Andrew's Confession

The idea of knocking on a stranger's door is not all that appealing to me.

But...if I think that stranger may be heading to Hell unknowingly, it overrides my fear.

When I talked to Diana on Monday I realized that she was not teaching this week! Now this is great news because we love to fish together. She told me she and another friend Mary, had knocked on doors last Saturday in her neighborhood! That sounded exciting to me so we agreed to go today. After I got off the phone I called Rochelle and asked her if she wanted to come along.

We met and drove along on a side street while we decided where to go. We saw a man taking his garbage out to the curb. Rochelle rolled her window down and handed him a Good Person booklet. He took it and she asked him if he thought he was a good person. The amazing thing is not that Rochelle asked him that question without developing a relationship with him, but that he answered each question she asked. Keith stopped short of honesty on the second question and proceeded to become more proud. Rochelle thanked him for his time and asked him to read the information. Then she asked, "Keith, do you know when you are going to die?"

"No, it could be tonite..."

"You are right, please take some time and get right with God. Thanks for talking to us." And he thought he was just taking the trash out!

After we settled on a row of houses we started knocking on the doors. Diana went to the first door and Rochelle and I took the next. Most people just weren't home. Of those who answered, 100% were polite. We greeted them with, "Merry Christmas! Do you know the Reason for the season?"

When Andrew opened his door he smiled and answered, "Yes, Jesus."

I asked him if he would go to Heaven when he died.

"Yes, because I asked forgiveness and believe in confession" he replied. He seemed confident in his answer.

"If you were in court and found guilty of manslaughter after backing over a child in your car, could you apologize to the Judge and expect to be able to go home?"

"No.." he answered.

"What if after finding you guilty the Judge says that he is implementing a fine of $1,000,000 or life in prison. Can you come up with the money?" I asked him.

"No."

"The Judge is about to bring the gavel down and someone runs in the back of the courtroom waving a check for the full amount! Someone you know has sold his business and home and has come up with the money for you! Now can the Judge let you go?" I asked.

"Yes.." Andrew said.

"Do you leave the courtroom because of the apology or because justice was satisfied?" Andrew's eyes began to turn red and tear. You could literally see the Light coming on behind them. "That's the reason Jesus came Andrew. He came to pay our fine in His life's blood. He is the reason that God can dismiss our case. What will you do...pay with your own soul or accept this payment that Jesus made for you?"

"I will accept the payment He made", he said somberly. I asked Andrew to read John 14:6 out loud from a Gospel of John we had handed him. He did so thoughtfully.

"This is exactly why Jesus came Andrew, for you and me. Two things are required to accept this payment: Repentence and Faith. Repent means that you turn your back on sin and ask God to forgive you and wash you clean. Full faith and trust in Jesus is like putting on a parachute, you wear it and make sure it's on tight! When do you think you will be doing this Andrew?"

He looked up smiling and said, "Christmas seems like the right season!"