Today was our annual Easter Egg Hunt at church. It was such fun: baby sheep and their mommy, as well as little bunnies to pet, a craft, food, and of course eggs to hunt. Our devotional time is the most important because of the opportunity it provides to share the gospel with families who wouldn't otherwise come to church. This year our lesson focused around how baby animals are born to become like their parents. Their ears listen for their parents calling them, their eyes see danger and their feet carry them away from danger.
I then used this baby in my ever-growing tummy to help make a point: my child is becoming more like me as it grows, but like me, it will be born with sin. I used passages of scripture like Romans 5:19 to tell the children that we're all born of Adam, making us all sinners. However, God didn't leave us in our sin. Instead, He sent Jesus Christ to rescue us! He is the only one who was perfectly obedient to His Father, therefore He is the only One who can take away sin.
We then looked at the life of Christ, a baby who grew to be like His Father. His ears heard the cries of the blind men alongside of the road; He healed them, and they followed Him. His eyes saw danger, but He did not turn the other direction. Instead, "He set His face for Jerusalem." He knew what awaited, yet He willingly went. When He arrived in Jerusalem, His feet carried Him to Calvary instead of running from certain death. He did that for you and me!
"For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19
You don't have to live in sin any longer. By repenting, turning from sin and following Christ, you can be born-again! If you are a Christian, your life should be lived to grow to be more like your Father: to hear the needs of others and serve them and follow God by obeying Him and sharing the good news of Jesus rising from the dead to save us!
The egg hunt, food, and fellowship followed.
Later that evening, back at home, we decided to head to Chattanooga. I had a return to make and had a couple errands to run. As soon as we took off down the road, it down-poured. About 15 min. into the drive we came upon a car on the shoulder of I-75 and two people walking ahead. Ken and I kind of looked at each other and he pulled over. To make a long story shorter, we gave them a ride. They were teenage boys, looking for their friend. They used our cel phone and made plans to meet at the gas station. While waiting, we found out this friend was also walking and they had no real plan of how to get their car fixed, or to get to their destination (downtown Chattanooga).
Within 10 min. the third friend showed up, walking in the rain, and got into the van with us. We drove them downtown and since the rain was so loud, Ken and I could talk without them hearing us. We felt led to share the gospel with them when we arrived at their drop-off. We kind of laughed and shook our heads at these clueless boys from Dalton as they called a friend to meet them downtown.
Ken stopped the van in a parking lot. "Before you leave, can we talk to you for just a few minutes?" They agreed and listened attentively as we told them that there are no coincidences. We thought we were going shopping today, but God had it planned for us to share something with you. We asked if they believed the Bible to be true. "Yes," said two, "Pretty much," said the third. (It's always easier to proceed if you know the answer to that question I've learned).
Here's a summary of the rest of the conversation:
"What would have happened if your car didn't just die along-side the road? What if you were killed? Where would you go- heaven or hell?" They all just looked at us and said they had never really thought about it, but maybe heaven. We shared how God is just and holy and how James 2:10 says that breaking 1 rule of God's is breaking all rules. "If you haven't repented from your sin, you would be in hell. He's using today to warn you of your sin and to repent, to be His child." We explained what Easter really was about. " I hope God is softening your heart to hear and receive this. It's up to you now, you have the opportunity to respond to what you've heard." They sat quiet with eyes focused on us. After a while I think we said, "Thank you for listening." They thanked us and we handed each of them a Bible tract on the "10 reasons Christ Came to Die" as they crawled out of our van.
We hoped they would have responded immediately by turning their hearts to the Lord, but that wasn't how it ended. Please pray for them, that they wrestle with their sin and guilt until it is made right with God.
Last night, I was able to attend "Secret Church" a 6 hour event (which ended up being almost 7) to study Heaven and Hell and what is to come. I learned how Christ spoke more about hell than anyone and that we shouldn't apologize for sharing the truth of it with others. David Platt said, "How much do you have to hate someone, to sit in the cubical at work next to them, and never tell them about Christ." I needed to hear that. So often I neglect to include the reality of hell and the punishment it brings eternally. I think it's an inward struggle for me....I want to encourage others and build them up, but I also know that I need to tell them the Truth- the gospel. I can't be a people pleaser, I must be a God- pleaser.
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