18 Inches To Salvation

18 Inches to salvation!

7/16/02

Do you realize that most accidents that occur could be prevented by just a few inches? There are automobile accidents every day and many times you can see that the person was trying to avoid whatever had happened, and if there had just been a few more inches, the accident would have been avoided. A few more inches of pavement, a tree a few more inches away, a few more inches to get by that car. Just a few inches.

Hand gun accidents or hunting accidents could usually have been avoided by just a few inches.

I used to work with a man that for many years worked on a barge. He was in charge of keeping the engines running. He told me one day that one of the things that bothered barge workers most was when a man needed to make repairs underneath a barge. He said many times there would be many barges tied together and a man could go under the water at one point between two barges and then the water would move and a barge would shift and then the opening where the man went under the water, was no longer there. This man told me he had seen men drown because once they loose that opening, they panic. He said the water may be murky and with all the barges tied together a man may have to travel a long distance under water to get back to the surface.

I remember over the years hearing of stories of people who have fallen through the ice on a frozen pond or lake. At times when they fall through they move away from the opening and they struggle to get back to the surface. And many times, people loose their lives because they can not get back to safety.

It is unsettling to hear stories like this, and every time I hear something like this, one thing always comes to my mind,

These people were only inches away from safety.

Inches.

And yet they just could not get there.

Friends, did you know that there are thousands of people today that are only 18 inches away from safety?

There may be some here with us this morning.

There are thousands of people that have gone to hell because of this 18 inches of space.

There are thousands of people today that are 18 inches away from salvation.

There are thousands of people today that because of this 18 inches they are going to go to hell for all eternity.

What is the 18 inches of space?

Who are these people?

What can be done to close this gap and get to safety?

We will answer these questions and a few more in this mornings message.

First, I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Luke.

I am going to be reading from the 23 chapter of Luke.

While you are turning there let me just set the mood a little bit.

Our savior Jesus Christ had had performed many miracles throughout his approximate three year ministry.

We can look at the example of Jesus Christ and see that a man does not have to have a long ministry to serve God’s purpose.

Jesus started his ministry at about the age of 30 and he was crucified at about the age of 33 so we know that he had an approximate three year ministry.

Now, I want you to picture in your mind and think with me while I discuss just a few highlights here.

We remember that Jesus had been praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. I want you to remember that Christ was 100 percent God but he was also 100 Percent man. This is something that is hard for us to comprehend but it is true.

The Bible tells us that he had sweat drops of blood that fell from his face as he prayed in the Garden.

Now, many people will tell you that this was a figure of speech, but I want you to know that this was an actual physical occurrence, drops of blood literally came from his face, the blood actually oozed out of the pores in the skin of our savior.

The medical term for this is “hemitidrosis” .

This can occur when a person is under severe stress and duress.

So this is an actual physical action.

Picture our savior in the Garden with drops of blood falling from his face while he prayed “Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but thine be done”

Picture in your minds with me----

The guards come, