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Jesus Christ

Savior

Two construction workers once fell into a deep pit. One said to the other “Save me from this wretched place. Please get me out of the dirt and mud.” The other replied “You idiot how can I? I am in the same plight as you.” Since they were both in the pit neither one could help the other. Then they heard a voice from above calling to them to grasp a rope. A third worker had not fallen into the pit so he was the only one who could save them. He brought help from above.

The very best man among the prophets could not save us from the pit of sin because he too was a sinner just as we are. He landed in the same pit we did. But Jesus was God and thus was not sinful. He came from above to save us from the horrible mess we are in. Like the two workmen we cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus Christ can save us. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

Savior

A man decided he would swim from Los Angeles to Hawaii. He hired the finest swim coach to train him and worked out with Olympic gold-medal winners. He left no detail of preparation undone. Finally the big day arrived. He plunged into the Pacific Ocean and began to swim. Five… ten… fifteen… twenty miles he went. Now the ocean seemed to be getting more intimidating. The waves were becoming rather high and the water cold.

He began to realize that he could never swim to Hawaii; it was just too far. In vain he searched his mind for an alternative but there was none. Then as he was gasping for air and about to go down for the third time a motorboat pulled up alongside him. With his last ounce of energy he called out “Save me! Please save me!” The owner of the motorboat looked down at our drowning swimmer and said “Friend you’re in trouble. What you need is the waterproof edition of my book on swimming to Hawaii. It will tell you everything you need to know. Here catch it.” And then vroom vroom off he goes in his boat to Hawaii. Obviously our swimmer needs more than a book.

Well let’s suppose that as our swimmer was gasping for his last breath and the motorboat pulled alongside him and he cried out “Save me! Please save me!” the owner said “Friend you’re in trouble. What you need is someone to show you how to swim. Here watch me.” At that the boater jumps in and says “The secret is the Australian crawl. Watch my head. See it’s breathe-blow breathe-blow breathe-blow. Now friend it won’t be easy but if you’ll just follow my example you are sure to make it.” And then he climbs back into his boat and vroom vroom of he goes to Hawaii. Obviously our swimmer needs more than an example a model.

Well let’s try again. This time as our swimmer was gasping for his last breath and the motorboat pulled alongside him and he cried out “Save me! Please save me!” suppose that the owner leans over the rail and says “Friend you’re in trouble! Even worse you’re drowning! Here let me save you.” Then the owner reaches over and grabs the drowning swimmer pulls him into the boat sets him down in a chair and gives him some chocolate-chip cookies to eat and chocolate milk to drink. After some time the owner reappears on deck and says to the well-rested swimmer “You know I saved you from certain death back there. I pulled you out of the water set you in my chair and fed you my chocolate-chip cookies and chocolate milk. Now we are only a few hundred miles from Hawaii and I think it’s time that you did something. So you lazy fellow get back in the water and swim!” Obviously our swimmer friend is right back where he started and he surely needs more than an occasional boost or help when things get rough.

Let’s give it one more try. This time as our swimmer is gasping for his last breath and the motorboat pulls alongside him and he cries out “Save me! Please save me!” the owner leans over the rail and says “Friend you’re in trouble! Even worse you’re drowning! Here let me save you.” And the owner reaches over and grabs the drowning swimmer and pulls him into the boat. Then he sets him down in a chair and gives him some chocolate-chip cookies and chocolate milk. Eventually Hawaii comes into view and the owner heads for the dock. He ties up his boat picks up the swimmer carries him across the dock and puts him down on the golden sands of Hawaii.

Now which of these was truly the savior of our drowning swimmer? Why the last one of course. He was the only one who rescued the swimmer from certain death and took him to a place where there was no threat of drowning again. In a similar manner God did not write the Bible to give us an instruction book on “How to Get to Heaven.” Nor did Christ come to show us how to live a life that would be acceptable to God. Nor did Christ come to help us out when we needed a little extra boost but who still expects us to do our part. No Christ was like the owner who did it all for the drowning swimmer and so became his savior. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》