The first man is a miner, who was passing a meeting house one night and went in. The minister was speaking of the holiness of God, and of the awful situation of those who were still unprepared –and might be called at any moment to meet God. He begged his hearers to ask themselves the question, “Am I ready to meet God?” He urged them to answer it now, for now was the accepted time. God was ready now, and they were alive tonight. Tomorrow might be too late.
The miner thought, “I am not ready to meet God! I have lived a careless, godless life. I dare not meet His holy Eye. How can I make peace with Him? I am such a sinner I dare not stand before Him.” These truths troubled him so much he could not go away. He waited till the people went out, and then he told the minister his fears. The man of God tried to lead him to Jesus. “Jesus is your peace,” he said. But the miner found none. An hour passed by. The minister laid the way of salvation clearly before him. “Now,” he said, “it is late. Go home and seek your Savior there.”
“No,” said the miner. “I beg you to let me stay a little longer; it must be settled tonight!!” “You must go home,” said the minister. “It is late, and I can do no more. I cannot make it clearer to you.” “It must be settled tonight!” answered the miner with increased earnestness. Once more the minister spoke of Jesus’ power to save the repentant believer from sin. But no peace came, “I must go,” he said reluctantly. “It will soon be morning. Go home. Tomorrow night there is a meeting here; maybe you will find peace then.” “Sir,” said the poor man, “I cannot leave this room until I find peace. It must be settled tonight.”“By the help of God,” the minister replied, “it shall be settled tonight, and I will not leave until you find peace.” Again he spoke of the finished work of Christ. Again he prayed; the miner following his words with sobs and tears; and at last the light broke in on his darkness.“I see it!” he cried. “My peace is made with God. It is settled. I have to thank God for It! …Praise His Name! It is settled.” Again they knelt, but this time to thank God that He heard their cry and saved the miner’s soul.
The next day as the miner was working, a mass of rock fell upon him . Working to save him – at last they uncovered one of his hands. He was still living! A faint sound came from beneath the fragments of rock. He was speaking. “I thank God it was settled last night! Settled forever. I am His. Tonight would have been too late, but thank God it was settled last night!!” When at last they uncovered his body, he had gone to God.
The second man was a 24-year-old biker that was heavily involved in sin (drugs, crime, sexual immorality, … etc.) He not only lived a wicked and godless life, but when confronted with the truth that he was headed down the road to eternal damnation; very defiantly rejected Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. He said, “I love the way I’m living,” and “I’m not going to change!” Two weeks later he died without (apparent) change, and was in eternity. The third man was also a young man heavily in bondage to sin. He heard a sermon on the coming of the Lord, and the need to get right with Him through repentance and faith in Christ; but put it off. The next morning, under conviction of his sinfulness, he called his mother. She encouraged him to pray. The cost of dying to self and following Christ seemed to be too much however, for he seemingly put it off. Only 45 minutes later, the car he was working on came off the jack, and he was in eternity.
Dear friend, today could be our last chance! “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man (Jesus) cometh.” Then said one unto Him, ‘Lord, are there few that be saved?’ And He said unto them, ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, ‘I know you not whence ye are:’ Then shall ye begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in Thy Presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.’ But He shall say …’I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.’ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth …and you yourselves thrust out.”
Can we hear Jesus speaking to our hearts today saying – “I am your salvation”, “I can deliver you from Satan, Sin, The World, and Self”– “If you only believe (In Me) you will see (experience) the glory of God (to raise you from spiritual eternal death to now new life- His eternal life. Jesus said that you and I must be born again by the life-giving seed of the all consuming love of Jesus, to be given a new mind and new heart filled with the all consuming love of God with the resultant fruit of an all consuming love for God and the sacrificial love of Jesus for others. Please today, if you haven’t already –Through His Grace, Repent (from unbelief to belief in Jesus) and be converted (from a prideful, self-seeking, self-in-control life to a humble, God-pleasing, God-in-control life) that your sins may be blotted out. God can only give His saving grace to the Humble. Right now ask God to give you a humble, broken heart with godly sorrow over how your sins and the hidden lusts of your own goals have hurt and grieved Him as you let His self-sacrificing love and blood put to death your self- life. By His mercies alone, believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God to save you by His undeserved grace to now do the Father’s work His way. Now by faith – Rely solely on the hope of the power of His blood alone, cheerfully given on the cross, to redeem you(forgive and set you free) from the guilt and bondage to sin and make you alive by this same righteous blood by with which you can now have His righteousness living in and out of you. Now by faith, Relying solely on the hope of His resurrection power live by His undeserved grace! Jesus Christ’s Might can release us from the bondage of Satan’s Kingdom – prisoners of Satan’s lie- to now have King Jesus reign within us -with His Truth, His Life, and His Holy Spirit of Love living in Us.