The Two Most Important Words of All Time! Matthew 1:21

“The Two Most Important Words of All Time!”

Matthew 1:21

1. Whether it is in a book, a letter, a note, or even the spoken word, words are a vital part of our lives and have been a part of the fabric of human life since the time of creation.

2. It starts with a letter in the alphabet. Then one word is fashioned which leads to a phrase which forms a sentence which makes a paragraph which turns into a chapter and is built upon to produce a book and on and on you could go.

3. I went to www.oxforddictionaries.com to find out how many words there were in just the English Language. Oxforddictionaries.com says this:  

“The Second Edition of the 20-volume  Oxford English Dictionary contains full entries for 171,476 words in current use, and 47,156 obsolete words. To this may be added around 9,500 derivative words included as subentries. Over half of these words are nouns, about a quarter adjectives, and about a seventh verbs; the rest is made up of exclamations, conjunctions, prepositions, suffixes, etc. And these figures don't take account of entries with senses for different word classes (such as noun and adjective).

This suggests that there are, at the very least, a quarter of a million distinct English words, excluding inflections, and words from technical and regional vocabulary not covered by the OED, or words not yet added to the published dictionary, of which perhaps 20 percent are no longer in current use. If distinct senses were counted, the total would probably approach three quarters of a million.”

4. There are thousands upon thousands of words in every language across this world but out of the multitude of all of those words I want to give you two words that carry more weight and have the most worth and the most substance and significance to all of mankind from the beginning of time until eternity. I want to talk to you about the two most important words of all time.

5. Think about the simplicity and yet the power of just two words. The person accused of a crime that he did not commit hears the two words “not guilty” and it brings him relief, joy, and freedom.

6. The one without a job and struggling to pay the bills and feed the family hears the two words “You’re hired” and that gives him a new hope.

7. The one that is sick and given only months to live goes to the doctor and hears the words “cancer free” is brought to tears because of the joy of this good news. To the one that is in debt, to hear the words “debt free” is to be set free. To the soldier returning from war the two words “welcome home” reminds Him that he made it back with his life and with a future.

8. But two words that have had more impact and more power on all of mankind than any other two words are the words “Jesus saves.” These two words have changed the course of all mankind on this earth. These two words have a direct impact on the eternal destination of every person in the human race.

9. For if those words and that thought was not found in the Bible we’d have no hope. We’d still be destined for Hell. But He lived. He died. He arose. And he defeated death and hell and the blood that He shed on the cross cries out “Jesus Saves!” In our text Mat 1:21 says “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

10. I see the truth that “Jesus Saves” in Matthew 1:21. The name Jesus actually means “salvation” or “Jehovah is salvation.” It is derived from the verb signifying to save. The word “Jesus” is a Greek word but it comes from the Hebrew word or name “Joshua” which means he saved, delivered, put in a state of safety. And just as Joshua delivered Israel into Canaan so Jesus is the captain of our salvation and delivers us into his salvation. Jesus Saves!

11. This truth is found throughout the whole Bible. Luke 19:10 says “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Paul says in 1Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

12. The theme of the Bible and the most important fact for every person to know is that Jesus saves.  I want us to draw out some truths from this one verse in Matthew 1:21 and think about those two words Jesus saves! First of all we see:

I. The Reason for his Salvation

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

1. I’ve often tried to figure out why Jesus would offer old sinners, vile wretches, worthless worms like you and me his precious salvation. 

2. In my own mind and in my own thoughts I can’t figure it out. But when I go to the Bible, God’s word tells me why he left the comforts of heaven and came to this old earth to take my punishment. 

3. The reason for his salvation is His love for all mankind. You don’t see the word love in our text but if you read this Bible from Genesis to Revelation you’ll find that God sent his son Jesus to die for us because he loved us.

4. The problem was that because of sin man was separated from God. Isaiah 59:2 says “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.”

5. Man had to face the penalty for sin for the Bible says in Romans 6 that the wages of sin is death. But Jesus loved us so much that he willingly took our place and took our punishment and offers to us salvation. John 3:16-17 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1John 4:9-10 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.”

6. Why does he love me and you? I don’t know why, but he does. It didn’t have anything to do with how good you were. It had nothing to do with your abilities or talents or even your potential. Isaiah tells us that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags in the eyes of God. It had to do with his love, grace, and mercy. He loved us so much that he died for us!

