Jesus Saves

When I attended secondary school there were no yellow school buses to transport us the seven miles between our home and the school. It was possible, but very inconvenient, to take the privately owned local bus to school. Actually, it was easier to drive to work with my father and walk across the breadth of the city in order to arrive at school in time to do some of my undone homework in the cafeteria prior to the start of school. It was a brisk half hour walk in all types of weather.

On the route that I followed was a church. It was very small, plain and covered in dingy white stucco. I have no idea of the denomination of that church, but I now am very much aware that it was an evangelical church. Mounted sideways on the front wall over the main entrance was a large neon sign in the shape of a cross. On that cross were two words written in red on the horizontal and the vertical. It was evident to me that it was probably the most expensive fixture on or in that institution. On dark winter mornings the sign was still fully alight and indeed it was impressive onto itself. It was a beacon that could be seen at a distance. Never once was there a neon tube that was dark or blinking. Maintenance on that fixture was regular and preventive. Someone who cared made sure it never malfunctioned.

The word J E S U S was on the horizontal and the word S A V E S was on the vertical part of the cross . The word SAVES shared its first S with the first S in the word J E S U S.

The significance of that special landmark escaped me at the time. I was strangely drawn to it each and every morning, but its meaning had little effect on me. Like so many young people then and now, indeed throughout history, I asked the age old question, “Saves me from what?” as I passed by. Oddly, I did not vary my weekday route and in a way enjoyed the familiar comfort of that sign as I passed by. The majority of those who even claim to be Christians are uncomfortable with the use of the word “saved” or even more so for the term “born again”. I used to feel the same way. The odd thing about the discomfort is the fact that Jesus Christ (thus the term Christian) was the one to use both during His ministry on this earth. One of the finest examples is found in John 10:9.

9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Jesus is the door. He is the only way to find salvation. It is not a church, a religion, a practice or a ritual that will save us, but only the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must enter in by Jesus Himself. Entering is simply the act of accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour through faith. Receiving Christ is a highly personal and individual act.

In maturity I understand from what I have been saved. I have been saved from the penalty of my own sin. Because I acknowledge Him and because He first loved me, Jesus assumed the responsibility for my lifetime of misdeeds and redeemed me from a life shut out of heaven. What a wonderful work He did for me upon that cross. He saved me from death and lifted me to the light here on this earth as well as in heaven for all of eternity.

I now recognize the important work of that neon sign which, no doubt, is no longer there. I wonder how many souls were influenced by its simple but majestic message. It took thirty-four years for me to “get it” in 1996. I would very much like to personally thank the diligent and faithful caretaker of that evangelistic sign. I won’t likely have an opportunity on this side of heaven to do so. Then again there will be ample time to find him or her in eternity.

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