April 7th, 2009 at 1:40 am
PS thanks for the updated link – i wouldn’t say briliiant (far from it) but i thank you just the same!
on April 7th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Hi there!
Well, I came over here by accident, but I haven’t been to your blog in a long time, so I decided to read your last couple of entries. Enjoyed them both, but especially the one about friendships… I actually copied part of that one and emailed it to myself. 🙂
Hope you guys are having a great week!
Ashley
on April 7th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I have never thought of it like that… what a neat way to sum up Christ’s ministry here on Earth.
on April 7th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Thanks for sharing that Jen. I love you more and more as I get to know you better. 🙂
Praise God for His unspeakable love and riches in Christ!
on April 8th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Dear Jen,
What wonderful words of encouragement you’ve been penning lately; they have helped me in my recent times of despair.
on April 11th, 2009 at 12:33 am
AMEN! What an awesome post (about our even awesom-er Savior!)
on April 13th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Jen~so amazing what Jesus did for us.
I would love to find a church that teaches like that-expository-line by line, chapter by chapter. It is tough in the northeast.
I hope you and you family had a wonderful and blessed Easter.
Ruth