7. A girl asked her boyfriend “Do you love me?” And he said “I love you with all my heart.” She then asked him “Do you love me so much that you would die for me?” And that caught him off guard and he said “No baby, mine is an undying love.”

8. He got the meaning mixed up but I’m thankful that God loved us so much that he sent his son to this wicked earth. And Jesus loved us so much that he died in our place and rose from the grave and because of his work we can now be saved. And today because he died he has an undying love that will never stop. And even at this very moment he is seeking to save those that are lost. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what you haven’t done. His love is the reason for our salvation. Because of his love Jesus Saves! But not only do we see the reason for his salvation but secondly we see:

II. The Reach of His Salvation

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

1. The Bible uses the phrase “save His people.” Who are his people? His people are the “whosoever believeth in him” in John 3:16. His people are the “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” in Romans 10. His people are the ones that the Lord talks about in John 6:37 when he says “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

2. The good thing about those two words “Jesus saves” is that he saves all men that come to him. There is no one too sinful that Jesus can’t save. There is no one to big or to small that can’t be saved by Jesus. There is no one too bad or too good. There’s not a one too rich or too poor.

3. It doesn’t matter what your race or nationality is. It doesn’t matter who your parents are. It doesn’t matter how terrible of a sinner you’ve been. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you’ve been. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Saves and he’ll save anyone that comes to Him in faith. 

4. I love the words to the old song “There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus.” It says: “Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him? No, not one! No, not one! Or sinner find that He would not take him? No, not one! No, not one!

Was there a gift like the savior given? No, not one! No, not one! Will he refuse us a home in heaven? No, not one! No, not one!”

5. It reminds us of the words of Revelation 22:17. The Bible says “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

6. He won’t refuse a one that believes in him unto salvation because Jesus saves. And because of his love all can come to him. His love reaches to the highest mountain. It flows to the lowest valley. The blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.

7. Years ago a certain religious group, for well over a hundred years, wouldn’t receive black people but for certain reasons things changed and the leaders of the group received a new revelation which revealed that they could now accept black people. I am glad that according to the Bible God has always received all men. Red and yellow black and white, rich, poor, beautiful, ugly, talented, lowly, charismatic, shy, good, bad, sinners- The reach of God’s salvation is to all mankind.

8. Think about the reach of God’s Salvation. The apostle Paul persecuted the church and opposed the things of God yet on the Damascus Road God saved him and there’s not been one used by God like Paul was. George Whitfield was a bartender in England and the Lord saved him and used him greatly in the Great Awakening of the 18^th century. Billy Sunday was an old cussing, gambling, drunk baseball player and Jesus saved him, turned his life around and used him as a powerful preacher of the gospel!

9. John Jasper was a slave. Some people had no use for him but he was saved and called of God to preach while he was a slave and after he gained his freedom he continued to preach and touched the lives of people of all races.

10. John Newton was a slave owner and a wicked man yet one day he was gloriously saved by the Lord and used to preach and write many songs including amazing grace. And one day the Lord reached down and saved a lost boy by the name of Jeff Carter and I didn’t deserve it but it just reminds me of the reach of his salvation. He can save anyone and anybody that comes to him in faith!

11. Spurgeon, comparing Salvation to Noah’s Ark said “the ark was a great ark, which held all kinds of creatures; and our Christ is a great refuge, who saves all kinds of sinners.” The songwriter had it right when he said “His love has no limits, His grace has no measure, His power (has) no boundary known unto men.”

12. There is he reason for his salvation (love), the reach of his salvation (all men), but notice thirdly:

III. The Remedy Through His Salvation thru

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

1. The Bible says that He shall save his people from their sins. You see those two words “Jesus saves” is the answer to the problem. The problem is sin and in ourselves there is nothing we can do about it.

2. The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. We’re destined for hell and eternity apart from God. But then we read the words Jesus Saves and he saves people from their sins! Remember at that time the Old Testament sacrifices covered or appeased sins but Jesus forgives sins and covers them with His blood. Jesus saves!

3. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” 2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

4. I can tell you that there is a remedy and his name is Jesus Christ. Sin is destroying our world. It is destroying our country. It is destroying our churches and it is destroying our families and it is destroying the lives of countless people across this world but the remedy to sin is Jesus Christ and the fact that Jesus saves and he changes lives. 

