He’s Our Rescuer (Jesus as Savior)

Romans 3:21-25

One of my all-time favorite TV shows was watching Bob Ross’ The Joy of Painting. There is a beauty in creation and one of the most powerful things about watching Bob Ross paint was to see how clearly he loved his work. He cared for his canvases like they were one of his own. This is very similar to the Creator Himself looking over His work of art—us. The beauty of creation is so brilliantly written in Genesis 1 as a song to exemplify God’s desire for beauty in his work.

The Problem

The problem is that we’re stuck in a situation that we cannot get out of. We like to think we are in control, but it happens just like that. At least that’s what it was like for the 900 sailors on board the USS Indianapolis (Full story on 9NEWS). Sin works a similarly to a shark; it likes to stay hidden, just underneath the surface and often taking only small bites until the prey is totally disabled, allowing the feeding frenzy to begin. And the ocean allows no safe zone, just like sin – there is nowhere a person can run, hide, or protect themselves. Every human is trapped. Our only option is rescue.

The Rescue

Rescue was not on Matt’s mind during a chilly October afternoon in the midwest. He was over at a friend’s house, dutifully pretending to be construction workers as they played with tools in his friend’s garage. Not quite teenagers, they had an irrevocable call to be wild yet an unstoppable nature to be forgetful. The tools, though, were so tempting. They belonged to his friend’s father, who did work in construction and screamed to be used. The dad didn’t mind if his tools were used, only that they were put back when done. Screwdrivers, pliers, saws, you name it! All were available except for one thing: his dad’s pride and joy was his hammer. 16oz of smooth faced titanium, perfectly balanced, and hexagon shaped. It included double nail extractors to top off what would be a framer’s dream tool. It was perfect and his dad loved that hammer. Sadly, though, the hammer was off limits. Matt’s friend regaled him with frightening stories of his dad’s anger over disobedient children and by the end of those stories, both boys were satisfactorily scared.

That was until the opportunity arose to go into the woods behind their houses and build a tree fort. Most of the tool options would be useful, but the hammer was required. Matt’s intentions to be good got the best of him and despite his friend’s warnings to leave the hammer alone, Matt found a way to sneak it into their tool bag and off they went. Oh well, once they were out in the woods it was too late – and the hammer was absolutely begging to be used. Hours upon hours were spent working on their new headquarters and no matter how much sun the thick foliage blocked, the boys worked on. Eventually, it became too dark to see and it was time to pack up and head back. Everything made it back to the garage just as his friend’s dad pulled up in the driveway. Everything, that is, except for the hammer.

Matt knew what he’d done and prepared himself for the consequences. Right on cue, a voice cried out from the garage, “Where’s my hammer?!” Matt and his friend looked at each other with equal parts resignation and fear. He sucked in a deep breath of air and stood up; ready to face the music. At that very moment Matt was pushed back down and his friend jumped up and ran towards his father’s screams. Matt could only make it to the garage entrance and gazed in horror at the scene unfolding before him at the bottom of the steps. Fire alight in his eyes, his friend’s dad whipped off his belt as one meek sentence escaped his friend’s lips. “I lost your hammer, dad.” The punishment that had long been promised was now in fierce action. All Matt could do was watch. Each strike of the leather brought a tear to Matt’s face as he knew the truth. Those lashings were due him, not his friend. Matt desperately wanted to stop the injustice, yet before he could jump down the stairs, his eyes caught his friends. Through the tears, the message was clear: I’ve got this.

The Offer

This, friends, is exactly what Jesus did for us. He took our place, accepted our punishment, and satisfied God’s wrath against us. Jesus stepped into our shoes and took our punishment. In doing so, he broke the power of our sin and provided us with true freedom. We only need to believe that Jesus died and rose again as a literal part of human history and then trust in that work as the power that gets us back into relationship with God. Lastly, we walk in that relationship once it begins.

Next Steps

Jesus acted for us so that we don’t have to. Today’s next steps are simply to respond to his love for you.

1. Do you need to accept his gift?
2. Have you been running away from him?
3. Have you been keeping quiet about his offer for others?

We broke God’s original painting, despite the punishment being more than we could bear. Jesus paid it all. It’s all to him I owe – he can have my life. How about yours?