P.O. Box 53055    
Los Angeles, CA 90053   

CONNIE: If the help-wanted ad read “Needed, someone to save the world,” who would be qualified to respond? Superman? Batman? How about Wonder Woman? Or, how about Jesus? Giving God’s trumpet a Certain Sound for more than 70 years, this is the Voice of Prophecy.

CONNIE: Hello, I’m Connie Jeffery,

LONNIE: and I’m Lonnie Melashenko.

CONNIE: You know Lonnie, probably the best-remembered radio show of all time has got to be Orson Wells’s 1930s production of War of the Worlds.

LONNIE: Yes, that one really shook up a lot of people.

CONNIE: Those who tuned in late didn’t realize it was just a dramatic production. They thought they were listening to actual newscasts and that the world was being rapidly taken over by monsters from Mars.

LONNIE: But of course Orson Wells was not the last one to produce a program about the ultimate end of the world.

CONNIE: Actually it’s a favorite theme of Hollywood movies and big-name novels. The world is facing ultimate destruction, life as we know it is about to be wiped off the face of the planet. Unless someone steps in at the right place at the right time, history as we know it will come to a screeching halt.

LONNIE: John Wayne, Bruce Willis, Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, all the big action heroes seem to get their Hollywood chance at rescuing the world from ultimate destruction.

CONNIE: But the thing I notice about these types of stories and movies is that it’s usually some sort of physical threat. An asteroid, or an invasion, or the attack of the killer tomatoes--whatever--that’s threatening our world. And what’s needed to save it is a powerful action hero who will take on the villains in one-on-one combat.

LONNIE: The idea is that it takes someone tough--someone really brave and strong to save us. But there’s only one Man who merits the title Savior of the World.

CONNIE: That would be Jesus, of course.

LONNIE: Of course. But in most people’s minds, He doesn’t fit the typical image of a world-saving superhero. We speak of Jesus with words like “tender, meek, mild.”

CONNIE: And He is a warm, caring Savior. But there’s more to the picture than commonly meets the eye.

LONNIE: Well, just the fact that He was born into the home of a craftsman--a member of the working class who had to earn his living by the sweat of his brow--tells us something.

CONNIE: Jesus no doubt grew up helping Joseph in his trade--carrying lumber, driving nails, doing other jobs that took real strength. But it took more than just physical toughness to do what He did.

LONNIE: You know, Connie, Ken Wade is our producer for this program, and he also produces our television broadcast that’s seen on the 3ABN satellite network as well as other stations. And a couple years ago he and I visited the Holy Land to film some programs that focused in on that aspect of Jesus’ life. Ken’s here in the studio with us--as always--let’s bring him over on this side of the mike though, for a moment.

LONNIE: Ken, you and I made our pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1999, and we’ve remarked several times that we’re glad we did it then instead of waiting a year or two.

KEN: Well, that’s certainly true--I’m not sure I’d want to be taking a camera crew over there to do any filming right now.

LONNIE: There’s been tension and warfare in the Middle East for many years, but as we’re taping this program, things have certainly gone from bad to worse.

KEN: But you know, Lonnie, things aren’t really any worse right now than they were when Jesus came to earth. He walked right into a tinderbox of tension.

LONNIE: Absolutely, you know that’s a profound analogy that it’s just like it was. Things haven’t really changed.

KEN: Things haven’t changed much in two thousand years have they?

LONNIE: It took courage I think for Jesus to come down when mankind was really kind of at the bottom of the pile.

KEN: O certainly, and you know, we went of course to Bethlehem, everybody has to go to Bethlehem when they go to Israel.

LONNIE: And you can’t get there now, but we did.

KEN: Yes we did, but we didn’t stick too long in Bethlehem did we? We went to another place.

LONNIE: We went to a place that I’ll never forget driving up to Herodium, because I had never been there before. I’d seen it, that great big huge lava like, conical shaped…

KEN: Almost a mountain that stands out there all by it’s self.

LONNIE: Which of course is the huge, huge, huge cave that Herod was preparing for his own burial.

KEN: Yeah, he was going to be buried right there at Herodium. He had this mountain leveled off at the top. A palace built inside of it, a fortress for himself, but I think the thing that really thrilled me when I first recognized where Herodium was in relationship to Bethlehem is the realization that, here’s Jesus being born right in Herod’s lap so to speak.

LONNIE: And the antithesis, the paradox, the contrast, and here is Herod with all the splendor, all of the Roman Empire, all of the glory, the glitz and the glitter, building this monumental, phenomenal thing to mark his death, contrasted to a simple, humble cave.

