I am excited about our new series "Jesus is ___________." If you missed this past Sunday, we began this sermon series by affirming that Jesus is the Savior of the world. The name of Jesus means "God saves" and we as Christians affirm and believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world, not just a savior among many saviors.

So believing this to be true in our lives, we believe that everyone needs Jesus. If everyone does not need Jesus, then Jesus is not needed by anyone, including you and me. However, we believe that Jesus is needed and we believe that Jesus' death on the cross was for everyone. Another way to say this is that we believe in an unlimited atonement. Christ did not just die for some. Christ died for all. John reminds us that God sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Though Jesus' death, we could be at one with God. The power of sin in our lives was broken on the cross of Christ, and by believing (trusting) in Jesus, we are saved. We are at one with God.

As I have been thinking the past two days on this truth, it has dawned on me that if I truly believe that Jesus is my Savior, our Savior, and more importantly the Savior of the world, then I should never take for granted what Jesus went through to save me, you and our world.

I do not personally know someone who witnessed someone saving their life by dying for them. I can only imagine what it would be like to have someone die for me. I think of the countless soldiers who took a bullet for their comrades and in the process died in order to save another. I can only imagine the feelings of awe, thankfulness, indebtedness, and gratitude that the person saved experiences.

I say I can only imagine what it would be like to have someone die for me, but this is exactly what Christ has done for us when he was crucified on a cross. He took our place. He died for us. He saved us. And the more I think about what Christ has done for me, the more aware of how grateful I am. My outlook on life is different and it should be different. I am grateful for the cross of Christ. I am grateful that God loved me enough to send his Son to die for me and for the whole world. I am grateful that I know our Savior, and I am hoping that I live life in a state of gratitude, always remembering what Christ has done for me. Why is that I so easily take it for granted?

Life distracts me too often. Life is difficult at times. We live with the ongoing reality of the urgent circumstances of a demanding child, a demanding job, a demanding boss, and a demanding work load at school. In the midst of these urgent circumstances we easily forget that the most important thing of everyday is that we are in the hands of our Savior, hands that are scarred from nails.

May you and I remember that Jesus is our Savior and the Savior of the world this week and may we live lives of gratitude for this great thing He has done.

In Christ,
Pastor Tony