Why He Came: To Save Sinners | 12-14-25

Advent points us to joy, but not a joy we manufacture. It’s the joy that comes when God steps into our mess to save us. The angel told Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” That’s the center of what we celebrated today: Jesus didn’t come to make us better; he came to make us new. We’re not looking at a spiritual tune-up, as if a little polish and willpower could fix what’s broken. We need a Rescuer, because our core problem isn’t just behavior—it’s separation from God. That’s why names matter in Scripture: Yeshua—“the Lord saves.”

I shared how C.S. Lewis’s Aslan helps us see it. Edmund’s guilt is real. Deception explains his choices, but it doesn’t excuse them. When Aslan stretches out on the stone for Edmund, the innocent dies for the guilty. I remember seeing that on screen and realizing, “I am Edmund.” That’s penal substitution in a picture: the righteous for the unrighteous; the Substitute taking the penalty we deserved so we can go free. Isaiah 53 says our peace came because punishment fell on him.

We’re tempted—especially at Christmas—to believe we can become the “best version” of ourselves. But putting Christmas lights on a dead tree doesn’t make it alive. The gospel is God making dead people alive. New wineskins, new creation, a new self. Joy doesn’t flow from progress charts and polished habits; it flows from being forgiven, washed, and made new by the Spirit. That’s why joy cannot be taken by circumstance. It’s anchored in a finished work, not a fluctuating performance.

So, stop trying to negotiate a price Jesus has already paid. If you’re in the water under the ice, you don’t need motivational speeches—you need a hand. Grace is that hand. Take it. Your name is already on the gift. Open it: forgiveness, freedom, a new identity, a new family, and a new joy.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus came to make us new. Moral improvement can’t heal spiritual separation. In Christ, God does more than rehabilitate; he recreates us as new creations, exchanging our guilt for his righteousness. This is why the name “Jesus” means “the Lord saves”—not “the Lord advises.” Rest is possible because renewal has already been accomplished for you. [44:57]
• 2. Joy flows from forgiveness, not performance. The world promises joy if we do more, get more, become more. Scripture tells us joy is restored when salvation is received and treasured, not when metrics are met. When forgiveness becomes our foundation, joy stops rising and falling with circumstances. [50:01]
• 3. We need a Rescuer, not a tune-up. If you fall through the ice, coaching won’t save you—intervention will. The gospel is God’s decisive rescue, not a set of tips for self-improvement. Grace pulls us out when we can’t pull ourselves up, and that’s why it’s good news. [60:38]
• 4. Substitution: the innocent for the guilty. Deception explains our sin; it doesn’t excuse it. Justice demands accounting, and mercy provides a substitute—the righteous for the unrighteous, willingly offered. At the cross, Jesus takes our place so we can go free without truth being compromised. [57:31]
• 5. Receive grace; stop negotiating your worth. A gift is not a contract. Your name is on the box because the price has already been paid. Open it with empty hands; then live from acceptance, not toward it. [63:32]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [15:25] - Opening Prayer and Greeting
• [16:13] - Joy to the World Medley
• [23:16] - Prayer: God Came Near
• [27:54] - Children’s Message: What’s in the Gift?
• [31:17] - Aslan Takes Edmund’s Place
• [42:33] - Advent Recap: Head-Crusher Promise
• [44:34] - He Will Save from Sins
• [46:44] - God Comes Down to Us
• [48:08] - Not a Tune-Up—A Savior
• [49:01] - New Creation in Christ
• [50:01] - Joy from Forgiveness
• [55:37] - Penal Substitution in Focus
• [62:38] - Receive the Gift of Grace
• [73:37] - Benediction and Sending

1. Matthew 1:21 says the child’s name is “Jesus” because “he will save his people from their sins.” What kinds of “saving” does that phrase imply (rescue, legal forgiveness, new relationship, defeat of evil)? [44:34]
2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.” What concrete differences would you expect between “getting better” and being a “new creation”? [49:01]
3. What detail from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was used to show substitution (the innocent suffering for the guilty)? How does that story image help you see the biblical claim about one who takes another’s penalty? [57:31]

1. What does it mean theologically that Jesus’ coming is presented as God coming down to us rather than humans climbing up to God? How does that change the way a person thinks about earning favor or doing spiritual “work”? [46:44]
2. If salvation is described as an exchange (our guilt for his righteousness), what does that imply about the role of moral effort and repentance after someone has trusted Christ? Where do effort and grace meet? [57:31]
3. What does the “we need a rescuer, not a tune‑up” metaphor (falling through the ice) imply for how the church should respond to people who are desperate or overwhelmed rather than merely wanting to improve? [01:00:38]
4. How does grounding joy in forgiveness rather than performance affect the way a person interprets setbacks, shame, or progress in spiritual growth? [50:01]

1. Where are you most tempted to negotiate for God’s acceptance (earning, proving, performing) instead of receiving the gift already paid for? What one concrete step will you take this week to stop negotiating and simply receive? [01:03:32]
2. Identify a habit or goal you currently treat as the source of your joy (career success, image, discipline). How could you reframe that pursuit so joy is rooted in forgiveness and new identity rather than in the outcome? [50:01]
3. Think of a time you felt “under the ice” spiritually or emotionally. Who could you ask to reach a hand to you, or what practical help could you accept this week instead of trying to “claw out” alone? [01:00:38]
4. How will you live out being a “new creation” this week in one concrete relationship or decision (forgiveness you will extend, a habit you will stop, a new habit you will start)? [49:01]
5. Choose a short phrase or verse you will use all week as a reminder that your name is already on the gift (for example: “He will save,” “I am forgiven,” “new creation”). Where and how will you place that reminder so it shapes your responses to stress and shame? [01:03:32]
6. If someone asked you to explain substitutionary atonement in a short, pastoral way, how would you tell the Aslan story or refer to Isaiah 53 to make the idea clear and loving? Who this week could you lovingly share that with? [57:31]