KEN: Little cave where Jesus was born. But Jesus is coming right in here, you’ve got to imagine that if they’re constructing a tomb and a palace for Herod, there’s going to be a lot of Roman soldiers, or Herod’s soldiers at least around. And when Jesus was born, he didn’t go off to the edge of the empire, he was right there next to Herod’s place.

LONNIE: And a big time presence there, in the form of Herod, but a bigger presence when Jesus came.

KEN: Yeah, a dangerous situation to walk into, or to come into as a baby. Obviously He didn’t walk into it so…

LONNIE: Then of course another contrast that I’d never been to before either. You took my camera crew and I up to a place called Sephoris.

KEN: Yeah! Another hilltop place...

LONNIE: Right up next to Nazareth.

KEN: And so there we are. We start out in Bethlehem where Jesus was born next to Herods tomb, and then we go up and we discover that Nazareth is just as close to this place Sephoris, where Herods son (Herod Antipus) built his palace.

LONNIE: And of course what I hadn’t realized, is that this would have been known by Jesus and by His father Joseph as carpenters.

KEN: Of course! Very close to them, a metropolis close to the little town of Nazareth, and I get a thrill up and down my spine every time I think about standing there by those huge stones that were put in place for the buildings there. I’m thinking, did Jesus help lever one of these into place or something like that.

LONNIE: Could have found employment with Joseph right there, and learned the trade.

KEN: It’s just an amazing thing, but the thing that really strikes me, is that Jesus was right there despite the tension. He was there for us.

LONNIE: There’s so much to be learned by looking at the life of Jesus. So much more than meets the eye at first glance.

KEN: And I think most of us as Christians, well we probably think that we’ve read all those stories about Jesus. But you know when you dig and you start taking a closer look there’s always something new there for you to learn. I know for myself I first thought of Jesus as being kind of wimpy, not a real mans man, but it took a lot of stamina, a lot of fortitude, to come to earth and save us.

LONNIE: But I am so ever thankful that Jesus had what it took.

CONNIE: It did take special courage and strength for Jesus to come to earth as the world’s superhero Savior. But it was courage based on the strongest motivation of all--love.

“Love Was When”, Del Delker, from VOP Music Library CD

CONNIE: The world was--and is--in need. And God has the solution. God IS the solution. That’s why Jesus came to earth--to bring God down to us, to bring light to those of us who live in the dark basement of the universe. To meet humanity’s needs through all the ages.

LONNIE: The book Desire of Ages is a Christian classic that tells the story of Jesus’ coming to earth in a fascinating, compelling way. And if you’ll stay tuned to the end of our broadcast, I’ll share the secret of how you can get a free copy of this book. Just to whet your appetite a bit, we’ve invited Kenneth Richards to join us now, and he’ll be reading a passage from the book The Desire of Ages.

KENNETH: Desire of Ages, pp. 22, 25.

The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God,Satan's deceptive power was to be broken. This could not be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God's government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known. Upon the world's dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, "with healing in His wings." Mal. 4:2.

The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. . . . It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God's throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. . . . .

p. 25
In stooping to take upon Himself humanity, Christ revealed a character the opposite of the character of Satan. But He stepped still lower in the path of humiliation. "Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phil. 2:8. As the high priest laid aside his gorgeous pontifical robes, and officiated in the white linen dress of the common priest, so Christ took the form of a servant, and offered sacrifice, Himself the priest, Himself the victim. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him." Isa. 53:5.

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. "With His stripes we are healed."

It’s true. God has provided just exactly what we need. It’s as if we ran a classified ad in the Los Angeles Times: “Needed: A Savior for the world,” and God Himself answered. Let’s listen now to Lonnie’s message for today, “Needed: A Savior.”

 NEEDED A SAVIOR

It was a cool, autumn day when Lee Sweitzer, Jerry Land, and Joanne Horn decided to go cruising on the Niagara River. . . . On the part just above the famous waterfalls. They took along Joanne’s 18-month-old son, Michael. They weren’t planning to go swimming--just boating.

They weren’t planning to be part of one of the most dramatic rescues ever attempted in the waters above the falls. They just wanted to go for a quiet, relaxing boat ride.

But when you’re boating above a waterfall, you’d better be sure your engine is tuned up and running strong. And you’d better have a backup plan, just in case.
Otherwise you’ll soon find yourself in need of a rescue--in need of a savior.

Everything went fine for the happy boaters, until their outboard motor died.

