As far as the most common “rescues” that I’ve experienced, those are mostly car-related. I’ve had my fair share of vehicle struggles, and I’ve needed to call for help multiple times for dead batteries, flat tires, non-starting starters, transmissions going up in smoke, and who even knows what else. Those calls for rescue went sometimes to family members or nearby friends, but most often they went straight to AAA. Obviously car trouble usually isn’t life-threatening, but it does create a situation where you’re stuck, somewhat helpless and in need of saving. After dealing with the inconveniences of car trouble that warrants a call for help, it always feels extra satisfying to finally arrive at home, sink into the couch and breathe a sigh of relief. 

It seems like the ultimate goal of rescue is often restoration, relaxation and recovery. Would you agree? If you’ve faced more dire circumstances where you needed rescue, what was your desired outcome? After receiving help in a scary situation, there’s nothing like getting to that point where you can just exhale and rest. 

If you are breathing as you read this, you are in dire need of rescue. You were born a sinner (Romans 3:23), and your sin separates you from God (Isaiah 59:2). To make matters worse, the only acceptable payment for your sin is death (Romans 6:23). But amazingly, God sent His son to pay the price for your sin with His life and offer you eternal life with Him (John 3:16). The ultimate deliverance! From slaves to righteousness, from death to life, from bondage to freedom. It’s impossible to describe the magnitude of Jesus’ life-saving mission, so I won’t even try. 

But what I will challenge you to think about today is your response to being rescued. If you close your eyes and imagine yourself free falling into separation from God and eternal devastation, but then imagine God’s powerful hand swooping down and assuredly carrying you into eternal security, what do you picture yourself doing once your feet are set on solid ground? A huge sigh of relief? A dance of joy and excitement? A party with your loved ones who were also saved? I can just visualize myself sinking down into the comfiest, coziest couch in the history of the earth, closing my eyes, kicking my feet up, and just LOVING being able to sit back and enjoy a carefree life void of worry and stress. What could be better?! 

I’m sure you can guess what’s coming here… God does not save us so that we can kick back and relax. His greatest desire for you is not a carefree life. He has saved you for a purpose. He wants you to know Him, follow after Him, and tell others about Him. My study of the gospel of John last year, through Bible Study Fellowship, repeatedly reminded me that telling people about Jesus is life’s highest honor. I should live every day to make Him known. 

Of course, this comes to life in so many different ways for believers. The sky is the limit! But what I’d love to show you today is two verses God brought my attention to recently that remind me emphatically that I was not saved so I can just sit back and enjoy life, and neither were you. We were saved to serve God. 

The first place the Holy Spirit showed me was right in the middle of the Christmas story. Well, just a bit before it, I guess. Just before Jesus was born to Mary, Mary’s relative gave birth to Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist. After his birth, his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Spirit and sang a prophetic song. In the midst of it, he said: 

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” -Luke 1:68-75

Did you catch what I’m hoping you caught? If not, here it is again with my own emphasis added: 

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” -Luke 1:68-75

There it is! We were saved to serve. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Zechariah said we were saved to rescue us from our enemies and to serve God forever. Wow! I can’t even tell you how many times I read and reread that verse when I realized what it was saying. We were not saved so we could rest and relax, confident in our eternal security and the promise of perfect fellowship with God. God saved us so that we would be enabled to serve Him without fear—bravely, boldly and without reservation.

Not long after discovering this passage, I was digging around in Revelation, which is what we’re studying this year in Bible Study Fellowship. And wouldn’t you know it, I found another song. This time, it wasn’t Zechariah singing. The setting in Revelation 5 is God’s throne room, and in it, John saw a vision of the Lamb, Jesus, standing triumphantly. He was surrounded by creatures and elders singing a new song to Him. They said: 

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” -Revelation 5:9-10

Did you find it? Here it is again: 

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” -Revelation 5:9-10

When Jesus died on that cross, His blood purchased your redemption. But He didn’t purchase you for you. He purchased you for God! So that you can serve God in power. 

Bottom line? Let’s review. You were not saved for relaxation or a carefree life. You were purchased and saved to serve God. So let me ask you… Is that what you’re doing? I find myself convicted when faced with answering this question, and maybe you do, too. If you’re realizing that you have some room to grow here, don’t get caught up in guilt or shame. Instead, thank God for showing you what He desires for you, and then ask Him how He wants you to serve. Here are a few passages to kickstart your thinking: Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21; 1 Peter 2:4-12.

Don’t let yourself get lulled into a life of comfort and luxury. That’s not why you were rescued! An appropriate response to getting saved from drowning by a lifeguard might be some relief-filled rest and recovery. But an appropriate response to receiving the gift of salvation from the Creator of the universe? Now that’s an entirely different story.