IT is the morning shift, when some six hundred men are gathered round the shaft of one of the great South Yorkshire collieries waiting to descend to their work.
Eight men take their places in the cage, and are swiftly lowered into the pit. The cage returns, and another eight descend. The third time the cage is at the surface. Eight more men take their places in it.
Was there one amongst those hundreds who doubted for a moment the strength of that steel rope as it flew swiftly over the whirling wheels? Not one. The cage goes down again, and the engineer, with his eye on the indicator, sees that it is within about sixty yards of the bottom when there is a violent oscillation of the rope, a jingle of signal bells, and hundreds of faces are blanched with fright. What has happened?
The steel rope has suddenly snapped, and seven of the occupants of the cage are launched into eternity.
Friend, should you be called on just as suddenly to leave this world, how would it fare with you?
Oh, you reply, I am not afraid to die I Possibly not, but what about AFTER death? Can you bear the thought that you will have to meet God? Reflect that with those very eyes with which you read this paper you shall see the Lord Jesus, the Judge upon the throne, for God has declared that “every eye shall see Him” (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)).
Yes, says another, but there is plenty of time.
With those very words on his lips many an unbeliever has found himself unexpectedly in a Christless eternity to find that though there might be plenty of time for others, HE was just too late. May this not be your experience.
Wake up, sinner, we implore you, to the fact that you are hastening on, that every heart beat brings you nearer to — what? Nearer to meeting God, nearer to meeting that blessed Jesus whom you now despise, but meeting Him, not then as Saviour, but as Judge (see Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)), to hear from His lips those awful words, “Depart from Me,” and to pass from thence into the blackness of darkness Forever, where “their worm dieth net, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:4444Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44)).
Sinner, wouldst thou escape? Listen, then, to the voice of that blessed Saviour on Calvary’s cross, crying, “IT IS FINISHED” (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)). What is finished? That mighty work that the Lord Jesus Christ came to do. On the cross God poured out upon Him all His righteous judgment against sin―God forsook His own blessed Son because of our sins (see Matt. 27:4646And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)), and when the storm of God’s judgment was exhausted Jesus cried aloud, “IT IS FINISHED,” and gave up the ghost.
Oh! sinner, never was a more wonderful sight. The Lord of life and glory dying for your sins. God’s righteous sentence is carried out, and the One who bone the sins has died.
But joyful news! He is not dead now. No! so complete, so perfect was the sacrifice, so fully was God’s righteousness vindicated in the death of the Sin-bearer that God could raise Him from the dead in proof of His perfect delight and set Him at His own right hand in glory, exalted — a Prince and a Saviour.
Therefore if Jesus took the believer’s sins into death, and is new in heaven without them, it is very certain that the believer’s sins are gone.
It is so, simple! All that is required is that you should own to God your true condition―own that Jesus, the spotless Substitute, died on Calvary’s cross in your stead. Do this, and a joy, a happiness you, never knew will be yours, for, listen! ― “If thou shalt confess, faith thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED (Rom.10:9) And again, “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)).
Close in then with God’s offer Now. Take Jesus as your Saviour, ands go on your way rejoicing, then it, will matter not how suddenly the thread of your life be snapped,” for death will simply usher you into the Lord’s presence, to enter into “fullness of joy.” Sinner, do not put it off! Do not trifle!
“Life at least is very brief,
Like the binding of a sheaf,
Like the falling of a leaf,
Be in time.
Sinner; heed the warning voice,
Make the Lord your happy choice,
Then all heaven will rejoice
Be in time.”
G. A.