Jesus’ name comes from the Hebrew verb that means “to save,” so in a sense, to say Jesus’ name is to call him Saviour. When we proclaim Jesus as Saviour, we recognize a couple of very important things:
1) We need saving. According to the Bible, what we need saving from can be summed up by the pair “sin and death.” Romans 5:12-21 is an important place where this reality is fleshed out in some detail. We live in a world that has been infected, so to speak, by sin and death. All of life is touched by them. In everything from our participation in the disorder of the natural world to the relational troubles we experience, from grief over losses of loved ones to the countless instances of “dying inside” that happen everyday, our lives are crying out for rescue from sin and death.
2) God is with us in Jesus to save. In Matthew 1:21-23, Matthew tells us that Joseph and Mary’s obedience in calling Mary’s son Jesus (“because he will save his people from their sins”) was a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy about a virgin giving birth to a son and calling him Immanuel (“which means ‘God with us’”). Jesus came as “God with us,” and his mission was to save. According to Romans 5, the actions of one man, Adam, brough sin and death into the world. Through Jesus’ faithful life and death, the reign of sin and death was stopped. God didn’t just send help for us or give us instructions on how to better ourselves. He came to be with us and to achieve salvation for us.
This truth, that in Jesus God is with us to save, teaches us some important lessons:
A) God is the Saviour, not us. For those of us who are tempted to meddle in the lives of others or who feel a heavy burden of responsibility for the life decisions of people we care about, we are reminded that God is the only one who can bring true rescue and salvation. This lends a much more intense motivation for us to pray for those we are concerned about. We are called to be witnesses but not arm-twisters. Speak a word of witness, but commit people to God in prayer.
B) God is with us, starting now. When Jesus called his disciples, he didn’t call them just to do work for him. He also called them to be with him (see Mark 3:14). This means that following Jesus crucially involves a relationship not just a destination. We can experience and foster that relationship in our daily life by seeking the face and character of Jesus in Scripture, prayer, worship, and the community of faith.
C) God’s purpose is to save, so don’t shy away from his light. Some of us might feel like holding back from commitment to Jesus because we are afraid of what it will cost. But according to John 3, Jesus’ purpose in our lives is to save, not to condemn. He wants to shine a light onto our lives so that we see things clearly. If that involves challenges and change, we can trust Jesus that it is all for our good. Contrary to our cultural moment, we need to be suspicious of ourselves—of our motives, of what we are capable of when left to ourselves, of where our hearts will lead us if we follow them—and trusting of Jesus.
Discussion Questions
1. What are some characteristics of today’s world that indicate to you that we need saving? In what ways do you think things are worse or better than at other times?
2. Read Romans 5:12-17. What is the connection between sin and death (12-14)? How has the situation been transformed through the coming of Jesus (15-17)?
3. Read Romans 8:1-4. According to these verses, how do we find freedom? What are the various things that this passage says Christ’s death accomplished?
4. Do you ever feel as if the burden for someone else’s wellbeing falls on you? Tell of a time when you or someone you know felt this or acted on it. How did the situation unfold or turn out?
5. Read Mark 3:14. What are some ways that we might practice “being with Jesus” in daily life?
6. What do you think are the main obstacles between people and a healthy and growing relationship with God?
7. Read John 3:16-21. How do you understand the relationship between judgment and salvation in this passage? How does the image of light relate to these themes?
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