Kevin's Komments

Playing With Fire

The following story is from this Sermon Audio link, and my "komment" is connected to it.

 

 

 

 

M
any boys have a fascination with starting and watching fires. Give them a few matches, some dry paper, dry leaves, firecrackers, or carpet, a house (!), anything to put a match to, and it seems big fun is to be had. Quite dangerous fun, and boys are generally warned of the risks of playing with fire.

Fire can be likened to "sin"

Fire can be likened to "sin" which so "easily besets us." (Hebrews 12.1) In the case of our story, you can warn a boy of the risk of playing with fire, but put the matchbook or lighter in front of him, he may not be able to help himself. Read on.

The Story

A little boy (the preacher in the afore-mentioned link) and his brother had a fascination with fire. Mom sends these boys outside with the instructions not to play with matches or the fire. The warning is stern, serious, and her command rightfully demanded obedience.

You know already what these two young men did before I tell you, right? Yes, sir/ma'am! Outside they go, and almost immediately proceed to play with the matches and start lighting little fires. Mostly, harmless patches of dry grass. Then, after awhile, they see a patch of dry grass they had not yet scorched, so being irresistibly drawn to the idea, like "moths to a flame," off they go, and on they light this one last patch of grass.

You know already that this is going to be the one that catches them, right? Perhaps, you are thinking, "One or both boys ended up badly burned, or even killed by the fire?" Good guess, but no. For the preacher in this sermon, it was actually WORSE than he imagined.

This patch of grass was directly next to a house. As the flames engulfed the grass and nearly caught the neighbor's house on fire, mom came out the door and saw what was happening. In that time (many years ago) and location, mom could not call 911, neither did she have a water-hose or other fire-extinguisher handy. Instead, she immediately ran over to the fire, and began putting the flames out with her hands. Her arms and hands were severely burned. Those burns left scars on her hands and arms from which she never recovered.

This preacher relates that his mom lived for decades after. For all those years, he could not look at his mom without seeing those burn-scars. Furthermore, he would never forget what she did that day. Instead of making the two boys put the fire out, however they may (or may not) have been able to, SHE put that fire out, and suffered the consequences on their behalf. He thought of that every time he saw her. He does not say it, but his mom loved him all the rest of his days. He loved her. Yet, she bore in her body the marks of his disobedience.

Conclusion

You know already the conclusion that I'm about to make, but I'm making it anyway.

God gave specific instructions to Adam and Eve: do not EAT of the tree in the midst of the garden (Genesis 2:17). Genesis 3.1-7, Adam and Eve explicitly disobey the Lord's instructions. Hence, the curse of sin and death not only fell on Adam and Eve, but has followed their descendants all down thru time. (Romans 5.12) By nature, we ALL sin, we all play with fire, and we all are expectantly awaiting the day of Judgment, when our condemnation is executed. Unless...

Unless, of course, Someone stands in our place. That someone is Jesus Christ. When we disobediently "play with fire," simply because that is our nature, He left glory and suffered for us on the cross. Jesus, ran to the fire we started, and put it out with His bare hands. Now, He bears the marks of His suffering on our behalf in His body. Forever. My fire, My sin. Your fire. Your sin. (1Pet 2:24; Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.)

Because we trust in what He has done on the cross, and in His resurrection, we are safe from our own fire-playing, our own disobedience. Because He lives, we live. Because He has risen from the dead, we shall also. To be clear, the believer is raised to life forever with God, but the unbeliever rises, too: read the end of Revelation 20. That is serious reading material.

I confess that I have played with fire. Though commanded not to, I have anyway. You have, too. Remember, Romans 3.23? Ecclesiastes 7.20? How about Galatians 3.22 and 1 John 1.8-10?

However, I would like to remind you that Romans 3.23 is followed by Romans 3.24. In other words, the situation is not hopeless. Jesus Christ is the answer!

I am thankful to Jesus Christ for His mercy, and His grace, that He offered Himself in my place.

posted by kevro2000 @ 6:58 PM