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	SAVING ME

The Gospel

MATTHEW 16:13-16

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Phillipi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

The Media

"Savin' Me"

Nickelback

“Show me what it’s like to be the last one standing. And teach me wrong from right. And I’ll show you what I can be; say it for me, say it to me, and I’ll leave this life behind me; say it if it’s worth saving me. Heaven’s gates won’t open up for me; with these broken wings I’m fallin’, and all I see is you. These city walls ain’t got no love for me. I’m on the ledge of the eighteenth story, and I scream for you. Come, please, I’m callin’, I’m fallin’.”

Nickelback’s song “Savin’ Me” is a love song sung to a person who may not be in the person in the song’s life any more, and it is a wrenching plea for her to come back. It places an awful burden on the one loved since she may have chosen some other person. If she listens to his plea, and comes back, she may be unhappy; if she does not, he is unhappy. Unfortunately, the song describes many early love situations.

To a Christian, however, the song can easily be interpreted as a cry for a redeemer, a savior. The Christian hears the cry of ancient

Israel

in the words, “Heaven’s gates won’t open up for me”: they needed a savior who, as the Christian believes, came in the person of Jesus Christ. Peter the Apostle stated the belief well: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” The term “Messiah” was the statement that Jesus was the savior, the person who said to humankind, “It is worth saving you.” Peter and all of Christianity believe that Jesus Christ would indeed, in the words of Nickelback’s song, save us from falling.

Whether it is Jesus, or someone else in the history of religious figures, the world needs to be saved. Often we are unhappy not only because of love situations that is the subject of Nickelback’s song, but we are unhappy because our lives are not going the way we want, or things just are not working. We need a personal savior. The good news of Christianity, indeed the good news of every religion, is that God is listening, and will help if we keep asking for that help.

THOUGHT

What do we need most in our world right now?

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we believe that your Son redeemed us, saved us from falling into the fires of eternal damnation. Thank you for giving us your Son. Now, give us the knowledge to understand what he has done for us, and continue to give us your saving grace as we lead our lives today. Be with us, we pray.

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike