The school day was finished. The children, ranging in age from six to fourteen, under the watchful eye of the bus driver were boarding the bus for their usual ride home. The bus driver closed the door, and the bus began its trip to take the children home.
In the other end of the city, another vehicle was being loaded, but not with children. Very carefully it was loaded with high explosives. Then the driver gave his load one last inspection. Satisfied, he stepped into the van and started off down the highway to meet the bus.
Alongside this highway on a small hill sat a jeep with two soldiers in it. Like policemen, it was their duty to protect and preserve those who used this highway. From their vantage point, they could see the drama that was taking place right in front of their eyes! Without any hesitation or thought for their own lives, they drove straight for the van that was loaded with high explosives.
This suicide van driver had every intention of ramming the bus and killing every child on it, including the bus driver. But the soldiers who were on guard had every intention of stopping a tragedy like this.
The jeep, with the two soldiers in it, smashed into the suicide van. There was a tremendous explosion! Parts of the van and the jeep were found everywhere. Even the side of the school bus was blackened.
Every child on the bus was saved! The suicide driver was instantly killed. Miraculously, one soldier survived. When the children eventually arrived home, they would have a frightening story to tell their parents! “Mom and Dad, a suicide bomber tried to kill us today, but two soldiers saved us all!”
Did these children know the name of the soldier who died for them? No, but I’m very sure that they would try to find out who he was, so that they could somehow show their love and thankfulness to his family for the ultimate sacrifice he made to save the children.
Friend, like you, I was not on that bus, but I was on the wide way that leads to death and then the lake of fire. Like those children on the bus, I did not realize the fatal position I was in. Then someone carried the sweet sound of the gospel to my ears. That gospel message reached my heart, and I was saved!
Now, like those children on the bus, I have a wonderful story to tell, and that is, “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). Those children did not know the name of the soldier who died for them, but, thank God, I know the name of my Saviour who died for me — it is the Lord Jesus Christ. “There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)).