THE SAVIOUR
When Pilate wrote the name "Jesus" on the notice that was put over the head of our Lord on the cross, it was simply because that wás His name.

The name, Jesus, was given by God Himself at Jesus's birth, because it has a special meaning.
She will have a Son, and you will name Him Jesus-because He will save His people from their sins. (Matt 1:21)

The Name Jesus means "Saviour", and as He died on the cross, He was truly our Saviour, my Saviour … and the Saviour to the world (see John 4:42).

Praise the Lord. Our God has given us a mighty Saviour (Luke 1:69)

A Saviour is someone who saves people, delivers them, preserves them, and brings them into a state of safety and security. A Saviour is a deliverer, rescuer, defender, helper, protector - and we know that our Lord Jesus did all these things for us when He died willingly on the cross in our place.

WHY DO WE NEED A SAVIOUR?
The Bible tells us that right from the beginning we as human beings made wrong choices, and was disobedient to God. Rom 3:23 says that everybody has sinned, and Rom 5:12 says: Sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Our sins separate us from God, we are condemned, lost, bound by our sins. The payment for sin is death (Rom 6:23). So we know that because of our sins, we deserve eternal death. Just as someone who is drowning in the sea cannot save himself, we cannot save ourselves from drowning because of our sins - we need a Saviour, a Deliverer, and a Rescuer!

THE BRONZE SNAKE ON THE POLE
In Numbers 21 we read about the Israelites who lost their patience and sinned against God by complaining about their circumstances and longing back to Egypt. God send poisonous snakes and many people were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Now pray to the LORD to take these snakes away." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed. (Num 21:7-9).

We can say that we have been bitten by a poisonous snake (our sin) and will die, BUT when we look at the cross with regret and repentance, with faith and a sincere heart, we will see our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and we will be healed. We will live!

As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life. (John 3:14-16)

SALVATION IN A NUTSHELL
Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person (Adam) did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another Person (Jesus) did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, He got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one Man said yes to God and put many in the right. (Rom 5:18-19)

OUR SAVIOUR… A MAN OF SORROWS, ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF
As our Saviour, Jesus took our place; He died so that we can live.

But it was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him - our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through His bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on Him, on Him. (Isa 53:5-6)

From Isaiah 53:2-9 we can form a picture of the suffering that Jesus went through ….. in our place:
* He knew pain first hand
* He was despised and rejected
* He was oppressed and afflicted
* He endured suffering - He was beaten and received blows
* He was wounded and crushed
* He was treated harshly
* He had no dignity or beauty
* There was nothing attractive about Him
* No one would even look at Him

OUR SAVIOUR GIVES HIMSELF - OUT OF HIS OWN FREE WILL
The plan was that He give Himself as an offering for sin. (Isa 53:10)

In John 10 we will find this refrain in verse 11, 15, 17, 18, where Jesus says that He is willing to die for us, to give up His life, to lay it down out of His own free will:

… I freely lay down My life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from Me. I lay it down of My own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from My Father. (John 10:17-18)

… the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself to redeem the whole human race. (1Tim 2: 6)

He knew that intense suffering and pain was coming ….. and yet He was willing to bear it, to pay the price for YOU and ME!

I read the following: "Biblically, it is clear that Jesus chose and willed His moment of death. That moment was induced not by pain, emotional stress, heart attack, or any other, but by His will. Though fully human, He is also fully God. As God, He could not die from external sources, but only of His own volition and will"

Jesus remained in this agony and shame, not because He was powerless, but because of His incredible love for us. He suffered to provide the needed way of salvation for you and me.

SALVATION THROUGH HIS BLOOD
Salvation, freedom, redemption, forgiveness, come to us only through the blood offered by our Saviour, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God. (Eph 1:7)

… He took His own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. (Heb 9:12)

… My blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Mat 26:28)

JESUS IS THE ONLY SAVIOUR
Salvation is to be found through Him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us. (Act 4:12)

Jesus answered him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one goes to the Father except by Me." (John 14:6)

THE RESULT OF SALVATION
· Our sins are forgiven
Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross … (1Pet 2:24)
He cancelled the unfavourable record of our sins … by nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:4)
God offered Him, so that by His blood He should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in Him (Rom 3:25)

· We are free
Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. (Gal 5:1)
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. (Gal 5:13)

· We become God's children
God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us His children - this was His pleasure and purpose. (Eph 1:5)

· We have eternal life
He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not die but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)

· We receive new life
Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with Him and given us back our lives. (Tit 3:6-7)

· We receive healing
It is by His wounds that you have been healed. (1Pet 2:24)

LET THE SAVIOUR SAVE YOU
Do you believe that Jesus is the Saviour to the World? Do you believe that Jesus is YOUR Saviour? Do you trust Him to really save you? Would you let Him save you? This is the most important decision you will ever make. Why don't you give your heart to Him right now? Here is His invitation to you:

Look, I'm standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to My voice and opens the door, I'll come in … (Rev 3:20)

Answer to this invitation by three simple steps: admit, agree, accept.

1. Admit that God has not been first place in your life and ask Him to forgive your sins.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong. (1John 1:9)

2. Agree that Jesus died to pay for your sins and that He rose from the dead and is alive today.
If you confess that Jesus is your Lord, and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Rom 10:9)

3. Accept God's free gift of salvation. Don't try to earn it.
For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8,9)

Go to God in prayer and tell Him: "I am a sinner in need of grace. I believe that Jesus died for me on the cross. I accept your offer of salvation"