Memory Verse: He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18
When I was a boy, we lived near the overhead conveyer belt that carried the huge buckets of rubbish to a dump. All day long we could hear the buckets rumbling along. They made a queer, clanking noise something like “jurr ... jurr ... jurr ... clunk... jurr... jurr... jurr ... clunk.” They stopped their noisy travel for only an hour or so at the end of each work shift. Whenever we were tired of playing tag, we would lie on the grass and watch the slowly moving buckets.
Some of the boys used to climb the steel towers that held the conveyer. Once when I was little I saw a boy named Mike climb up the tower, then catch hold of one of the buckets. All of us held our breath as the bucket carried him along. We could see him hanging on the outside shouting, “Hey, look at me!”
When the bucket came to the place where it emptied, Mike jumped clear. The workmen yelled and ran after him, but Mike could run fast and easily got away. He was laughing as he ran towards us, glancing back at the angry workmen.
“What was it like?” we all asked.
“You just looked like little dolls down on the ground,” he said, “and I could see the sun shining on the ocean about 20 miles away!”
I had never seen the ocean, and right then I knew that someday I was going to climb up that tower and ride one of those buckets!
When I was about ten, a group of us were playing on the road. “Hey, Johnny, when are you going to climb up and ride in the bucket?” asked Mary, the girl who lived next door to me. She knew I wanted to ride that bucket, but she also knew it might be scary. She laughed as if she expected me to make an excuse not to try it. All the others looked at me. I knew it was either now or never!
I was a little scared as I climbed the tower. The steel was warm from the sun, and the whole tower shook a little as the buckets moved along. When I got to the top, a big bucket came along. I grabbed its rusty rim tightly and dangled my legs. My bare knees grated on its rusty sides.
From below came a cheer as the moving bucket carried me slowly away from the tower. There was no turning back now. I had started on my three-minute adventure. I was high above the ground and feeling rather brave. The bucket moved along, “jurr... jurr... jurr... clunk... jurr... jurr... jurr....”
Then suddenly it stopped! From the dump area I heard the shrill whistle that signaled the end of that workshift. I suddenly got very frightened as I realized I might have to hang on for a long time.
My arms started to ache, a numbing, throbbing pain. From below I could hear Mary calling, “Hang on! Hang on, Johnny! Bill is running to the dump to tell them to start up the conveyer again!”
I knew I was in real trouble. The dump was a half-mile away. Everything was quiet. My arms hurt terribly. I shut my eyes. “Hang on, Johnny!” called Mary’s frightened voice.
I opened my eyes, and the last thing I remembered seeing was the gleam of sunlight on the distant bay. Finally, I fell.
I wakened in a hospital bed and found I could not move either of my arms or legs because of the plaster casts. I was in the hospital a long time. My friends came to visit me many times. Mary especially was very upset, because she was the one who had suggested I take my ride. My bones eventually healed. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
John can look back now and tell a very interesting story about his “ride on the bucket.” He knows now that it was a foolish thing to do. He could easily have been killed. The workmen at the dump had warned the children about the danger, but John paid no attention. He decided to try it anyway, and he was almost killed.
The sinner that is not saved is also in real danger. If he (or she) should die without having his sins washed away, the Bible tells us he will go to Hell (Rev. 20:15). However, God has provided a way for sinners to be saved: “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. John went on his “bucket ride” knowing it was dangerous. Satan tells the sinner that there is plenty of time and that there is no danger. But the Bible says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31. Each one of us has to answer the question, “What think ye of Christ?” Matthew 22:42. You can accept Him now as your Saviour and know that your sins are washed away in His precious blood; or you can refuse Him, or put it off until later. This is very dangerous. If a sinner without Christ should die in his sins, he will be lost and away from God forever. Putting it off “until later” is not the answer. We are not promised that we will be alive tomorrow. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1. We are told to accept the Lord Jesus Christ now while we can. John listened to his friends and went on an adventure that almost killed him. Don’t listen to those who say you can be saved later or when you are older. Accept Him right now! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.
ML-04/05/1981