What is EDGE-X?

Evangelize the Lost, Disciple the Found, Give back to the Community, Edify the Church, all to eXalt the Savior.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Day 15

Day 15: Bethsaida Dig (Day 3)

Hey everyone!

Today was a hard day. I got to go around with the wheel barrow for hours collecting dirt in people’s buckets and dumping them down the hill. Occationally, I got to dig and help set up tents. But probably my biggest achievements of today was organizing their tool shed (because it was a disaster). I felt so accomplished when people could actually walk from the front to the back with no problem.

While organizing the shed was my biggest achievement of today, it was far from my most memorable event of the day. The most memorable was on the dig site with Sam. It was around 11:00 and we just finished our pop-sickle break (no joke, we have a pop-sickle break every day), I was sitting on the ground and Sam was leaning over my shoulder like a throw rug, making me very hot and uncomfortable. I was just about to tell him to get off when he said, “Adam, I am sweating like hell out here.”

At first, I was taken aback by the statement. I REALLY hate it when kids cuss, and while saying “I am sweating like hell” may not be a cuss word, I put it in the same category as Kids-Should-Not-Be-Saying-These-Words-or-Phrases. My first reaction was to say, “Hey hey! Don’t say that! You shouldn’t be saying things like that!”

But that was God’s moment I have been waiting for. While others reacted disgusted, I simply responded, “Why do you say that, Sam? Do you even know what hell is like?”

“Yes, Adam!” he replied in his know-it-all voice. “It is a place of constant fire and is always hot.”

“Yes, you are absolutely right,” I replied calmly, “but do you know what else the Bible says? It says it is a place where the worm never dies, meaning that worms will be crawling all over you and you will never die. It is a place of eternal darkness and nasty smells.”

“And you will wish that you can die, but never can,” my girlfriend slipped in smoothly.

The look on Sam’s face showed he was concerned and wanted to know more. “How do you stay out of hell then?” he asked.

“It’s easy,” I said. “You know who Jesus is, right?”

He rolled his eyes, “Yes, Adam, I know who Jesus is. We have talked about him before.”

“Ok. So do you know what Christmas is about?”

“Santa Clause?”

“It may seem that way now, but traditionally, it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ when He came into this world.”

“Oh yeah, I knew that…” (Sure he did...)

“Do you know what Easter is about?”

“Yes Adam! Everyone knows what Easter is about!” Sam started sounding frustrated.

“Can you tell me what it is about then?”

“No,” he replied defiantly. “I don’t need to. Everyone knows what it is about.”

Sensing his frustration at not knowing, I calmly replied, “It is the date of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus was an innocent man. Yet people killed Him because He said He was God. They nailed Him on a cross and left Him there to die. Three days later, he rose again from the grave, showed himself to his disciples, and then ascended to heaven.”

Sam sat there listening, showing no reaction. He had no expression on his face. I continued,

“All you have to do is ask Jesus to save you from hell and He will save you. You just ask Jesus to save you and then you become his best friend. Since He is your friend, you will do whatever He asks you to do.”

At this moment, another person came into our conversation, and the topic was shifted. Sadly, the conversation died before I got the chance to finish it. I am still happy; the seed has been planted. I hope to keep talking to him about Jesus. I wanted to start light, considering he has never heard of Jesus before. I couldn’t start with sin and depravity and how worthless we are as humans. That would turn him away. I had to start with the person Jesus and how awesome He is.

I want to really get to the point where I can share with him openly the Gospel. God has made a way so far, I am sure He will make another. Please be in prayer for Sam as I try to witness to him. Pray for me that God will speak through me.

Following His Call,
Adam
2 Timothy 4:2

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