Jesus loves saving the worst of us. The bottom, the wicked, the outcast. Because the world sees us, after the fact, after we have been cleansed, washed, set apart and made holy; they cannot imagine that God wants people who are not good, righteous, and moral. They think, they have to become like we are first. You know the “Christian” image. They just don’t know the beginning of our story.
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. Religious Serial Killers, like Saul of Tarsus. On his way to roundup, haul away and kill more Christians, Jesus stopped him in his tracks. He became one of the leaders of the same group he sought to destroy. Acts 9:1-5
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. Insane, self mutilating, death worshipping, demon possessed people, like the unnamed demonic, who Jesus cast out enough demons to fill 2,000 pigs, drive them insane, causing the pigs to killed themselves. After Jesus, this person was sane, clothed, and ready to be a witness for Jesus Christ, and preached in multiple cities about what Jesus did for him. Mark 5:1-20
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. A Prostitute, with seven devils, doing who knows what with whom, Mary Magdalene. Jesus removes her shame, her demons, transforms her, to be a righteous, holy woman, a disciple of Jesus, and the first to see him resurrected from the dead. Mark 16:9
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. Two traitors, robbing their countrymen with legal exorbitant taxes, imposed by the oppressive conquering nation. Publicans, tax collectors for the Romans. Mathew and Zacchaeus. One after coming to Christ gave away half of what he had and paid 4 fold to everyone he wronged. The other left everything, his wealth, his lifestyle, his comfort and became one of the 12 apostles.
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. A woman, who was an outcast of her society, married 5 times and now living with a man. A woman that knew men very well, and the women of her town wanted nothing to do with her. But after meeting Jesus, she became a light, witness to the very men, who all knew her reputation, and help to change her society. John 4:1-30
Today, Jesus loves to save the worst of us. He saves Imam Muslim priests, and brings them to a living relationship with God the father, through His son Jesus Christ. He saves prostitutes and sends them to bring other women and men out of that lifestyle. He saves drug dealers, drug attics and sets them free from the daily and sometimes hourly HIGH. He saves murders, hitmen, assassins and changes their hard heart to one of compassion. He saves witches, voodoo practitioners, psychics and sets them free from the voices, the power of the dark side, to live in the light of God’s presence.
Jesus saves the rapist, the person committing incest and the ones being victimized. He saves the cutter, the self-mutilator, self destructive, the destroyer, and shows them the love of the Creator, who can make all things new in their lives. He saves the alcoholic and gives them the new wine, that sets them free from the daily, drive to drink the day, the pain away. He saves the hater, be it self hate, or hatred of this group, that race or this family member. He removes the hatred, the unforgiveness, and replaces it with love.
Jesus loves to save the worst of us. And I was one of the worst of us. Daily high, running with gangs, planning a murder on a opposing drug dealer. Setting up ambushes for other gangs. A drug addict using anything I could get my hands on. Jesus saved me, in the middle of my mess.
The problem for the worst of us, is not that Jesus saves the worst of us. But I cannot see myself like you, the saved. The holy. I cannot see how Jesus can change my habits, my cursing mouth, my daily drive for sex, drugs, and violence. I am really good at being bad, and being bad is really easy. I already hate myself, and it is easier to just conclude that I am no good, than to try to be good. Can Jesus really save me?
Yes, Jesus loves to save the worst of us. And His saving power is not dependent upon how bad you are, but how powerful He is. Jesus said, that you cannot make yourself taller, no matter how much you worry, how much you think about it happening. (Mat 6: 27) In the same way, you cannot make yourself better, with your greatest effort. You may appear better to men, but in the book of Romans, 10 chapter it says.
But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” ASV
The first part of this scripture states, “Who will ascend into heaven, and bring Christ down?” Can you by your greatest efforts, best feats, most noble achievements reach to heaven and force him to come down? Then the verse goes on, “can you descended into the grave” and by your ability bring Jesus back up from the dead?
This is the condition of mankind, we are powerless to do what is needed to save ourselves. We cannot by our effort, by our strength, save ourselves. It is only by the effort, the strength of God. And the worst of us, to often get caught in the effort trap, trying to do it by ourselves, with our own strength, failing time and again. It is not up to you. You cannot do it. We cannot do it.
The next part of the verse is the other problem for the worst of us. It just cannot be that easy. It says that the word of salvation, the words of freedom, are not somewhere in my distant future, over the next hill, or just outside of arms reach. But my freedom, my salvation is so close, that if I reach out with my mouth, and my heart, it is mine. That I don’t have to become a holy man or woman first, but if I confess with my lips Jesus, and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead for my sins. For my salvation, if I really accept, believe and received what Jesus did for me, I will be saved. Not just saved, but no longer ashamed.
Here is why it is so easy. Because God did the hard part. He did what you could not do, he brought Jesus down from heaven to live a perfect life, to die as your sacrifice, for your sins. And to be raised from the dead, proving that the sacrifice was accepted. You, I could not do that. Now, think about the power of God, that kept Jesus from sin, all forms of sin, for his 33 years on earth. The bible says he was tempted in all points as we are, and yet without sin. (Heb 5:15) And the devil knew he was here, and threw everything at him. This is the power, that God will give you, if you truly believe.
Then God had Jesus be our sacrifice for all of our sins. And he endured the judgement of God on himself, so you would not have to receive that same judgement. This is the freedom from sin, from judgement that Jesus has provided for you, if you truly believe.
Next Jesus was raised from the dead. The bible says, that God the father raised him from the dead (1 Cor 6:14), Jesus said, that he would raise himself from the dead. (John 2:9) And the bible says that the Holy Spirit raised him from the dead. (Rm 8:11) All of the Godhead, the Trinity was active, in the resurrection of Jesus. All of God will be present in your transformation, your salvation as God changes you from the inside out, if you truly believe. (1 Peter 1:3)
The bible says that Jesus is alive forevermore, and makes intercession, prayers and defense on your behalf, before God’s judgement throne.
Heb 7: 25 Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
God’s power and attention is yours to support you as begin your walk, and relationship with Jesus, he can save you thoroughly, completely, if you truly believe.
If you truly believe, means that you believe to the point of doing something about it. If you just thought that this building was on fire, you might investigate. But if you truly believed it was on fire, you would be getting out, as fast as you can, and taking your loved ones, and prized possessions with you. If you simply think what Jesus did was great, but do nothing about it. Then you don’t truly believe, you just thought about it, like gravity or air, OK it is there, but so what. Thinking about it, does not change anything.
But if you truly believe, to the point of doing something about it; to reflect, to repent, to accept, to submit, to obey, this Jesus who bought you with his own blood, died in your place, and extends His love and power for you to live forever, free from sin, death and judgement. Then you will receive this salvation, and you will be changed from the inside out. We call it being born again. It is when the power of God, meets your heart, when Jesus comes inside, and makes your dead spirit alive to God. Jesus said it is a requirement to see, enter and experience the kingdom of heaven. (John 3: 3-5) It gives you access to God in prayer, praise and understanding. It gives you freedom to resist the sins that so easily overwhelm you. It gives you vision to see, what is really happening around you. And it gives you an inner helper, the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to guide you, in your daily walk with God.
The bible has an interesting verse in Matthew 5, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted”.
Why do we mourn? There is outward mourning and inward mourning. We mourn because of our pain, suffering, wrongs done, loss of things, or loss of life. What others have done to us, what we lost, what we felt. That is outward mourning, caused by the actions of others. Some of us mourn because of what we have done to others, what we have done to ourselves, what we have destroyed, cursed, mutilated and killed. That is inward mourning, pointed in because of our actions, not the actions of others.
Ultimately all mourning is because of sin, sins we have done, or sins against us. Even death and sickness are the result of sin in this world. Jesus came to destroy the works, the results and the legacy of sin, in your life, in my life. He said, Blessed are they that mourn, for they SHALL be comforted.
Allow Jesus to save you, to comfort you, he loves to save the worst of us. Let him save you now.
Minister Franklin Mayfield,
Director, trueGOD Television Networks
