The Savior of the World

John 3:17 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

In the movie “The Matrix” the main character Neo is asked by another character, “So, you’re going to save the world?... What do you say to that?” There are a lot of movies, comic book heroes, etc… whose goal it is to save the world. Then there are a lot of movies, comic books, etc…where the world is being destroyed. Who is going to save the world this time? Tune in next week to find out…

Nicodemus is asking Jesus all kinds of questions and quite frankly, he’s confused about a lot of things. And Jesus isn’t cutting him any slack. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and he is supposed to know the law and the prophets and he, of all people, should recognize Jesus. Jesus goes through a bunch of things that Nicodemus ought to know and all Nicodemus can say is “I don’t get it.” Then Jesus finally gets to the ultimate point and purpose of his presence on earth. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” He came to save the world.

What do you say to that? Jesus didn’t come to destroy the world, but to save it. Jesus didn’t come to condemn you. He didn’t come so that he could point the finger at you and say that you’re no good. He came to say, “I forgive you. You are mine.” He didn’t come to wipe mankind off the face of the map. He came to be a living landmark. He came to be the way to follow. He came for you and for me, to seek us out and save each of us.

There is no other savior of the world, despite what movies, comics or stories will say. Jesus is the one, the only, the ultimate savior of the world. What do you say to that? Amen.

Gracious God, thank you for loving us enough to give Jesus to us. Amen.

Flowing Water

Zechariah 13:1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.”

Can you wash your hands in stagnant pond water? Not particularly well, I think. Do you go to a puddle outside to rinse your laundry? Not a chance, you say. Would you kneel down and drink from the melted snow in the driveway? Only if you were a dog. The problem with these sources of water is that they are not flowing, moving, or being refreshed. They simply sit there and collect and then dry up.

In Genesis, chapter 7, we read of the great flood that God used to scour the earth. It wasn’t a gentle drizzle. In fact, it says that the fountains of the great deep burst forth and the windows of heaven were opened. To me, that says that a whole lot of flowing water poured out and shot up from the earth. It was a fountain, flowing water, for cleansing.

When we tell our kids to wash their hands, we expect them to use running water. You need the movement to sweep away the dirt. When we wash our clothes, the washing machine or the river if you live in underdeveloped areas moves the dirt away with flowing water. When we drink, the water is the freshest if it has recently been flowing, not just sitting out. To get things clean and refreshed, we need moving water.

Jesus said in John chapter 7, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus is that fountain that Zechariah prophesied. He is the one, the fountain, the flowing water that cleanses from sin and uncleanness. It was water that flowed from his side as he hung on the cross. It was his blood that flowed to wash away our sin. Today, baptism is that fountain, the water that flows that washes us clean.

There’s a country song that asks about being washed in the blood or in the water. I told a friend it’s like the difference between being baptized and simply taking a shower. One gets you clean for the moment. In the other, Jesus makes you clean for eternity.

Heavenly Father, thanks for the flowing water, the fountain and source of all goodness, Jesus Christ, your Son. May your Holy Spirit remind me daily of the washing away of my sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.