A Saved People
One of the greatest songs of faith ever written is Amazing Grace. It was written by a slave trader named John Newton whose life was turned around by Jesus. When he learned about God’s offer of love he wrote “amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!”
Centuries earlier, another man had his life turned around by Jesus. It was a man named Onesimus. And we read his story in the book of Philemon in the New Testament.
Onesimus was a slave owned by a Christian man named Philemon. He managed to escape and run away, but during his journey away from that place he met Paul, who led him to Jesus. Paul then wrote to Philemon and said this: “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.” (Philemon 1:10–12 NIV11)
Saved by Grace
So Onesimus was lost, running away, but he met Paul and was led to Christ – Paul always called the young Christian men around him “sons”. Like Newton, Onesimus ‘once was lost, but now was found’ – he was no longer a wretch, but a saved son of God.
The stories of John Newton and Onesimus are simple stories of salvation. These men realized they were lost without God, wretches without God! And so they called out to God for salvation, placing their faith in Christ, and found His saving grace.
Here’s a simple question for you today: has Jesus saved you? This is a term that the modern church doesn’t really like anymore. I even remember in my theological studies, one of the lecturers talking about finding new ways to say this, because asking people if Jesus is their Lord and Saviour “isn’t effective anymore”.
I understand the thinking here, terminology can become worn out. But I believe that the term “saved” is good one. I think it’s one that is worth keeping in our vocabulary as Christians in the 21st century, because the crux of the gospel – the bottom line of the Christian story – is that God’s amazing grace saves sinners.
Jesus Saves Today
The good news of Jesus is that salvation has come. Do you remember when the angel announced to Joseph that his fiancé was going to have a baby boy? The angel said this: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NIV)
And Jesus himself said that he came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
So know today that Jesus is seeking those who lost. If you know His saving grace, celebrate! If not, His hand is reached out. I pray you will reach out and grab hold of it today.
Like Onesimus the slave did.
