Maybe it’s because my forefathers were coalminers that it resonated with me, but recently I read a sermon from the famed early 20th century evangelist, Billy Sunday.
In the message he recounted events surrounding the collapsed of a coalmine in Pennsylvania. As it happened, there were several miners who were trapped in the mine and the word went out asking for volunteers to help dig them out.
Of course there was a quick response and men from all over the county began showing up to help out. Through the long line of volunteers there came an old grizzled gentleman deep into his 80’s; the young man handing out the shovels and picks kindly told the old gentleman that he appreciated him being willing to help but that he’d better let the younger men do the digging.
The old man responded, “I’ve got to dig, I’ve got two boys down there.”
Who do you know that is suffocating under a load of sin, guilt and shame?
Who do you know that is barreling through life heading for hell with no regard for their soul?
Maybe you’ve reached the age and level of life in which a few more dollars, a few more gadgets, and a few more miles and sights are not really going to make that big a difference. Does trying to save someone from an eternity without God and hope motivate you?
Maybe it’s time for you to get off the sidelines and grab a shovel and pick and try to dig someone out.
Maybe it’s time for you to get off the sidelines and get in the race—the race to save souls from hell and to heaven.
- The ONE THING for today: You exist in this life to win souls away from Satan and into the loving care of Jesus Christ.
19-23 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (MSG)
The ONE THING 