He Took My Place

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Jeff Hanson was a miner who had been invited many times by Bill, his friend and fellow worker, to attend some gospel meetings. Jeff always refused. “If I go to those meetings,” he told himself, “I’ll have to give up all the things I enjoy.”
But Bill persisted until one night Jeff decided to go. Knowing he had to go to work in the pit that night at 9:30, Jeff went to the meeting in his working clothes and slipped into a back seat. Bill was already there, however, and came to sit with him.
The message was based on the story of the lost sheep in Luke, chapter 15, and Jeff was moved deeply when the preacher said that Jesus was the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep (John 10).
Then Jeff heard him explain from Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) that all men and women are like sheep who have gone astray and who have deliberately gone their own way.
“And the Lord has laid on Him,” said the preacher, “the iniquity of us all.”
Jeff knew that he had sinned many times and that he deserved to be punished for his sin. But that night he found out that Jesus had died in his place. His sins had been laid upon Jesus, and God accepted His death as the payment for all the sins of all those who believe in Him as Saviour and Lord.
After the preacher was finished speaking, he asked for those who wanted to know more about salvation in Christ to stay behind. Jeff was ready to stay when he remembered that he had to go to work. Pulling out his watch, he checked the time.
His friend Bill gave him a nudge. “You stay, Jeff,” he said; “I’ll take your shift at the pit.”
“Thanks, Bill,” said Jeff, and made his way to where the speaker sat talking to several.
While the preacher was talking with him, Jeff saw Bill leave to take his place at work. That night he knelt with the speaker, confessed his sinfulness to God, and found forgiveness of his sins because Jesus had died for him.
“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin,” the preacher read to him from the Bible. “If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7,97But 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)
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
Later on that night Jeff was startled by a commotion at the back of the hall. It was a man from the mine.
“There’s been an accident,” he said. Jeff learned that the very level where his friend Bill was working out his shift had been buried by a roof cave-in. Bill was gone!
Jeff broke down and cried. “If Bill had not taken my place,” he said, “I would have died tonight without a Saviour.”
The Christian Railroader.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15).
Many are choosing Christ to-day,
Turning from all their sins away;
Heaven shall their blessed portion be;
Where will you spend eternity?
ML-10/28/1979