Jesus Christ: Savior or Perfect Stranger?

by Bud Press

A woman is returning from a family reunion. It's late. She's tired. Her car veers off the road and slams head-on into a tree. She awakens to the severe pain in her head and the smell of gasoline fumes, but is unable to move.

She lapses into a coma. Her car erupts into a ball of fire.

Twenty-four hours later, the woman awakens from her a coma, and is told by the hospital staff of her miraculous rescue by a perfect stranger.

In his final effort to save the woman from certain death, the man rips the car door from its hinges, drags the woman from her burning car and covers her near-lifeless body with his.

Within seconds, an explosive, hellish nightmare of searing heat and molten metal engulfs the man's body. The flesh on his back is riddled with super-heated shrapnel and burned beyond recognition.

At his funeral, the now fully recovered woman weeps for the perfect stranger, who performed the ultimate sacrifice, who endured immense pain to save her life.

"My life was spared by a perfect stranger," the woman said with a trembling voice. "I wish I had known him personally."

The man's name will be forever engrained in her memory.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13, KJV).

Long ago and far away, a man named Jesus Christ willingly suffered the hellish nightmare of immense pain and persecution--so that others may live.

His death on the cross was the greatest demonstration of love and compassion for mankind.

But the suffering that Jesus endured was not a nightmare. It was real (Isaiah 52:14).

Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world--so that we may have life; eternal life.

Right now, no matter who you are or what you have done, your life can change in an instant. Jesus said,

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13, KJV).

That means you.

Right now, wherever you are, humble yourself and realize you are a sinner in need of forgiveness and salvation. Confess your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you. Ask Him to come into your heart and save you.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, KJV).

He will save you, and your life will never be the same.

Even those with the hardest of hearts would appreciate a perfect stranger who died to save their life.

Unlike the woman in the story above, Jesus doesn't have to be just a Perfect Stranger or a fond memory. If you will allow Him, Jesus will be the Lord of your life and the Captain of your heart. He will give you the wonderful opportunity to know Him personally.

Please, for Jesus' sake, don't allow yourself to fall asleep at life's wheel, only to awaken to eternal separation from the Perfect Stranger who loves you the most.

Come to Christ. Make Him the Savior of your life...

8/26/04