A Lie to Deny for Evangelism to Thrive

Saviors are heroes in our culture.  In 2009 Chesley Sullenberg, a USAirways pilot, emergency landed an Airbus A320 on the Hudson River, saving all 155 passengers.  He is a hero, because he is given much of the credit for the salvation of 155 people.  Each of those people sees a debt to Sullenberg.  I know a film has been made about it, out in theaters right now, it's such a renowned and celebrated event.

I don't know if any of the 155 people saved on that plane have died since then.  All of them will. Sully will.  They're saved for 10, 20, 40, 50, 60 years.  They'll still die.

The name, Jesus, means "savior."  Not just saving people from physical death, Jesus saves men from eternal death.  Eternal death is forever.  It will never end.  Even people saved by the incredible efforts of a pilot with an emergency landing will still die eternally.  They are given a little longer physical lives, only to die and still die eternally.

People celebrate Sully.  Joy is in heaven over one person saved from eternal death (Luke 15:7).  The world doesn't care.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16).  Before Jesus left, He said to preach the gospel to everyone.  Would you be a Sully?  Many Christians might want to be a Sully who won't preach the gospel to someone.  Many professing Christians go weeks without even handing out a gospel tract.  The lie to deny is that saving someone physically is superior to saving someone eternally.  People live that lie.

Someone like a Bill Gates gives his life to end malaria and bring clean water.  He spends billions of dollars for those priorities.  He denies God.  He rejects the Bible.  He is applauded by men.

Christians must embrace the truth that gospel preaching brings eternal salvation.  It doesn't prolong physical life.  It gives eternal life, which is physical and spiritual and forever.

The men who ran into the twin towers were heroes.  Police are heroes.  Firemen are heroes. Preachers are what?  They are treated like the offscouring of the earth, worse than scum.  I know.  They are garbage in this culture.  Don't let that fool you.

Someone saved forever is better than someone saved for the moment.