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No
Greater Friend
Horror
gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw
his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench
with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the
soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into
the open field between the trenches to bring his
fallen comrade back.
"You
can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don't
think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably
dead, and YOU may get killed in the process."
The
Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went
anyway.
He managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his
shoulder, and brought him back to their company's
trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the
bottom of the trench, the lieutenant checked the
wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend.....
"I
told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your
friend is DEAD, and now
YOU are mortally wounded."
"It
WAS worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.
"What do you mean, 'worth it'?" responded
the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"
"Yes
sir," the private answered. "But when I got
to him, he was STILL alive, and I heard him say..... 'Jim,
I knew you'd come.'"
"Greater
love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life
for his friends"
(John
15:13).
As
war rages in Iraq, our hearts go out to those men and
women who are fighting for their friends.
Many have given their lives in so doing. Let us ALL pray that the war will be over soon, that peace
will reign in the world.
Another
war is being fought and the decisive battle has been
won! As
Jesus, the Son of God, hung on the cross, Satan, the
archenemy, probably
thought the victory was his.
But, he was mistaken.
For on the cross Jesus conquered SIN.
He paid the price for the sins of the world (1
John 2:2) that you and I might be forgiven of our sins
and have the hope of eternal life with Him in heaven.
On
the cross, Jesus died for His friends AND His enemies
alike. Through
His sacrifice ALL may find
forgiveness of sins.
If we will place our faith
in the Son of God and trust Him (Hebrews 11:6),
repent of our sin
(2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
in His name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts
2:38), then His blood becomes the payment for our sin.
As we CONTINUE to follow Him as Lord, His blood
CONTINUES to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7).
While
WE “lay dying” in our sin, Jesus came to OUR
rescue! He
gave His life for us, so that we might live.
This great act of love should cause each of us
to say.....
“I’m so glad that you came for ME!” Won’t
YOU respond to His love?
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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