EVANGELISM: Forewarned is forearmed!

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."

Matthew 24:36

The TV reporter was speaking in an excited, animated tone, obviously caught up in the unfolding catastrophe; smoke was drifting across the neighbors’ yards, as an orange glow shimmered on the advancing firefighters.

On the screen, to the right, a woman struggle fiercely with a policeman and a neighbor. She was trying with all of her might to free herself; to the left, several people were visibly shaken and grief stricken.

Why? Because all of the woman’s children were trapped inside the burning home. The mourners were the woman’s friends and neighbors. The commentator understood the gravity of the scene and was affected by it.

What is wrong with this picture? No one knew the fire would start in that house, on that night, at that time! The fire had progressed too far to expect anyone to save the children. And, besides, the children didn’t know what was happening; they most likely would sleep right to the end. But still, what’s wrong with this picture?

Could it be that we’ve been warned of a fire to come? [Matthew 3:7] We don’t know which house the fire will pass by or which it won’t, but we know it will affect every unprotected house, don’t we? [Exodus 12:27]

Oh, we don’t know of the day or the hour [Mark 13:32], but we know with certainty it’s coming, don’t we? [Revelation 22:20] Haven’t we been warned?

So why aren’t we grieving before our neighbors’ homes? Why aren’t we on their front lawns, mourning the soon coming calamity? Why aren’t we earnestly contending with those who would prevent us from reaching our neighbors? [Jude 1:3]

Isn’t the smoke of Hell’s fire drifting across the green lawns of our communities? Isn’t the glow of Hades seen on the faces of all too many people we know? Once the fire starts, won’t it also be too late to save them?

Or could it be that we’re ignoring the smoke, don’t see the glow, and don’t care about the kids?

Christianity, Evangelism,
Illustrations, Religion

HELL - No, not the one on earth!

ANOTHER GULF WAR! [Luke 16:19-31; Bosom of Abraham, Boundaries, Sheol, Signs]

In March of 1995, two American businessmen crossed the border between Iraq and Kuwait. Though they claimed they didn’t know the border was there … or that they might be arrested … they were arrested.

The border (the one they did not know about) was clearly marked by a continuous, uninterrupted ditch, ten feet deep and ten feet wide with a 15 foot berm on one side. Signs were also posted at several intervals, in several languages.

While stewing in an Iraqi prison, they pleaded for help from the outside. They implored those on the other side of the border they crossed to come to their aid. Help finally came; they were released and sent home.

Similarly, ignoring the gulf between himself and God, the rich man went about his business, disregarding the signs which clearly warned of the danger.

When the time came to pay the Piper, he claimed he didn’t know he could be imprisoned for all eternity, that it was a mistake that he hadn’t understood. He pleaded for assistance from the other side. And so, too, many will come on that same day, saying, “Lord! Lord!”


DEATH AND DARKNESS! [Luke 16:19-31; Other topics - Damnation, Darkness, Death, Eternity, Hopelessness, Perdition]

Carol Fuller was a 72-year-old grandmother living alone in West Hollywood in 1995. During a home invasion robbery she was locked in a closet, her home was ransacked and her car was stolen. All of this took place without anyone knowing. But the worst part followed.

Days later, investigators found her dead in the closet, her fingers worn literally to the bone, trying to claw her way out.

Sadly, Carol Fuller left this world experiencing much the same horror many will experience for the rest of eternity. Try as they might, claw as they might, they will only have death and darkness as their companion.