1 Sermon Series: The Rescuer Rises Sermon Title: The Rescuer Rises Sermon Text: Luke 2:1-20 Big Idea: The Rescuer came to be Your Rescuer {Video lead in} Super heroes and Super powers. Intro: What super power would you want? And what would you do with it? Over the past several years the box office has been obsessed with movies about super heroes. It seems we all secretly long for what a super hero brings power to over come evil, power to bring justice and power to bring rescue. In real life, we are drawn to stories of rescue. There s something reassuring and encouraging about seeing what seems like the impossible become possible. Occasionally I ll watch the Weather Channel s Coast Guard Alaska Rescue show. Their motto is, Heroes come in waves. I love that. When you think about some of the greatest rescue stories which ones come to mind? Of course we probably all think of the many acts of heroism and rescue during the September 11 tragedy. I also think about the rescue of those Chilean miners a few years back. Those guys were trapped a half a mile underground for 68 days before they were rescued. In 2009 when flight 1549 hit a huge flock of birds on takeoff Pilot, Chelsey Sullenberger refused to panic. Instead he landed the Airbus A320 and its 155 passengers on the Hudson River. After landing in the Hudson, nearby ferryboats, police boats, fireboats, and tugboats rescued passengers who were standing up to their waists in 35-degree water and 18 degree air temperatures. What could have ended in a disaster -- in a city already haunted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- turned out to be one of the most amazing flight rescue stories ever. [Transition] Each of these is an incredible story of rescue and rescuers but you know what? When we celebrate Christmas we celebrate the greatest rescuer ever offered to humankind. All month long here at COTF we have been in a series I m calling The Rescuer Rises. In this series we ve been revisiting the events leading up to the birth of the greatest rescuer ever known Jesus of Nazareth. The stories leading up his birth describe him as the Great One, the Son of God, an eternal leader, our redeemer, Savior and
2 the Rescuer. Today we come to his actual birth itself. You heard Pastor Phil read it a moment ago. The news of the Rescuer s birth brought a ton of celebration and excitement because Jesus is the greatest Rescuer ever promised and now he has been born. The heavenly angel choir celebrated his birth because God was glorified and peace is now possible for humankind. But how does the rise of our Rescuer bring peace on earth? I think most of us might look around at life and feel like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow when in 1863 he wrote the Christmas Carol I heard the bells on Christmas day. And in despair I bowed my head: There is no peace on earth, I said, "For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men." We have to look to the Bible to help us make sense of this. It unpacks in its pages why Jesus is the greatest Rescuer to ever rise and how his coming makes peace in our lives possible. The reason Jesus is the greatest rescuer to ever rise is because his rescue touches each of us where we need it most. Let me give you some examples: Why Jesus is the greatest Rescuer to ever rise. He brings rescue from loneliness. We are relational beings. God created us to be relational and most importantly to have relationship with him. Unfortunately many people ignore God and stiff-arm his love. But, when we embrace the Rescuer and allow him into our lives he commits himself to us and actually sends his Spirit to bond with our soul and journey with us through every experience in our lives (John 17). This means we re never alone. Israel s greatest King, David, wrote a song about this truth. Singing to God David said, You hem me in behind and before and you lay your hand upon me Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you.
