Listen to last week’s sermon Saved From What found in Luke 7:36-47

One of life’s greatest tragedies is that many people live unaware of the priceless gift of salvation that God freely offers. Even sadder is the reality that some knowingly reject it. Pastor Eric’s sermon, titled Saved From What?, explores the depth of salvation, what we are saved from, and how this truth transforms our lives. This message is a call to gratitude, worship, and purposeful living, all while emphasizing a critical question: Saved from what?

Understanding the Tragedy of Rejected Salvation

To illustrate the tragedy of rejecting salvation, Pastor Eric shared the historical account of George Wilson. Convicted of robbing the U.S. mail in 1829, Wilson received a full pardon from President Andrew Jackson. Shockingly, he refused the pardon, and the Supreme Court ruled that a pardon is only valid if accepted. Consequently, Wilson was executed, not because a pardon wasn’t available, but because he chose not to receive it. This story mirrors the spiritual tragedy faced by millions today. God offers salvation freely, yet many never open the gift. Worse still, even Christians who have received salvation often forget its immense value, living as though nothing extraordinary has happened.

The Priceless Rescue

Imagine being stranded in the middle of an ocean, drowning, and hopeless. At the point of death, a rescuer dives into the turbulent waters to save you, sacrificing their life in the process. How could you move forward without remembering such a heroic act? Yet, this is the reality for many Christians. Jesus saved us from drowning in sin and eternal separation from God. But do we live in a way that reflects the magnitude of this gift? Have we forgotten what He saved us from?

What Happens When You Truly Understand Salvation

When you grasp the full depth of what Jesus saved you from, everything changes. Pastor Eric referred to Luke 7:36-47, the story of the sinful woman who poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. Her actions showed unrestrained worship and overwhelming gratitude. Despite her sinful past, she boldly approached Jesus, weeping in repentance and pouring out a costly perfume worth nearly a year’s wages. Her love was profound because she understood the depth of her forgiveness. Jesus declared, “Her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

When we truly value salvation:

• Worship becomes unrestrained: Worship extends beyond singing; it’s reflected in our service, giving, and dedication to God.
• Gratitude overflows: We move from obligation to joyful thanksgiving.
• Our lives are transformed: We live with purpose, excellence, and an eternal perspective.

Saved from What?

The central question of the sermon—Saved from what?—reveals the incredible depth of God’s salvation. Jesus didn’t come just to save us from inconvenience or a “bad life.” He came to save us from three monumental realities: death, wrath, and the power of sin.

1. Saved from Death

Romans 6:23 explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Death is not just physical but also spiritual—eternal separation from God. When Adam and Eve sinned, death entered the world in three forms:

• Physical death: Their once immortal bodies became mortal, subject to sickness and decay.
• Moral death: Humanity’s nature was corrupted, leading to guilt, shame, and selfishness.
• Spiritual death: Separation from God became humanity’s reality.

But Jesus came to undo what Adam’s sin caused. He is called the second Adam because, through Him, we are born anew. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” By accepting Jesus, we are saved from eternal death. This isn’t just about escaping hell; it’s about gaining eternal life and fellowship with God.

2. Saved from Wrath

God’s wrath is His holy and just response to sin. It’s not an impulsive or reckless anger but a necessary act of justice. Scripture refers to this time of judgment as “The Day of the Lord.” Revelation 6:16-17 describes the terror of that day, as people beg mountains to fall on them to escape God’s wrath. God’s justice demands that sin be punished. However, for believers, this wrath is not our destiny. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 assures us, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through Jesus, we are justified by His blood (Romans 5:9). On the cross, God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus so that it would not fall on us. As John Stott profoundly stated, “Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” For those who reject Christ, however, wrath remains. John 3:36 warns, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” This truth should compel us to:

• Worship God for His mercy.
• Share the gospel urgently so others can be spared from God’s wrath.

3. Saved from the Power of Sin

Salvation doesn’t just free us from sin’s penalty; it also breaks sin’s power over us. Romans 6:6 proclaims, “Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Through Christ, we receive a new nature, no longer defined by sin but by righteousness. This doesn’t mean we won’t face temptation, but we now have the power to overcome it. Galatians 5:16 reminds us, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Pastor Eric emphasized that Jesus is the ultimate bondage breaker, freeing us from the destructive forces that once enslaved us. Leonard Ravenhill summarized it well: “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, make him holy, put him back into that unholy world, and keep him holy in it.”

Saved for a Purpose

Salvation is not just about what we’re saved from but what we’re saved for.
Ephesians 2:10 reveals, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We are saved for:

• Abundant Life: John 10:10 promises, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” This life is filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment.
• A Mission: Matthew 28:19-20 calls us to make disciples of all nations, sharing the good news of salvation.
• A Relationship with God: John 17:3 explains, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Eternal life isn’t just about escaping hell or going to heaven; it’s about living in fellowship with God, doing life with Him, and enjoying His presence.

A Call to Action

Pastor Eric concluded with a powerful challenge: Will you live in a way that reflects the priceless value of your salvation? Like the sinful woman who poured her expensive perfume on Jesus, will you worship without restraint, holding nothing back? Gratitude for salvation should lead us to:

• Bold worship and service.
• Urgent evangelism, offering others the lifeline of salvation.
• A life of purpose, walking in the good works God has prepared for us.

As Ezekiel 33:11 reminds us, God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires all to turn to Him and live. Let this truth ignite a passion in us to share the gospel and honour Jesus with our lives.

Salvation is the greatest gift ever offered, saving us from death, wrath, and the power of sin while giving us abundant life, purpose, and eternal fellowship with God. Let us never take this gift for granted. 

Listen to the sermon here