Very Cool Illustration

Ok, so I just have to say that I am REALLY STOKED that all the Chilean miners were rescued after surviving 69 days of being stuck a half mile underground!!! I heard that it was the longest period of time that anyone has been stuck underground and come out alive. I know that this happened a little while ago and may old news to some of you, but it's still just really exciting to me!

On Monday night at the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) service at church, Mark shared a very powerful message that had so many amazing parallels to the rescuing of these miners. He talked about the importance of evangelism in ours lives, and although we all have different talents, abilities, and passions, the purpose of what we do needs to be to be to reach those who are not saved. There are about 33,000 people in Antigua, and roughly four and half times that many people die every day around the world. If we woke up tomorrow to find out that every person in Antigua had died, we'd be completely shocked and it would be on the news everywhere. Yet so many more than that ARE dying everyday, and so many times we live as if it doesn't matter.

Mark gave us a list of excuses that are often used for why Christians don't share the gospel. For one, some people say they are introverts or have a shy personality. I totally related to this because I am generally a listener, not a talker. But Jesus didn't give us the option to share the gospel depending on our personality. In fact, when we feel unsure or inadequate, that is when God can work the most through us. Ephesians 3:20 says, "... By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare ask or hope." In first Corinthians 12:9, Paul wrote, "Each time He said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." We just need to step out of ourselves and our comfort zone and into the power of Christ so that He can work through us.

Another excuse he pointed out was what if people don't want to accept the gospel? And of course this happens many times! Mark shared a story about a man that was living on the streets whom he recently saw sleeping in the dump. Mark talked with this man about his need for God and he agreed to go to an organization where he would be provided for and learn about the gospel. After reading the rules and signing his name, he told Mark that he changed his mind. He'd rather be back on the streets. It happens. Not everyone will accept Christ, but the key is that the results are not up to us. Our responsibility is to share the hope we have in Christ with those around us, and the results are up to Him. The illustration that Mark used was like this: what if the rescuers of the miners in Chile felt unsure if the rescue was going to work? Should they have not have tried to save them simply because it might not work? They had to dig three holes down to them before they reached them. What if after the first time they said, "oh well, we tried".....

Another excuse he talked about was that some people don't care about sharing their faith. They think, well, I'm saved, and if they're not then that's their problem. So if someone is in trouble, like the miners, should we just go about our business because we are alright? Should we just leave them there because it's not our fault that the mines caved in and trapped them underground?

He noted that you may ask, then, is evangelizing a prerequisite to being saved? No, there is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. But are you really a follower of Christ if you don't have His love in your heart?

Jesus said is John 13:35, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."

And 1 John 4:8 says, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

This leads to the next point. Those men could not have done anything to save themselves. All they could do was wait, and when help came, they only had to accept it. They couldn't have lifted one finger to get themselves out. When the pod was lowered, the only thing they could do was get in and have the rescuers lift them out. There was only one way out of the darkness and into abundant life in the light. All we have to do is accept Christ's offer to forgive our sins and make us holy in Him. There is nothing we can do for ourselves.

I think this is a concept that is well known, but the illustration was so powerful!

One news caster said that he never got tired of watching the men come up and seeing them rejoice with there families. What a picture this is of heaven when a soul is saved. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus says in Luke 15:7 says, "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!"

Another powerful point he made was that all the hard work and waiting was for one purpose: to rescue the trapped men. All the waiting that families had to do, all of the thought and planning and work that the rescuers and NASA people did one for one simple reason. And here is the illustration: The purpose of our lives should to be to rescue the dying. You can do good deeds your whole life, and if it's not for the purpose of saving souls, it's all in vain. You can feed and clothe and house and teach and treat all the people in the world, and if it's not for God's glory then you have a bunch of full, clothed, housed, educated, healthy people who are going to hell.

Matthew 6:20-21 says, "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

This message was so convicting for me, and the illustrations so powerful. Mark has an deep passion to spread the Word of God, and even though he shared that he is a loner by personality and would rather be in a quiet place alone and not speaking in front of people, it was evident that he is allowing God to work through him. May I always remember that the purpose of my life here is to store treasures in heaven.