Three New Additions To My Desk
Actually, it’s an ad-duck-tion. I missed the perfect opportunity to say, “and they’re in a row, too!” Silly goose.
"Stone Cold" in Finlay Park (part 2)
"Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. " (Mark 4:7)
While waiting for another team member to join us I made my way over to the fence toward the backside of the concert area, where many people would stand who did not bring chairs or blankets. I did not know it, but one team member had already been through this area and could not give away a single gospel tract or Million Dollar Bill.
I found a guy standing with his back against the fence, looking toward the stage enjoying the Variety music of the evening. I handed him a gospel tract. "Didja get one of these?" I asked.
He took it, looked at it. "Nah." Holding onto the tract he crossed his arms, and went back to listening to the music.
"Mind if I ask you a question?" I asked.
"No, go ahead," he replied.
"Do you have a Christian background?"
"Sure," he answered. "My grandfather is a pastor in a Mexican church. I grew up in a church and know all about it." He went back to listening to the music.
Ok. Silence settled between us.
"Have you ever heard anything like, 'God has a wonderful plan for your life?' What do you think of when you hear that phrase?" I pressed for a conversation.
"I dunno. Means different things to different people I guess." He listened to the music.
"Would you consider yourself to be a 'good person'?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Do you think you've kept the Ten Commandments?"
Silence between us as the band play some oldies song.
He looked at me like, "are you still here?" Perhaps I should have gone away, but I really wanted to see where this guy was.
"Should I repeat the question?" I asked.
"Nah. I guess I've kept 'em."
"Have you ever told a lie?"
"Sure. We all have." Was his textbook retort.
"Have you thought about what lying makes you?" I pressed.
"A sinner." He went back to the music, arms crossed.
"Have you ever committed adultery?" I asked.
"No. Me and my girlfriend have been going out for more than four years now." He replied.
"Have you ever 'entertained' lustful thoughts?"
"No."
"Ever?"
He looked at me and emphasized, "NO." Translated means, "go away."
Ok. Let's see if we can get his attention. "Have you kept the 1st Commandment?"
"Maybe. What is it?" He asked.
"Well, if you don't know, how can you say, 'maybe?'" I explained, "The first commandment is that you will have no other gods before the true and living God. In other words, have you loved the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength all the days of your life?"
"Yeah, I've done that." He said.
"God's Word says you have not, so either God is lying or you are--and God cannot lie."
"Yeah, I already said we're all liars."
This guy was dead asleep in sin and I really wanted to see him both alarmed and awakened, so I went on. "If God were to judge you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?"
"Guilty," he answered immediately.
"Would you go to heaven or hell?" I pressed.
Silence. The music played on. I thought I would let the question sink in a little, so I waited nearly 30 seconds. That's a long time without saying anything. He looked at me.
"Would you like me to repeat the question?" I asked. He just looked at me like, "what are you still doing here?"
"Would you go to heaven or hell?" I asked again.
"Hell."
I paused so he could savor his answer. "Does that bother you?" I finally asked.
"Not really."
"It does not bother you that the paycheck you get at the end of your life is death and hell for punishment for your sins of lying and for loving things lesser than God?"
He just looked at me. My heart broke. Finally I said, "I really have some good news to give you, but I don't think you are ready to hear it. Think about how, by your own admission, you have sinned against a Holy, Righteous God and will have to stand before Him on Judgment Day. Unless you repent, you will perish."
He just looked at me, then turned back to the music.
"Have a nice day." I said, and I moved on down the sidewalk.
While waiting for another team member to join us I made my way over to the fence toward the backside of the concert area, where many people would stand who did not bring chairs or blankets. I did not know it, but one team member had already been through this area and could not give away a single gospel tract or Million Dollar Bill.
I found a guy standing with his back against the fence, looking toward the stage enjoying the Variety music of the evening. I handed him a gospel tract. "Didja get one of these?" I asked.
He took it, looked at it. "Nah." Holding onto the tract he crossed his arms, and went back to listening to the music.
"Mind if I ask you a question?" I asked.
"No, go ahead," he replied.
"Do you have a Christian background?"
"Sure," he answered. "My grandfather is a pastor in a Mexican church. I grew up in a church and know all about it." He went back to listening to the music.
Ok. Silence settled between us.
"Have you ever heard anything like, 'God has a wonderful plan for your life?' What do you think of when you hear that phrase?" I pressed for a conversation.
"I dunno. Means different things to different people I guess." He listened to the music.
"Would you consider yourself to be a 'good person'?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Do you think you've kept the Ten Commandments?"
Silence between us as the band play some oldies song.
He looked at me like, "are you still here?" Perhaps I should have gone away, but I really wanted to see where this guy was.
"Should I repeat the question?" I asked.
"Nah. I guess I've kept 'em."
"Have you ever told a lie?"
"Sure. We all have." Was his textbook retort.
"Have you thought about what lying makes you?" I pressed.
"A sinner." He went back to the music, arms crossed.
"Have you ever committed adultery?" I asked.
"No. Me and my girlfriend have been going out for more than four years now." He replied.
"Have you ever 'entertained' lustful thoughts?"
"No."
"Ever?"
He looked at me and emphasized, "NO." Translated means, "go away."
Ok. Let's see if we can get his attention. "Have you kept the 1st Commandment?"
"Maybe. What is it?" He asked.
"Well, if you don't know, how can you say, 'maybe?'" I explained, "The first commandment is that you will have no other gods before the true and living God. In other words, have you loved the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength all the days of your life?"
"Yeah, I've done that." He said.
"God's Word says you have not, so either God is lying or you are--and God cannot lie."
"Yeah, I already said we're all liars."
This guy was dead asleep in sin and I really wanted to see him both alarmed and awakened, so I went on. "If God were to judge you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?"
"Guilty," he answered immediately.
"Would you go to heaven or hell?" I pressed.
Silence. The music played on. I thought I would let the question sink in a little, so I waited nearly 30 seconds. That's a long time without saying anything. He looked at me.
"Would you like me to repeat the question?" I asked. He just looked at me like, "what are you still doing here?"
"Would you go to heaven or hell?" I asked again.
"Hell."
I paused so he could savor his answer. "Does that bother you?" I finally asked.
"Not really."
"It does not bother you that the paycheck you get at the end of your life is death and hell for punishment for your sins of lying and for loving things lesser than God?"
He just looked at me. My heart broke. Finally I said, "I really have some good news to give you, but I don't think you are ready to hear it. Think about how, by your own admission, you have sinned against a Holy, Righteous God and will have to stand before Him on Judgment Day. Unless you repent, you will perish."
He just looked at me, then turned back to the music.
"Have a nice day." I said, and I moved on down the sidewalk.
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