Surprising Saviors
Rev. Dr. Michael Stotts

Ex. 1:8-2:10

Mt. 16:13-20

Most of us who are Christians, are used to referring to Jesus Christ as our savior. And of course he is--as through him we receive forgiveness--that's a relief! A saving thought! And he also saves us, and what we and our world might otherwise be, as we follow him and his loving, self-giving ways. Christ is our savior in many ways.

But I was struck as I first read over our lessons for this morning, by the thought that in many ways, people of faith--especially those of us who are followers of our savior Jesus Christ, are also called to be saviors. In fact in our lessons today we see that sometimes those people of faith who turn out to be saviors for us or others, are folks we wouldn't expect to save us. In the Exodus passage, we heard that great Bible story about how the baby Moses, was saved from the edict that Pharaoh had issued calling for the killing any newborn son of Jewish parents--for as the Bible put it, the more the Jews were oppressed, the more they multiplied spread, so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. Yes, so for Moses his savior was his Mother and his sister, who put him in a basket among the reeds on the river bank and saw to it Pharaoh's daughter found little Moses and eventually took him as her own, with Moses. And so, yes, Moses himself, born in a slaves family, was able to grow up in Pharaoh's household, eventually gained the influence necessary to be a savior for his people leading them out Egypt. Yes, Moses, his sister, his mother--a slave's family-- all kinds of surprising saviors in the story of Moses and his early life. And then in our New Testament lesson there was Peter--being called the rock on which Jesus would build his church-- Peter, the funny fisherman, who so often seemed to flounder in his faith -- what was it, two weeks ago, we heard about him trying to walk on water and failing? Yet because of his faith, he would lead the early church. Oh how many then have been saved in so many ways because of that church that evolved thanks to Peter!

Yes, people of faith can become saviors, too, after the example of Christ, you see, and often it's the most surprising people--people you wouldn't expect would be a savior. Who have been saviors for you. Very often they are people you wouldn't expect--but are pleasantly surprised. Like the least of these, to whom Jesus referred elsewhere in the gospels. Sometimes from the lowliest or the littlest of persons come surprising saviors.

My little sister, when we were growing up, being the baby in the family, was often very shy. There were about four years between us, so she was really all by herself in the family with no one quite her age who would understand her. As a result we tried hard to affirm her , by helping her to see how important she was. Some of you may remember my telling you, for example about the day my folks left their keys inside the house and locked us all out. And there we were, all trapped outside, with no way to get in. Except for one window which were able to open just a crack. Now all the rest of us were either to big or unlimber, shall we say, to get through that window, but thin, agile little Martha was just the ticket. You're going to save us, we told her in effect, and helped her up to the window sill at which point she deftly squeezed through the small opening, dropped to the floor and ran to the back door, unlocking it, to let us in. And we celebrated with her that day, and congratulated her--and oh how good she felt--for as little as she was, she had become our savior.

Yes, we have all kinds of saviors who come to our aid, in time of need, don't we, and often they are the least, the littlest, the most surprising of all. For no matter how different, how small or impaired, yet each of us has a gift, a skill a unique ability, and the gift of a simple helping hand that we can give to each other, so yes, the most surprising among us can be a savior.

And there's another reason for that--not only through the gifts and ability to love that God has given to every person--but also because even for the smallest or weakest of acts of saving love that we offer, indeed, God then is able to take our small effort, and because of our love, opening us to his love, God is able to magnify the power of our small caring acts, many times over.

How about you? Are there times when you think that you're not important enough to make a difference in our world--or that the help you could offer someone wouldn't be enough. Well if so maybe we're forgetting our faith--because with faith, God takes all of our small, seemingly unimportant acts of caring and can magnify them many times over--making them powerful indeed.

Speaking of how God magnifies the love of surprising saviors--I remember reading the true story, that took place some years ago, when there was a shipwreck off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. A crowd of fishermen in a nearby village gathered to watch the ship as it was smashed on the rocks. Even as the storm was dying down, a lifeboat was sent to the rescue, and after a terrific struggle the rescuers came back with all of the shipwrecked sailors but one. "There was no room in the lifeboat for him, so we told him to stay by the ship and someone would come back for him," shouted one of the men who had taken out the lifeboat. Then he yelled, "Who will come back with me to help rescue that last survivor?":

Just then a young man came out of the crowd on the beach and made a move to join the rescue, but a little old lady cried out "Don't go, Jim! My boy! Please don't go! You're all I have left. Your father was drowned ; you brother William sailed away and we've never heard from him since; . . . if you are lost, I'll be left alone. O Jim, please don't go!"

