Once in a while the attention of the whole world is focussed on an act of salvation. That is what has been happening in these days when in Thailand 12 boys on a soccer team and their coach are being rescued from a deep dark place in the middle of a cave system. The story is captivating because of the severity of the dilemma. The 13 are stranded two and a half miles inside the mountain where they were for more than a week before being found. The way out is flooded. Monsoon rains threaten to overwhelm the caves. The passageways are extremely tight in places. The rescue involves long swims through water clouded with mud, an extremely difficult task even for highly trained technical divers. Many thought their situation was hopeless.
We are captivated by this kind of unfolding drama because there is nothing better than a story of rescue. And because we all know we ourselves need to be rescued in one way or another.
Two months ago I had to be rescued after falling nine feet off a ladder onto the concrete floor of my garage at home. My pelvis was fractured, my arm broken. I could not move. So I called for help. Then I screamed for help. Then my wife heard me inside the house, made the emergency call, and soon an ambulance was at our house. I was rescued.
The Bible is a story of rescue. God created the world as a good place, then it became corrupted and dangerous. But God did not leave the world broken. He saved those who were faithful to him. He freed the Hebrews from the wicked imprisonment of Pharaoh in the Exodus. David talks over and over in the Psalms about how God saves. So do the prophets. And then we come to Jesus, whose name in Hebrew, Yeshua, literally means “salvation.”
The biblical word “salvation” means rescue. It means someone bigger and better, stronger and wiser, does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The necessity of salvation takes nothing away from human dignity. Rather, it gives us back our own lives. Whether we realize we need rescue or not, we still need rescue. It just makes sense for us to admit it, and to live in such a way that we respond to the rescue.
The Thai boys and their coach were not able to save themselves. They needed to be rescued. I could not move after I fell on my garage concrete floor. I needed to be rescued. And in our spiritual lives, we are not able to save ourselves from our sin, or from evil, or from the fear of death. We need to be rescued.
Jesus came to save us. And he did it by laying his life on the line. By giving up his life. The New Testament describes God’s decisive saving act as redemption, reconciliation, adoption, justification, and more.
“Redemption,” from the world of the marketplace, says that through the sacrificial death of Christ we have been bought out of our slavery to sin. Like slaves who are purchased in order to be set free, God supplied the price and received the price. This is true freedom, but a freedom that comes from being owned by God: “you are not your own. You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
“Reconciliation” comes from the world of relationships. The shattering effects of sin in the world led to estrangement. We are separated from each other, and separated from God. But in Christ, and in his sacrifice, God provides a bridge. By faith we are on God’s side, and God calls us his friends.
“Adoption,” from the realm of the family, means that we become, through the sacrifice of Christ, true children of God.
“Justification” is from the world of law courts. To be justified means to be made right with God. It is what happened to Abraham when he believed God’s astounding promise. Justification by grace through faith is a foundation of certainty. As Paul put it: “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies? Who is he who condemns?” (Romans 8:31-34).
So there is a multitude of ways the New Testament makes clear that we need rescue, and the rescue is real.
We rejoice with every young boy rescued from the flooded caves in Thailand. And we rejoice that God has done what we cannot do for ourselves by rescuing us through Christ.
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See “A Prayer of Faith and Salvation” from Mel Lawrenz’s book, Prayers for Our Lives
This is an example of using an opportunity for God’s glory. A wonderful message Mel and so well written. Thank you for your faithfulness. It broke my heart to see the pictures of the “shrines” in the homes of the families and how they so faithfully prayed to their false gods. Keep writing please.
Thank you Mel Lawrenz… this has captured my heart – beautifully written expose…
Can I add echoes of parallel in the way the rescue operation unfolds… The boys first found with great celebration… Then the wait; selection and timing; and the dark, dangerous journey into safety requiring the boys to cling to and trust their rescuers with their lives as they carry them with all prep, planning, skill, equipping, courage and care – given fully to the task… Lost in darkness, Jesus finds us – glorious celebration, and then our work on earth as we journey through trials of many kinds, passing through dark and dangerous waters… seasons of waiting; and inexplicable circumstance… and yet the promise that as we cling to and put our trust in Him in every situation, He keeps us and cares for us, and lets no harm come to us – as He carries us through it all: as He fulfills the number of our days then takes us home: for healing, and re-uniting with family….. and friend!
Thank you for inspiring and igniting my heart today, Mel
In love nd’ prayer as the last four team members and their coach are in rescue process today!
Dr, Lawrenz,
Most excellent as usual
however why is rescue so unusual
course it is against the rules to ask questions
so to make politics local
my family is the most important thing
said this
must love
unconditionally
gospel
i
see
poetry the realm
of deniability
Nine
Dr. Lawrenz,
I was sitting in Elmbrook Church and heard a good motivational sermon from one of your pastors connected to Elmbrook church who is from the Assembly of God Denomination.
He was excellent as he said that all organizations must have a vision to prosper as of course I have been thinking about that and I believe that only from the spirit comes the vision to run a Church such as Elmbrook.
Course, only the third person of that trinity.
This is only personal opinion as I observed the work of a pair of tremendous spiritual leaders at Elmbrook church the Couchmans as they filled elmbrook with young excited folks filled with the spirit as they built what stands here today.
I believe this that the name of Evangelical shall become cursed in the political arena as Elmbrook has stayed out of politics for the most part however, as our founding fathers once quipped absolute power corrupts absolutely as we see this unfolding before us as I tell you the truth.
What is a Church to do? Why love one another unconditionally and teach about the spirit and his power as this will see us through.
My family and I have experienced this power unconditionally from the spirit that third person of the trinity.
Many say He never was as I say I have experienced his spirit as that is what his Church is about.
Opinion only as I will get kicked out.
As an opinion I believe that its simply the Gospel to go to our local Sherman Park in Milwaukee and try to fix the crime of income inequality.
not to point fingers as to who done it but to love unconditionally as he would have done…
I have a critic of my faith as he says why does God need a man to do his work?
Easy of course as he is the creator and said create in my name…
Gospel I see…
as the songs say power in the name
Nine