5. We are a sin sick people and the Bible says there is none righteous no not one. There is nothing we can do about it. But then I hear the two words Jesus saves! He has the power and the victory over sin, hell, and death.

6. You say “I’m a drunk” and I say Jesus saves and he can turn your life around. You say “I’m a womanizer” and I say Jesus saves. “I’m lazy.” Jesus saves. “I am a thief.” Jesus saves. “I am an addict.” Jesus saves. “I am hopeless and helpless” Jesus saves! “I’m the worst person to ever live.” Jesus saves!

7. In our sins we are destined for hell but because Jesus saves he saves us from the penalty of sin, the power of sin today and one day from the presence of sin. If that doesn’t make you happy and get your blood flowing, it ain’t red and you ain’t right!

8. Listen! There is help in the name of Jesus. There is hope in the name of Jesus. There is healing in the name of Jesus. There is power in that name. Only Jesus can take a broken down life, fix it and change the person and give them a life that is abundant and victorious. Jesus saves!

9. We’ve seen the reason for His salvation, the reach of His salvation, the remedy through His salvation, and I want us to think about one more thing as we close. There is also:

IV. The Response to His Salvation

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

1. Jesus did his part and Jesus is doing his part but the rest of the responsibility falls on man. Man must respond to the offer of salvation from Jesus.

2. You see Jesus left the glories of heaven and took on the form of a man and lived a perfect, sinless life. He died on an old rugged cross and on the third day he arose the victor over death and hell. And now he offers salvation to all that believe on Him.

3. But there are two responses that mankind can have and will have to this salvation that Jesus offers. There are two responses that a person can have to the name of Jesus and the salvation that He offers.

4. The first response is the response of reception or receiving. 

Romans 10:9-10 says “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Ephesians 2:8 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God.”

5. Some have said not to use the word saved. It is an old fashioned word and men will not understand it but it is a biblical word and you find it all through the Bible and it is exactly what Jesus does for a lost soul. He doesn’t just help you or take care of you. He saves you!

6. All a person has to do to be saved is to turn from sin and self and put their faith in Jesus to save their soul. If you have done this then you have received Jesus as your personal Savior but if you’ve never done this then you are not saved which leads me to the second response.

7. The first response is the response of reception but the second response is the response of rejection.

   Rejection: Some choose not to put their faith in Jesus. Some choose not to be saved. They say they are too bad or too good. They say that they’ll get saved another day. They say I believe in God but I’m just not ready. The Bible says that these people have rejected God. 

John 3:18 says “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

8. All you have to do is accept his free gift of salvation but if you do not then you have rejected his salvation and refused his goodness. It is a free gift but so many people throughout the years have rejected His salvation.

9. Back in 1830 George Wilson was convicted of robbing the U.S. Mail and was sentenced to be hanged. President Andrew Jackson issued a pardon for Wilson, but he refused to accept it. The matter went to Chief Justice Marshall, who concluded that Wilson would have to be executed. “A pardon is a slip of paper,” wrote Marshall, “the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged. Jesus saves but if you don’t accept it then it is in vain and you will have your eternity in hell.

1. The last thing I want to say is this. Jesus saves and he is the only one that saves. John 14:6 says “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” You say preacher you are narrow minded and arrogant but it’s not my doing. It is what the Bible says. Only Jesus saves and no one else and nothing else can save you.

2. Muhammad doesn’t save. Buddha doesn’t save. Joseph Smith doesn’t save. The pope doesn’t save. The great preachers of the faith don’t save. Missionaries don’t save. Your good works don’t save you. Your Dad and mom don’t save you. Only Jesus saves!

3. The songwriter said:

We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, Climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free; Highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

4. When is the last time you pondered the reason for His salvation, the reach of His salvation, the remedy through His salvation and the response to His Salvation? If you’re not saved you need to receive Him today before it’s too late.

5. And if you’re saved remember His love and His reach, and His remedy and worship Him with your words and with your walk because we are so undeserving and He is so worthy.

6. That’s why we live. That’s why we preach. That’s why we give. That’s why a person leaves his home and family to go to a foreign place to tell others about Jesus. That’s why we have hope in the wicked world today. The two most important words of all time: Jesus Saves.