Jesus is introduced to us in the Bible by a number of names and titles.
1. Angel of the Lord, Genesis 16:7
2. Shiloh, Genesis 49:10
3. I Am, Exodus 3:14
4. Wonderful Counselor, Isaiah 9:6
5. Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6
6. Branch, Isaiah 11:1
7. Jesus, Matthew 1:21
8. Immanuel, Matthew 1:23
9. Christ, Matthew 16:16
10. Servant Mathew 20:28
11. King, Matthew 21:5
12. Rabbi, Matthew 23:8
13. Son of Man, Mark 8:321
14. Son of David, Mark 10:47
15. Master, Luke 8:24
16. The Word, John 1:1
17. Lamb of God, John 1:29, 36
18. Messiah, John 4:25
19. Bread of Life, John 6:35
20. Good Shepherd, John 10:11, 14
21. Son of God, John 10:36
22. Resurrection and Life, John 11:25
23. The Way, the Truth, the Life, John 14:6
24. LORD, Acts 2:36
25. Cornerstone, Ephesians 2:19-20
26. Head of the Church, Ephesians 5:23
27. Mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5
28. High Priest, Hebrews 2:17
29. Savior, 1 John 4:14
30. Alpha and Omega, Revelation 1:8
31. King of kings and LORD of lords, 1 Timothy 6:15: Revelation 17:14; 19:16
Today, I want us to focus on the name or title ‘Savior.’ We are weak and needy human beings. We have always required divine deliverance from sin without and from sin within — sin from others, sin from the natural world, and sin from ourselves. Throughout God’s Word, there are numerous references to the LORD Himself as our Rescuer or Savior.
Savior comes from the word ‘save.’ It is Yasha in Hebrew and Sozo in Greek. In the Old Testament, the word was most often used with the idea of deliverance from the kind of danger. In 2 Samuel 22:1, we read “Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” It is easy to see the concept of saving or receiving in this verse. The LORD loves to deliver, rescue, or save His people.
Notice the response of David when he was delivered from the hand of the jealous Saul — 2 Samuel 22:2-3.
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my savior. You save me from violence.”
Folks, re-read those two verses several times. The LORD wants to minister to each of us in the same ways.
It is really important for us to realize there is only one Savior. In Isaiah 43:11, Yahweh said, “I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior besides Me.”
In the New Testament, we have Mary who was with child, as a result of the Holy Spirit coming to her. She had gone to visit her cousin Elizabeth. As they greeted each other, Mary sang this song,” My soul exalts the LORD, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46-47
Later in chapter two, an angel announced to a group of shepherds “For today in the City of David, there has been born to you a Savior, who is Christ the LORD.” (2:11) Jesus left the wonders of heaven for the express purpose of bringing glory to God the Father and to save His people. The New Testament concept of Savior is different than that of the Old. There He is frequently seen as one who delivers us from our enemies. In the New Testament, we see Him saving us from the consequences of our sins. He offers us spiritual salvation, from sin’s power and its consequences. By His living, dying, and rising again, He offers forgiveness to all who accept His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross at Calvary.
In John 10:10 Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Do you want to be saved from the power of sin, its penalty, and ultimately its power? There is only one way – that is by putting your trust in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.” In Acts 4:12 we read “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 wrote “For He (God the Father) made Him (Christ the Son) to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
In Acts 5:31, the Apostle Peter declared — “Him (Jesus) God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel (and us) and forgiveness of sins.”
The Apostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 1:10 wrote “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”
When Paul wrote to Titus, he said “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy.” (3:4-5)
On the cross, Jesus our Savior paid the price for our sins. He offered Himself in our place and thereby satisfied God’s wrath toward sin and sinners. We cannot save ourselves.
There is only one Savior and that is Jesus Christ. The Apostle John (1 John 4:14) wrote “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”
I pray that everyone who reads this meditation has already received Jesus as their Savior or that you will do so right now. We all need to be saved and Jesus is the only Savior there is.
Glory to God,
Pastor Leonard
