Jesus Saves

What does Jesus really save us from?

Jeane and I love to do road-trips. I know that sounds kind of Mid-century Beaver Cleaver Route 66ish, but we love traveling along in an automobile looking at the countryside and watching the telephone poles go by. We never tire of seeing all the different kinds of beauty in this vast country of ours. While driving through cities and towns at night we have, on occasion, come across one of those old neon signs you used to see quite often in downtowns across America: "Jesus Saves," they advertise, in the shape of a cross. They're not as prevalent as they used to be, but they're still out there, glowing and humming in all of their fading neon glory in colors of pink or purple or green or blue. It always brings a little leap of joy to my heart when I see one. The phrase "Jesus Saves" can become so familiar to us that the words lose their meaning or at least their power to touch us. It can so easily become just a pious cliche'. But Jesus does save. The question is: What does Jesus really save us from? First of all, Jesus saves us from the eternal consequences of sin, granting us life everlasting through him. But it doesn't stop there. There's something else that neon sign tells us when we read, "Jesus Saves." It also says, "Jesus Heals." Salvation means salvation of our total being--physically, emotionally and spiritually. Being saved means being healed and freed from all those sicknesses in our lives that need to to be touched and transformed by him. "But he was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed." Isaiah 53:5 NET Can this be true? Come Monday night when we will unpack this together. In the meantime, "See the USA in your Chevrolet...." and look for the neon sign that reminds you, "Jesus Saves!" Greg