HOUSE ON FIRE

Understanding God's Indescribable Gift

Yesterday while winding down for the day I came upon a video on my facebook feed. I clicked to see what it was about and it blew my mind. The man in the video was telling a story of a conversation he had with a good friend of his. The man telling the story was Christian. His friend was an atheist. He started by saying that his friend asked, "Why should I believe in a God who gives us an ultimatum? 'Believe in me or go to hell' " The answer blew my mind. It was so beautifully put that I could hardly sleep for thinking about it and my drive to work was consumed with it. So here I sit hoping I can convey the simple beauty of the story.

"The answer," said the Christian, "is simple. But first I have to ask you a few questions and I need you to be completely honest in your answers."

"okay," said the atheist

"Have you ever lied?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever lusted?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever cheated?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever refused to forgive?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever hated someone?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever said God's name in vain?"

"Yes, what is your point? I'm not perfect. Who is?"

"That is my point. None of us are perfect. We are living in houses that are on fire. God isn't sending you to hell, you are already headed there and so was I. The problem is that God is holy and requires holiness. We can't be holy. So we can't have a relationship with a holy God, or go heaven where God dwells."

The atheist was listening intently.

The Christian continued. "Jesus is like a fireman running into your house to save you. God's offer of salvation is Jesus saying 'Trust me. I know the way out'. You wouldn't ignore a fireman who was there to save you from a burning house, but for some reason you resist the fireman who God sent to save you."

"Your house is on fire because of sin. Jesus has paid the price for your sin by living a perfect life, dying the death you deserve and then raising from the dead. That isn't an ultimatum, that is the greatest love. God's love reaching into hell to pull you out. All you have to do is take his hand and trust Him."

"You are wandering around this house on fire opening doors and searching for something, but behind every door is more fire. The only way out is to follow Jesus. What are you going to do? Will you stand there and scream at the fireman 'I don't believe in you. You aren't real."

"No one who is in a burning building would fight against the one who was there to save them, and yet Jesus is here to save you from burning in hell, and your excuse is 'I don't believe in a God who gives ultimatums.' Your house is already on fire. Jesus is the only way out of it."

The atheist couldn't say a word. The point was made and very clearly. He couldn't argue with the logic. You would never turn down a rescue, but that is what he had been doing. That is what millions who reject Jesus do every day.

Imagine Jesus rushing into a burning building to save you. He finds you and holds out his hand, "Come with me. I know the way out."

What do you do, look around for another way, anyway but with Jesus? The house is burning. Every day is one day closer to eternity where there is no more choice.

Would you let Jesus put his arms around you and carry you through the flames to peace and safety. Everyone is faced with this choice. We are all the same. We all start out in a burning house sinful and separated from God by that sin. The only one coming to save you is Jesus. Money can't save you. No man-made religions can save you. Politics can't save you. Fame can't save you. Knowledge can't save you. All these things are fleeting and once you die, mean nothing. There is only one way out of the fire - Jesus.

John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends."