Time To Get Real

"Scratching people where they itch and addressing their "felt needs" is a stratagem of the poor steward of the oracles of God. This was the recipe for success for the false prophets of the Old Testament"

                             R.C. Sproul

Two men are seated in a plane. A stewardess gives the first man a parachute and instructs him to put it on as it will "improve his flight."

Not understanding how a parachute could possibly improve his flight, the first passenger is a little skeptical. Finally he decides to see if the claim is true. After strapping on the parachute, he notices its burdensome weight, and he has difficulty sitting upright. Consoling himself with the promise of a better flight, our first passenger decides to give it a little time.

Because he's the only one wearing a parachute, some of the other passengers begin smirking at him, which only adds to his humiliation. Unable to stand it any longer, our friend slumps in his seat, unstraps the parachute, and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart because, as far as he is concerned, he was told a lie.

Another stewardess gives the second man a parachute, but listen to her instructions. She tells him to put it on because at any moment all the passengers will be making an emergency exit out of the plane at 25,000 feet.

Our second passenger gratefully straps the parachute on. He doesn't notice its weight upon his shoulders or that he can't sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen to him if he jumped without it. When other passengers laugh at him, he thinks, "You won't be laughing when you're falling to the ground!"

          Ray Comfort

The first passenger is a lost soul coming to Jesus for salvation (parachute) to make his flight (life) easier. When trouble comes, a bumpy flight  and the straps weighs him down (ridiculed and laughed at), he pulls the chute off. He calls it a lie, it didn't do what they told me it would do. His heart becomes a little hardened to Jesus.

The second passenger puts on the parachute (salvation) and is told it is for an impending jump (death in life). Therefore to save him from dying (going to hell) he straps the parachute on (comes to Jesus his savior). He has the same turbulent flight (ridiculed and laughed at) as the first passenger but instead he ignores the bumps (nay sayers) and holds on tightly to his parachute (Jesus).

Which passenger stayed the course, stayed on the path and finished the race successfully? Obvious huh?

How do you want to present the gospel? We all should want to witness to others so they too will continue to witness to others. The bottom line... it all about a relationship with Jesus. My Jesus.