Mighty to Save!

James Smith, 1860

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing!" Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord Jesus is not only a Savior — but he is "mighty to save." He saves from sin. He delivers out of trouble. He redeems us from the hands of our enemies. He has delivered his people in all ages; he delivers them now, and he will deliver them until deliverance is no longer needed. It cannot be wrong to trust in him, for it is impossible for him to fail us, his word is promised, his heart is in the work, and he gets great glory by it. As we must employ him or perish, be saved by him or be lost forever, let us consider this representation of him a little.

MARK HIS QUALIFICATIONS. His power is omnipotent. Nothing can for a moment match with it. To still the fears, and draw out the confidence of his people he asks, "Is anything too hard for me?" He can do whatever he will — and do it with ease too.

His blood is infinitely efficacious. It cleanses from all sin, and every sinner who believes on him. It made an infinite atonement for sin, when he shed it on the cross. It retains all its virtue and efficacy at the present moment, and it will do so forever.

His gospel is just adapted to meet our case. It is good news — glad tidings. The good news of a free, full, and everlasting pardon of all sin. The glorious glad tidings that peace with God is made, and that he desires us to be reconciled to him. It proclaims that all debts are cancelled, all demands met, and all supplies provided, for all, and every sinner that believes in Jesus, be he who, or what he may. He has the fullness of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit quickens the dead, sanctifies the unholy, teaches the ignorant, speaks peace to the troubled, and fits the most depraved for Heaven. That Spirit which enlightens the darkened understanding, subdues the stubborn will, elevates the earth-bound affections — also purifies the guilty conscience, and makes us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

Jesus cannot fail in anything he undertakes, as the prophet predicted, "He shall not fail nor be discouraged." He never failed in any case he ever yet undertook, and he never refused to undertake any case that was put into his hands.

He is as gentle as he is powerful, and works gently, though with omnipotent energy. The bruised reed he will not break, and the smoking flax he will not quench; but will strengthen the one, and raise the other until it flames.

He is as gentle as the morning ray, or the evening breeze.

He comes down like the silent dew, or the gentle shower.

He is like the lamb feeding in the pasture, of which no one need to be afraid.

His intercession is constant and prevalent. He makes intercession for the transgressors. He advocates the cause of the sinful, the vile, and the unworthy. The Father always hears him, and awards salvation to every one for whom he pleads.

He has every qualification necessary qualify him to be "mighty to save."

OBSERVE HOW HE HAS PROVED IT. What kind of sinners has he saved? Every kind of sinner — but especially the very worst. The greatest sinner under the Old Testament was Manasseh, and Jesus saved him. The chief sinner under the New Testament was Saul of Tarsus, and Jesus saved him. The greatest sinner will not be found in Hell — but in Heaven; a trophy of grace, a miracle of mercy! The vilest sinners conceivable, have been saved by the Lord Jesus. No sinner can apply to him now — but a greater sinner has applied to him, and been saved by him before.

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief!" 1 Timothy 1:15. The greatest sinner has been saved already; and this is an encouragement for all who feel themselves desperately wicked, to come to him and be saved by him.

What multitudes he has saved. The preeminence of Jesus will appear, in the number saved, the character of those he has saved, and the way in which he has saved them. None can be too vile to be saved by him. No number can be too great to be saved by him. Multitudes, multitudes, have been saved by this mighty Savior!

How completely he has saved them!
Canceling every sin.
Answering every demand.
Replying to every charge.
Removing every stain.

Making each one as righteous as himself — and as pure as himself. Each one will be a credit to him, and reflect forever the glory of his saving grace.

How Satan trembles before him. He did so in the days of his flesh, and cried out, "I beseech you torment me not." He does much more so now, as he is seated at his Father's right hand, far above all principalities and powers, and every name that is named, not only in this world — but also in that which is to come. Every fallen spirit must . . .
obey his word,
bow to his authority,
and do his bidding.

How the idols of the heathen have fallen before him. Once in the history of Israel, Dagon fell before the ark; but a thousand times in the history of the church, have the idols fallen before this mighty Savior. And they will continue to do so, for "the idols he shall utterly abolish," and set up his kingdom on their ruins.

He still pledges himself to save — to save all that come unto him, for his word is pledged, that he will never cast out. To save all that come unto God by him, to the utmost, and for evermore, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

Any sinner who will, may be saved by Jesus. Every willing sinner shall be saved by Jesus. He can save, for he is mighty. He will save, for he is love. He has a fullness of saving grace. All he has ever given to the millions whom he has saved, has only been the overflowings of the fountain. As all the water taken from the ocean has not diminished it, for it is still full; so all the grace that has been received from the fullness of Jesus has not diminished it, for it is a fullness of grace still. That fullness of grace he has for sinners, for you, reader, if you need it, if you desire it, if you ask it; and he would sooner exhaust the whole of it, if exhausted it could be, than allow you to perish, however vile you are, if willing to be saved by him.

Lost sinner, try this Mighty Savior. You need salvation. You need just such a Savior. He is exactly suited to you — he can save you. He can save you now. He will save you. He will save you today. Try him. Try him at once!

His blood will cleanse you from all sin.

His grace will render you acceptable to God.

His Spirit will renew your nature.

He will make you fit for Heaven, and take you there.

Believer, trust this Mighty Savior. Trust him and fear not. Trust him . . .
with your soul,
with your body,
with all your concerns,
for earth and for Heaven,
for life and for death,
for time and for eternity!

Trust him to work in you, to work for you, to work with you. Trust him to save you with an everlasting salvation, and he will not disappoint you.

Backslider, return to this Mighty Savior. You have wandered from him. You have basely sinned against him. You deserve to be banished from his presence forever. But he is willing to receive you back, to blot out your sins, to accept your acknowledgment of guilt, and to restore unto you the joy of his salvation. Backsliding soul, come back, come back to Jesus, and be happy!

Let us all unite to speak well or this Mighty Savior, and to recommend him to others. He deserves this at our hands. He desires this of us. He bids us go, and tell others, that he has saved us, and is willing to save them — that he has been a Mighty Savior to us, and will be a Mighty Savior to them, if they come to him.

Let us tell the worst, the vilest, the most hopeless cases, that Jesus is not only Mighty to save — but Almighty, and that he will put forth his Almightiness in them, rather than let them perish, if as guilty, vile, lost, and ruined — they apply to him, heartily willing to be saved by him. O sinner, come, come, come to Jesus, and prove what a Mighty Savior he is, in your own experience!