Recently I was standing at the counter at one of the gates at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, asking for some information from the agent. While I was waiting for him to get the answer for me, an older, well-dressed man came up to the counter. He asked one of the other agents when he and his wife could board flight 700 for Miami, Florida. The agent’s mouth dropped open in surprise. She turned around to point out the window behind her.
“Sir, flight 700 is that plane, just backing away from the gate,” she said. “There is no way that you can get on that flight now. I started announcing it was time to board that flight over half an hour ago, and I made several announcements, telling people to get on the plane.”
The man and his wife evidently had sat through all of the boarding announcements and for some reason either had not heard or responded to a single one of them. The agent told them that the only thing they could do now was to go to the ticket counter and try to get a new reservation for the next flight to Miami later in the day.
That man and his wife thought they were all ready for their trip. They had checked in and received their seat assignments, they had all their luggage with them, and they were very close to the door of the plane they wanted to take. But because they did not actually go through the door and get on the plane, all their preparation was useless. They were told by the agent, not just once but many times, to board the plane, but still it did them no good.
This reminded me of many boys and girls and men and women in the world today. They know that there is judgment ahead for every lost soul. They know how to be saved from that judgment. They may think that they are very close to being saved by going to Sunday school, memorizing Bible verses, and living good and honest lives (which are all good things). And yet, if they do not put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, they are still lost; they are still in their sins, heading for the judgment. In that condition they can never get to heaven, where they would like to go.
God has warned you many, many times to “flee from the wrath to come.” Luke 3:77Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Luke 3:7). God commends His love to you “in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). God invites you to accept His beloved Son as your Saviour today while there is still time. Some day very soon the door of His mercy will be shut forever, and then you will never have another chance to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. That man and woman probably were able to get on another plane a few hours later to go to Miami. But if the Lord Jesus comes or if you die, and you have not accepted Him as your Saviour, you will be lost forever. There will be no second chance for you. “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).
ML-06/06/1993