THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever had to be rescued?
READ TOGETHER
Christians use the word “saved” a lot. We say things like: Are you saved? When were you saved? How many people got saved? I’m not sure I’m saved. Saved by grace. Saved by the blood. Jesus saves! Of course it’s not wrong to talk this way at all. The angel told Joseph to name the baby Jesus (Yahweh is salvation) because he will save his people.
Matthew 1:21. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
But what does the word save mean? Well, it means to be rescued. When the Bible talks about salvation it is talking about being delivered from harm, or rescued from danger. But let’s be perfectly clear: we cannot save ourselves. We can only trust in someone else who can and will save us. The knight saves the princess from the dragon, the superhero saves the city from the bad guy, and so on. People who are saved have been rescued by someone else. A hero.
But why do we need saving? Because we were living trapped in sin. Sin was like a villain that would never free us. No matter how hard we might try, we will always fall short of God’s love and holiness because of our sin.
And that is why God sent his son, Jesus, to rescue us. The baby born to Mary never sinned. And yet, despite his perfection, our salvation would come only through his death. He died in our place so that we might live. He died so that we could be rescued. Have you been rescued? Have you been saved?
If you have then you are not only saved FROM badness, you are saved UNTO goodness. You are not only innocent of all sin; you are also free from sin’s power over you. You can do good like Jesus. You can love like Jesus. You can be kind like Jesus. Now that’s a rescue that changes everything.
Because of Jesus we can be saved from sin’s punishment and sin’s power.
With Jesus we can live the rescued life of goodness and love.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
On YouTube you can watch Vision Video’s version of Pilgrim’s Progress. This is a classic story of salvation that the whole family can enjoy.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you rescued me from my sin when you came to Earth and died for me. Now I can live full and free in your great love. Amen.
TLICfamily 