I was waiting at a street corner for a car. An old man, bent and wrinkled, approached me, asking that I buy a pencil from him. I did so, feeling that a door was opened for me to speak a word to him about the Lord Jesus.
Having finished our little transaction with the pencils, I inquired of him: "Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ?" He assented by a nod of the head that he did.
"But," I said, "how do you know Him?”
"I used to learn about Him in school," he replied. "He was born in Bethlehem and died on the cross.”
"Yes, but do you know Him?" I again asked. This same question put to him the second time seemed to puzzle the old man. I do not think he understood me, so I continued: "You see, for instance, I might have heard about you and many things you have done and said. Still I might not be really acquainted with you at all. So it is in knowing the Lord Jesus personally as a Savior and Friend. Almost everybody nowadays knows about Him; but how very few are really acquainted with Him! The Word of God says: 'Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.'" Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21).
The old man agreed with this, and added that he thought everyone needed religion! I tried to show him that "religion" could not save; but added: "If you take the place of a sinner, God can bless you. He sent His Son into this world to die for lost sinners, and to bear the sins of those who believe. But if you do not believe you must be in hell forever.”
This was news to the old man, and I left it with him. When I saw him again some days later he assured me that it was indeed "good news," and that he now knew the Lord Jesus as his own Savior.