At the beginning of this century Jack Williams was the most-wanted outlaw in the state of Minnesota. Many sheriffs were “madder than hornets,” not only because of the crimes he committed in their towns, but also because he always escaped from them.
Once in a fight he shot a man, wounding him badly. Women who had seen the fight ran out into the street pointing and shouting to the law officers, “Arrest that man!”
Jack escaped by running away, with the sheriff chasing him and shooting at him. Jack ran to the edge of town, which was on the banks of the Mississippi River. There a friend of his was waiting to whisk him away in his boat. Jack raced down the pier, running as fast as he could and leaped into the boat. Just as the boat pulled away a bullet struck his leg, breaking the bone.
Once again he had escaped, but the search for Jack Williams didn’t stop. Posses were formed and crisscrossed Minnesota searching for him.
Crippled by his broken leg, Jack fled to his father’s cabin in the north woods. He reached it late at night, opened the door and crept in.
His father, awakened by the noise, lit a lamp and cried out, “Who’s there?”
“Father, it’s your son, Jack. I busted my leg and I’m hurtin’. Let me wait here for a doctor.”
For a long minute the old man looked at his son lying on the floor. He knew Jack was a criminal. With feelings of anger and disgust he shouted, “This is my house and I want no outlaws in it! Get out!” He set his lamp down, grabbed his son by his coat collar, dragged him out the door, and left him on the steps.
The pain of being dragged across the floor was too much for Jack. He fainted. When he came to, he remembered a root cellar that was nearby that hadn’t been used for years. He crawled into it and hid.
Jack’s friend with the boat knew Jack had gone to his father’s cabin. From the root cellar Jack kept watching until he saw his friend coming and waved to him. His friend had brought a doctor who set his leg. He also brought food and water and a kerosene lamp. Jack hid in that root cellar for a few months until his leg was strong enough so he could walk again.
Following little-used trails, he walked to the town of Brainerd where he robbed the general store. Then he made his way to the Black Duck Logging Company headquarters.
The manager of the logging company was new to Minnesota and didn’t recognize Jack. Jack asked for a job. The only job open was far out in the deep woods of the back country. This was exactly what Jack wanted. He took the job at once. He figured a remote logging camp would be a good hiding place from the law. He worked there as a lumberjack for several months.
One Sunday while the men were sitting down in the mess hall just about to eat their supper, the door was kicked open and in walked a big, burly man named Frank Higgins. Frank was what the lumberjacks called a “skypilot,” because he went through the logging camps telling the men about the way to heaven through faith in Christ.
After Frank had eaten dinner with the men, he stood up, pulled a Bible out of his pocket and said, “Boys, I have come to have a gospel service with you.”
Jack Williams would like to have walked out right then, but he didn’t want to draw the stranger’s attention to himself; he didn’t want him to get suspicious.
First, they sang a few hymns. After a short prayer Frank began his message. “Boys, I want to tell you today about a parable Jesus told to a crowd that was even rougher than you. This parable is known as the ‘Story of the Prodigal Son.’”
Frank described the happy home of the father and his two sons. He told them of the younger son’s love for pleasure and adventure which led him to leave his happy home and travel into a faraway country. Then he described how the younger son fell into misery and ruin. He also told them how in his misery and hunger the younger son came to his senses and decided to return to his father’s house. Frank read the verse, “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:2020And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20). Looking up at the men he noticed a man at the back of the room with an angry look on his face. Frank thought he was one of the meanest-looking men he had ever seen. Of course, it was Jack.
Frank continued with his message, telling the men how the story explains the way God loves and forgives sinners. After his message was over he prayed again and went outside. In a few minutes he bumped into Jack. Jack still looked angry.
Frank asked, “What’s the matter, friend? Didn’t you like that story?”
“That soft talk about his old man taking him in is a lot of hogwash, mister! I should know. I went back home when even the pigs wouldn’t have me. I was sick and hurt and my father dragged me out of the house!” Jack answered angrily.
“I see what you mean,” Frank said, “But you should have gone to your other Father first.”
“Not me, mister. I’m too bad for God to have anything to do with.”
“Hold on there,” Frank quickly replied. “Let me read you a verse.” He opened his Bible to 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) and read, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
“Now,” Frank continued, “when God says all sin He means all sin! He doesn’t mean half of our sins. If you were Judas himself, God could forgive and cleanse you from your sins, because Jesus shed His blood on the cross.”
Frank saw that Jack was really listening. He continued. “God has promised that ‘if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’ Romans 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9). You know, I don’t even know your name, but do you know that you are a sinner? Do you want salvation?”
As Jack stood there listening to the gospel being simply explained, a sense of his own sins filled him. For the first time in his life, he saw his sins not the way man sees them, but the way God sees them, and he hated them. He heard the offer of salvation as if God Himself were speaking to him. Hot tears started streaming down his face. “Yes,” he cried, “I want Jesus to save me.”
The two of them knelt down together and prayed. In a moment Jack’s soul was turned “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18). The Father welcomed another prodigal son home that night. After that Jack Williams lived faithfully for the Lord Jesus, serving Him and telling others of His love.
Your sins may not seem as bad or as many as Jack’s were. But it’s not how bad you are or how many sins you have that will keep you out of heaven. One sin is enough to keep you out of heaven! The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). Because you are a sinner you need the Saviour as much as even the worst sinner does. Without Him you will never be saved and be in heaven.
Jack fled to the logging camp to find a hiding place from man’s law, and while he was there he found a hiding place in the love of God the Father who gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in the sinner’s place. Wouldn’t you like to come to the same hiding place? If you would, then “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31). Do it now because “now is the accepted time... now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).
ML-12/27/1992