Kendrick Johnson's sad death

I'm listening to John MacArthur's latest sermon, John 3:1-3, "Jesus Teaches the Teacher." What a blessing this pastor is to the global believing church! This sermon is wonderful, wonderful.

I'm cooking scrambled eggs for supper and preparing the last notes on the Wed night bible study I attend. We are looking at Colossians 3:18-25. It opens with "Wives, submit to your husbands..." Should prove to be a good discussion. ;)

We are supposed to get a winter storm coming through tomorrow afternoon and overnight. Friday is supposed to be sleety and rainy cold and generally yucky. Thursday is my usual day to grocery shop but in advance of the storm I went to get groceries today. (And yes, I bought milk and bread, lol).

That cramped down my time between work and church to do a blog entry. I'm looking at so much to write about, but I can't do it justice in the next hour. I will relate a quick story though.

Here in Georgia there was a tragedy. A young high school athlete died suddenly...and weirdly. Kendrick Johnson climbed a roll of wrestling mats in the gym after hours, they dislodged, and he tumbled down, upside down, inside them. He hung there, all night...until he died. They found his body the next morning.

When you hang upside down for a long period of time, the extremities lose their blood and rushes to the head, you pass out, and eventually stroke and/or heart failure follows, says the article. It must have been incredibly scary for that young man to hang there, trapped. Alone. In the dark. And then to die.

No one expects to die when they do, except for perhaps people with long-term diseases. Certainly the 17-year old boy didn't think that was his last day on earth. Johnathan Edwards preached in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God the Deuteronomy 32:35 verse "Their foot shall slip in due time." This means that as you slip on the ice as you're walking on a winter's day, suddenly you are not standing but splayed out flat on the sidewalk. Boom! You're down. That has happened to me. It happens fast. In spiritual terms, God is holding you up and suddenly your foot slips and you are catapulted into your eternal destiny.

Maybe you have been approached by someone asking you about church...or if you know Jesus. These things niggle at you but you put off thinking about it more because, after all, tomorrow is another day. These things niggled at Nicodemus, the teacher of all Israel. He had reached the height of his religion and yet he was troubled by a feeling that maybe he wasn't right with God. He sought out Jesus and asked of Him what he should do. (John 3:1-21)

Maybe you have been meaning to approach someone who is on your heart to share the Gospel with them. You've been meaning to give out that tract in your wallet. You've been meaning to pick up the phone. But suddenly, they die. And you never get that chance again.

Jesus is such a great treasure. Please share Him.

"For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Comments

  1. I have shared this great treasure, Jesus Christ. The problem is that the one I shared Him with just laughs, nervously I might add, when I talk to him about it. He is my son in law and a Hindu. I am dismayed about this all day long. He just does not seem to think it is important and I have tried every way I know how to tell him what he needs to know. Sometimes I think I should just stop yet I get compelled again to say something. He brings it up then I start talking. What would you do in my situation? Should I keep telling him or just let go and pray about it? Great article. I love your blog and both my husband and I read it daily.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Kelly,

      I'm so sorry you have this heartbreak in your life. I understand how sad it makes a person feel to have a non-believer in the family, and it is a daily grief.

      I am putting up a link from GotQuestions titled, "Witnessing to a Hindu: What is the key?" You might know what it says already but it doesn't hurt to see a few tips specified for that particular adherent to see if there is "a way in.".

      http://www.gotquestions.org/witnessing-Hindus.html
      and here is another that is tailored to witnessing to a Hindu
      http://carm.org/how-to-share-gospel-hindus

      Also, here is an essay from CARM.org of Do's and Dont's of witnessing
      http://carm.org/dos-and-donts-of-witnessing

      One of the do's is "ask questions." If someone you are around a great deal of the time, like family or co-workers, and you've witnessed to them once or more, sometimes repeated witnessing afterwards actually hardens their heart and makes them intractable. But you said that he keeps bringing it up, so...in that case it is up to you to determine if he brings it up sincerely in an open manner, or if he brings it up because he knows he can get you flustered. If it is the latter, don't engage, just live in Christian love and deflect the chat that is disguising his barbs. It will be the love that reaches him, not the talk. If it is the former, then ask him questions rather than telling him stuff.

      Above, all, PRAY.

      What would I do in that situation? I've done them all. I'm to the praying part now.

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  2. I love your blog, Elizabeth ...I share it on my facebook!

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  3. Elizabeth, your analogy of slipping on ice and how it relates to how quickly our time here on earth may come to an end reminds me of Ephesians 5:15-16, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." As believers, we MUST take our days seriously and be diligent in the power of the Spirit to do that which we've been called to do. Thanks for the encouragement for the unbeliever to start considering their eternal destiny, and to those of us who already believe to keep pressing on.

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