How much money would you be willing to spend for a cell phone? Ten dollars? Twenty dollars? Maybe even a hundred dollars? Would you even risk your life for a cell phone? No, I’m not kidding ... I said, your life?
Twice in the Word of God, the holy Bible, we find recorded in Matthew 16:2626For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26) and again in Mark 8:36-3736For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36‑37) these words: “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” The man I am going to tell you about almost lost his life over a cell phone! He was a tourist who was enjoying the winter scenery in Niagara Falls so much that he accidentally dropped his cell phone over the guardrail. He watched it slide down the very steep embankment towards the river. It stopped sliding just yards away from the icy, rushing Niagara River above the falls.
Let me take a moment to explain why these glass-like, icy conditions are so common in the winter at Niagara Falls and why they are so dangerous. The mist that rises from the falls three hundred to four hundred feet into the air causes this glassy ice! And if the wind conditions are right, it will carry this mist as far as two miles. Wherever the mist settles down, it freezes into glassy ice. Even in the city itself there are signs that warn motorists and pedestrians:
BEWARE OF ICY STREETS AND .ROADS IN WINTER MONTHS!
At times the trees, shrubs and buildings all look like glass — most beautiful — and at the same time most dangerous!
And so our tourist, ignoring all the warning signs, climbed over the guardrail and started out very carefully to retrieve his cell phone. Almost immediately he began to slide down, down, down towards the rushing, open river! Thankfully he stopped sliding before he reached it.
Now then, do you think he was worried about where his cell phone was? No way! He couldn’t even see it! There he was, standing on glassy, slippery ice, only a few yards from the rushing Niagara River and hardly daring to move! If a strong wind came up, it could blow him into the river.
At that point, the man was probably thinking what a fool he was to climb over the guardrail to try to get his cell phone back. This makes me think of the fools the Bible tells us about: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)). Then Luke 12:16-2016And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:16‑20) tells us about a man who made lots of money, owned buildings and had everything he needed and more. God said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” God is warning you and me not to be a fool about our sins.
The foolish tourist, stranded on dangerous ice, needed help and needed it right away! There wasn’t anything he could do to help himself. His friends ran to get help from the police. And when you and I realize we can’t do anything to rescue ourselves from our sins, we can turn to the living Word of God. Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) says, “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
The police and firemen arrived with ropes, ladders, safety harness, and most important of all, they wore boots that would not slip on glare ice. The first thing they told the man was “DO NOT MOVE! WE ARE COMING TO YOU!”
Were they able to rescue the man? Yes, but at quite a cost to the park officials. Was the cell phone worth it? No! In fact, it slid down the ice and into the river.
Boys and girls and grown-ups too, are you chasing riches, sports, fame or anything else that is useless for eternity? These things will only keep you out of heaven. God is telling you that He has a gift for you — eternal life. What a gift — heaven forever! It is free to everyone and anyone. You can find it in Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23): “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Don’t be a fool — take it!