3 Here s how the New Testament summarizes this from God s perspective, Never will I leave you, never will if forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). When we embrace Jesus, he brings rescue from loneliness through the presence of his Spirit in us. That s why the angels celebrated the best rescuer ever. [Transition] He also brings rescue from meaninglessness. He brings rescue from a meaningless life. Viktor Frankl, Austrian Psychiatrist and Nazi concentration camp survivor said, Clinics are crowded with people suffering from a new kind of neurosis, a sense of total and ultimate meaninglessness of life. For thousands of years, brilliant philosophers have discussed and speculated about the meaning of life. Philosophy is an important subject and has its uses, but when it comes to determining the purpose of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing. The Bible doesn t leave us to mere speculation when it comes to the meaning and purpose of life. The Bible helps us understand the meaning of life. The mere fact that the Rescuer was willing to come and rescue us means our lives have meaning. God loves us and sent his Son, Jesus to be our Rescuer. The result is this, For we are God s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10). Ultimate meaning in life is found only in the context of a relationship with God and the Rescuer who came to make that possible for us. That s why the angels celebrated the best rescuer ever. [Transition] Jesus brings rescue from meaninglessness and closely related to that, he brings rescue from hopelessness. He brings rescue from hopelessness. Remember this: Nothing is impossible with God, so hope is always alive. Evil never has the final say because the Rescuer is the final victor in the battle between good and evil. Even when things occur that were meant for evil and bring overwhelming pain and destruction to our lives, the Rescuer brings comfort and hope of ultimate salvation and rescue from this life of pain. Having risen from the dead, he brings the assurance of life after death in the peace of God s presence. The Bibles says, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can
4 never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-5). [Illustration] The families in Newtown CT have endured one of the greatest tragedies most of us have seen in our lifetimes. One two-tour marine from Afghanistan, now first responder to the scene said it was worse than anything he ever saw on the battlefield. The pain and heartache of those parents and families is unimaginable to most of us. The only one who can rescue them from complete and utter despair and hopelessness is Jesus whispering the promise of his care for those children in heaven. When we embrace Jesus, his presence and promises bring hope in all things. That s why the angels celebrated the best rescuer ever. [Transition] Next I want you to know Jesus is the greatest rescuer because he brings rescue from pain. He brings rescue from pain. Hear what I m saying in this. This doesn t mean that those who embrace the Rescuer will avoid all pain in life; actually it affirms the opposite. It affirms that life will bring pain at times, but in those times, the Rescuer brings supernatural comfort. Our Rescuer Jesus said, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). The Apostle Paul affirms this when he wrote, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3-4a). Our Rescuer doesn t promise we ll avoid all pain, but he promises to comfort us and enable us to endure it. And when this life is over he has prepared a place for those who embrace him now to spend eternity where He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4). Jesus will bring rescue from pain. That s why the angels celebrated the best rescuer ever. [Transition] According to those in our video, the fascination with super heroes is the deep longing to be rescued from injustice. Jesus brings that too. He brings rescue from injustice. Our world is filled with injustice: Those with power abusing the powerless. It happens Nation on Nation, Nation on it s own people and person on person all over the world. But the image of
5 God in us longs desperately for justice. This is why we pull for the underdog and cheer for the champion or the Superhero to win the day and bring justice. The Bible teaches that God is absolutely holy and perfectly just. Any passion for justice you and I may have pales in comparison to God s. No one craves justice more than he does. And while he actively accomplishes justice in some cases in our lives, in other cases he withholds his justice until a time of his choosing later. 2 Peter 3 tells us why. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But, when that time comes, the Rescuer will bring justice, judgment and destruction on all the evil of the world. Here s how the Bible describes our Rescuer in that day, I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords (Rev. 19:11-16). That s an awesome picture of our Rescuer. The angels celebration is starting to make sense, isn t it? [Transition] On a more personal level in each of our own lives Jesus brings rescue from the core brokenness that is in each of us. He brings rescue from the brokenness of our sin. This is the Rescuer s greatest feat. The Bible tells us that each of us has sin in our lives that we can t get free from on our own. This means that despite our best efforts, we do things that offend God, hurt other people or ourselves. And ultimately our sin separates us from God because a Holy God cannot have close connection with a person with sin. So, we need to be rescued from our sin problem and all the consequences of our sin problem.