But they were a long way from the falls. Nothing to worry about--just tinker a little here, fuss a little there, and nurse it back to life.

But as the moments ticked by, so did the milestones on the riverbank. And the noise--that distant roar of water plunging 161 feet over Horseshoe Falls--well, it wasn’t sounding so distant anymore.

Finally, within half a mile of the falls, the boat approached Goat Island, moving rapidly now, as the water hurried toward its great leap. There was no more time to tinker or try. There was only one option left: Abandon ship! Coming to a fairly shallow spot in the rapids, the trio bailed out, holding little Michael just high enough to keep him dry.

The water was cold, waist-deep, and moving fast. The nearest dry land was a good 150 yards away. Much too far to risk with a baby in arms. Park Police in a sightseeing helicopter flew out to try a rescue. But when one of the stranded boaters reached up and grabbed one of he chopper’s skids, the pilot lost control and the helicopter plunged into the river.

Fortunately no one was hurt, but now there were three more people in need of rescue--in need of a savior. Seven people standing waist-deep in the chilly Niagara River waters, far too close to the falls for comfort.

A police boat approached and then--believe it or not--the motor sputtered and quit. Two men jumped into the water and joined the other seven, while another kept trying to restart the engine. When he finally jumped overboard a hundred yards downstream, other officers linked arms and plunged into the river, forming a human chain to pull him ashore.

But now there were nine people soaking wet and shivering out in the middle of the river.

What could be done to help them? Who would be willing to attempt a rescue?
You know, friend, the predicament of those nine people out in the middle of the Niagara River--well, it’s a good metaphor for life on a larger scale. Because when you stop to think about it, we’re all kind of boating on the Niagara with a pretty weak motor. Apart from God, we’re all trapped in the middle of a river, with a great abyss just downstream. We all need to be rescued.

That’s the way it was when Jesus came to earth.

It’s the way it’s always been, ever since Adam and Eve first set sail in the rapids of rebellion against God.

When they ate the forbidden fruit, they cut away the ropes that firmly bound their little boat to the shore. Satan had promised them that doing so would make them independent--free--able to go where they wanted, to cruise the river of life under their own power.

But what he didn’t admit was that Adam and Eve’s motor would soon sputter and die--just above the abyss. And no matter how hard they might try to restart it, they would find themselves stranded, needing to be rescued.

And no matter how hard they tried, or their children tried, to solve the problem on their own, things would only go from bad to worse. More and more people would end up stranded, in needing a rescuer--needing a Savior.

What’s the solution in a situation like that? Would anyone else brave the chill rapids to try to save the hapless boaters? It seemed like their predicament was contagious--that anyone who got near them ended up stranded with them.

So far two boats had gone over the falls, a helicopter had crashed, and now nine people, not four, were shivering in the water, waiting for rescue. Waiting for a savior.

Finally someone got a better idea. Get a cable out to them--something that can have one end tied firmly to shore. Don’t send any more “unattached” people out there.

Before I tell you how the story ends, let me share a Bible verse with you. Just one simple verse that brings this story into focus. Here it is, Matthew 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (NKJV)

You recognize that, don’t you. It’s about Jesus--just before He was arrested, tried, and condemned to death.

Now, we call Jesus the Savior of the world, but at first glance it might seem like He failed in His rescue efforts. He seems a bit like those policemen who set out in a helicopter to rescue the boaters, but ended up being pulled down into the water.

But notice this. When the weight of the world began to pull on Jesus, did He let it drag Him down?

No. He stayed firmly attached to heaven when He came down to rescue us.

With one hand firmly grasping His heavenly Father’s hand, He held out His hand to us, to pull us up to safety. Even as He faced death on the cross, He didn’t lose His grasp on heaven. He found time to be by Himself and to pray to His Father. That was the only safe way to rescue us.

By the time October 7, 1973 was over, 10 people had been rescued from the Niagara River. One policeman by a human chain of men who linked arms and stayed attached to shore while plunging in to rescue him. And nine others who made it to land by hanging on to a cable that was firmly attached to the shore.
My friend, Jesus still reaches out His hand today. He’s in heaven now--firmly attached there. But He was not afraid to plunge into the river to save us. He’s the ultimate human chain. He’s the strongest cable you could ever hope for.

Grab onto Him today. Hold onto Him today as He did to His Father--through earnest, faithful prayer. Through study of His Word. Hang on to Him. He’ll lift you to safety.

“The Ivory Palaces”, The Heralds, from I Need Thee Every Hour CD