Sermon Summary
Why Jesus Came? To Rescue Us From Sin
Have you ever felt utterly trapped, with no way out? That's how twelve young Thai soccer players felt in 2018 when they became stranded deep within a flooded cave system. Pastor David masterfully uses this gripping rescue story to illuminate the profound truth found in Ephesians 2 about our own spiritual rescue. Just as those boys were helpless in their dark cave, we too were "dead in our trespasses and sins" – utterly unable to save ourselves. But then comes the most beautiful phrase: "But God, being rich in mercy" sent Jesus as our divine rescuer. Through vivid imagery of professional divers risking everything to save those boys, Pastor David illustrates how Christ descended into our darkness to bring us to safety and new life. The sermon powerfully emphasizes that this rescue comes purely by grace through faith, not by our own efforts. Just as those boys contributed nothing to their physical rescue, we can only receive salvation as a gift. The message concludes with an urgent invitation to accept Christ's rescue mission and live as God's "workmanship," displaying His glory through transformed lives.
Sermon Questions
Week 2: Why Jesus Came? 11/16/2025
The sermon uses the story of the Thai cave rescue as a metaphor for our spiritual condition. How does the situation of the trapped boys parallel our spiritual state before Christ's rescue?
When did you first realize your need for spiritual rescue, and how has that understanding shaped your faith journey?
According to Ephesians 2:8-9, salvation is 'by grace through faith.' Why is it significant that the Thai boys had to be unconscious during their rescue, and how does this relate to our role in salvation?
In what ways might you still be trying to 'earn' God's favor instead of fully accepting His grace?
The sermon emphasizes the difference between 'working for our salvation' versus 'working out our salvation.' What is the key distinction between these two concepts?
How does understanding this distinction change the way you approach serving God and others?
The pastor mentions that we are God's 'poima' (poem) or masterpiece. How does this identity impact our understanding of our purpose after being rescued?
What specific ways has God uniquely shaped you to display His glory to others?
How does the sermon's contrast between Captain Miller's dying words in Saving Private Ryan ('earn this') and Jesus's final words ('it is finished') illuminate the nature of grace?
How does knowing that 'it is finished' change your approach to living the Christian life?