Jim listened patiently to his mother's pleading, but then said: "Mother, I must go! It is my duty. I must go!" And so saying he got into the boat. The onlookers watched as the men in the lifeboat fought their way toward the wreck. Anxiously, Jim's mother wept and prayed and waited. Finally, they saw the boat start back, a frail little shell, tossed about by the angry waves. At last it came close enough to hear, and they shouted, "Did you get him?" Jim shouted back, "Yes! And tell mother it's William!" That's right-- the stranded survivor that young man had rescued?, was the other son, who his mother had been so sure was lost forever at sea. [Hewett, James S., ed. Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale House: Wheaton, Illinois, pp. 326].

You see? When we are willing to take the risk of being the saviors for others that God has called us to be, wondrous things happen--God takes our efforts and magnifies them with some surprising, saving, active and often wondrous salvation we hadn't even expected. So don't think you're too little or to small, to help, to love, to care, to save --for God will take our efforts of love, no matter how small and can magnify them many times over, often in surprising ways we never would have thought of or intended.

Which should tell us then, one more thing, and that is just as God wants us to be in the saving business--that is so because indeed God is too! Very simply, God loves us with a surprising, saving love, and wants us to pass it on! Yes, we're called to be saviors because God has been and is, for us. Isn't it true for you? God, in fact is always reaching out to us in many ways, often in our most desperate times, throwing us a lifeline--if only we'll look for it. It may be through someone else--a surprising occurrence in our lives--a new turn we need to take that will help us find our find our way when we're lost. But God, if we'll have faith and look for it, is always ready to surprise us with a saving helping love--just when we need it.

There's an old story I'm sure many of us have heard before--but it's a good one that fits here. It's about the man who became concerned when the rains continued for days and he saw the river rising, so being a man of strong faith he prayed to God to save him/ He was so sure God would save him-- would stop the floods before they reached his home that he stopped worrying. Well when water reached almost to the base of his foundation, the army national guard came by to help him evacuate--but he refused, for he'd prayed for help and was sure God would stop the flood in time. Still he was a little worried, so he prayed a little more, adding hurry, God!--and again, he felt assured that God would save him--would stop the waters before they reached his home. But the waters continued to rise and soon, the man, stranded in his house, had to retreat to the upper story of his home, for the waters had completely flooded the basement and first floor. It was then that he looked out the window and saw a helicopter flying low, flown by the local rescue forces. As they flew by they saw the man leaning out the window of his house, so they and yelled through a loud speaker: "Can we lower you a rope?" But still the man was so sure the flood would recede, thanks to his saving God, he waved them away and the helicopter flew on, looking for other victims. Finally the man had to climb up onto his roof as the rains continued and the river to steadily rise, and indeed it wasn't long before the man's house was actually floating, with him on the roof.

Soon a row boat came by, and it's passengers, having been rescued from a neighboring house, shouted to him "we're coming to help", but again having prayed for help, and sure the flood would drop, he refused. So it was that when the man finally drowned and found himself at the gates of heaven, he demanded to see the Lord immediately. He was ushered in and God, surprised to see him, asked what he wanted. "I've got a bone to pick with you!" yelled the man. "I prayed and prayed, and you assured me the flood wouldn't get me, but it did--why didn't you help?!"

Well at first the Lord paused, as if puzzled, and then finally, God asked, "What do you mean, I sent you the national guard, a rescue helicopter and a boat--what more did you want?!"

Yes, God is about the business of saving, don't you see? So if you need help, look around you and you may well find all kind of saviors God has sent your way, unless you're too stubborn to ask for help or look for it. And then indeed God may very well have some saving missions for you to go on. If you hear that calling for your help--don't be afraid, or think you're too little, or weak or small or unimportant, for God will be with you and magnify your love in some surprising, even wondrous ways.

Yes, God is about the business of saving, and wants us to be too. After all, it makes sense, doesn't it? Our calling, our business should be saving, too, if we are truly to be followers of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

So who were saviors for you this week. And who will you seek to save in the days ahead? As you do, expect some wonders to happen as your love is joined by the wondrous saving, powerful love of our saving God. Amen