One autumn day, a dad was taking his family hiking in the Colorado Rockies along a popular trail to view a waterfall. They were walking along at the base of a steep mountain when a solid rock face high above them abruptly and unexpectedly splintered into rocks and boulders forming a huge rock slide. The man had just enough time to make a painful decision. He used his body as a shield to protect his thirteen-year-old daughter. Tragically, the falling rocks claimed the lives of the man, his wife, an older daughter and two other members of his extended family. The thirteen-year-old girl survived because of the brave and selfless action of her dad.
Do you know that nearly 2000 years ago a man voluntarily gave his life to shield you from death? His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, and He died on Calvary’s cross so that sinners who place their faith in Him might escape the eternal death their sins deserve. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:33For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)).
The man in the rock slide could only use his body to shield one member of his family. However, the death of the Lord Jesus has the power to shield every member of the human race from the judgment their sins deserve. He has this power because of the supreme excellence of His person. He was God come in the flesh, so that He was both man and God in the same person. Although He lived among sinful men, He lived a life of pureness and unblemished righteousness. Of all the men who ever lived, He is the only One who never sinned. As a man He could suffer and die. As God His death has limitless power to put sins away forever. “Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:2626For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)).
Sin needs to be put away because judgment is certain to fall on all those who continue on in their sinful ways. The final judgment will take place when impenitent sinners are cast out of God’s presence forever to spend eternity in the darkness and fiery atmosphere of hell. Before that judgment falls, won’t you turn from your sin and take the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? You can’t by good works ever deserve God’s forgiveness, but God is willing to forgive you on the behalf of what His Son has done the moment you truly believe in Him. Those who trust in His name will be shielded from the eternal death their sins deserve. There is no other way to escape the judgment to come.
Life, as the story of the rock slide illustrates, is uncertain at best. Not one of us can be sure that we will be given one more day to live. Since we can’t be sure we will be here “tomorrow,” we ought to think on serious things while it is “today.” “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). This verse tells us not to delay the all-important decision to trust Christ. Won’t you make today the day of your salvation and trust in the Saviour right now? Only through faith in Christ can sinners ever be shielded from the judgment their sins deserve.