RESCUE

Heroism is measured by sacrifice.  Some may remember Arland Williams  who lost his life while saving a woman  from an icy Potomac River crash,  Jan. 13, 1982. Or Eric Pienaar who  rescued a woman from the Hudson  River on Feb. 11, 2009. And now, the  rescue of Capt. Phillips from pirates.

The greatest story ever told is  in your Bible. God “has rescued us  from the dominion of darkness and  brought us into the kingdom of  the Son He loves, in whom we  have redemption, the forgiveness  of sins” (Col 1:13-15). Paul, once  a violent blasphemer and murderer  (I Tim 1:13-16), was rescued  (Acts 9:1-22) and later said it “is of  first importance, that Christ died for  our sins” (I Cor 15:3). Jesus the Son  of God left heaven to give His life’s  blood to save you and me from our  sins, loneliness, addictions, worry,  hopelessness and fear of death. He did  not die for just one, but for all the world  (John 3:16). By grace He extended the  lifeline of salvation. We must not only  believe He can save, but also ‘take hold’  in repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38;  Rom 6:4,17-18; I Pet 1:22).

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