6 Here s how the Rescuer deals with it. First, in mercy and grace he serves our sentence for sin by dying on the cross. This makes real forgiveness from God available to us. Next, our Rescuer rises from the dead, making life eternal available for us. Finally, he makes this offer to each of us, If you will accept me as your Rescuer, I will forgive your sin, wipe your slate clean, journey with you in life and when you die, I ll get you through it and you ll join me in heaven. Talk about peace. There is no greater peace than being at peace with God through the forgiveness of sin. [Transition] While Jesus rescues us in whatever condition he finds us he loves us enough not to leave us there. His rescue brings inspiration and power to break free from the destructive habits that enslave us. He brings rescue from the destructive habits that enslave us. He brings the inspiration and power to change. In a room this size, it s likely there are some who feel beat up and defeated by habits or hang-ups that you bring heartache into your life. The awesome news of the Rescuer s rise is you can learn to live free from those habits and hang-ups. It s not your destiny to struggle with them your whole life. When you embrace Jesus the Rescuer, he saves you but then he goes to work on you. Through the power of his Spirit who begins to permeate your life, you can have the inspiration and the power of God help you get free from those frustrating habits and hang-ups. The Apostle Paul encourages new followers of the Rescuer with statements like this, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (5:1,16). Jesus brings rescue from the destructive habits that enslave us. That s why the angels celebrated him as the best rescuer ever. [Transition] Jesus not only rescues us from our own habits and hang-ups, he brings rescue from the wounds others cause in our lives. He brings rescue from the wounds of sinful things done to us. Life can be rough. And relationships in life can be the source of tremendous of joy, but they can also be a source of tremendous heartache. We ve all known conflict in relationships. Many have been the target of bitterness and resentment in marriages. When people relate to us in broken and sinful ways, deep wounds can be inflicted.
7 God said, I am the Lord who heals you (Ex. 15:26). And sure enough, when the Rescuer came from God, everywhere he went he brought healing not just spiritual healing, but mental, emotional and physical healing (Isaiah 53; Matthew 8). He showed us the compassion and tender mercy of God who brings healing, reconciliation and restoration to our lives. And the Rescuer still provides that healing for those who lean on him for it. The Angels knew it and that s why they celebrated Jesus as the best rescuer ever. [Transition] - Finally, Jesus is the best rescuer ever because he brings rescue from a fear of the afterlife. He brings rescue from a fear of the afterlife. What will happen after I die? Where will I go? These are questions that have plagued people for centuries. Most all of us have probably wondered from time to time and had some anxiety over how we ll die. And many people have little or no understanding about what will happen after they die. That uncertainty carries with it a huge amount of anxiety and fear. Jesus brings rescue from the unknowns and uncertainties of death. And he speaks with authority because he himself died and rose again. He s been to the other side and back. And the Bible says, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died (1 Cor. 15:20 NLT). In other words, the resurrection of Jesus, the Rescuer, sets the pattern for all who follow him in life. When you trust him and follow him in life, you will follow him in death as well. Jesus said, Don t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am (John 14:1-3 NLT). People who embrace Jesus the Rescuer have no question about where they will spend eternity. They may know exactly what heaven is going to be like, but they know they will be there because Jesus brings rescue from a fear of the afterlife. [Transition] - Jesus is the greatest rescuer ever to rise up because he brings rescue from all these things. Rescue we cannot provide for ourselves. According to the angel choir, the rescue Jesus brings glorifies God in heaven and makes peace possible in the hearts of humankind.
8 But, everyone here needs to know this: To experience the rescue Jesus was born to bring, you must ask him to rescue you. You must ask THE Rescuer to be YOUR Rescuer! To do that you could pray something like this. Jesus, I need you to rescue me. I understand there is no way I can get free of sin and its consequences on my own. Thank you for being born at Christmas and then dying and rising again to rescue me. I commit myself to you today. Amen. I d like us all to bow our heads and if you need to make the Rescuer, your Rescuer, ask him to do it in these moments. (Pray prayer) Invite those who already know him to be intentional about talking about that in your gatherings this week, and remember to verbalize your gratitude to your Rescuer in prayer. If you asked Jesus to be your Rescuer today, please let me know that by filling out the card in front of you with the green stripe on top.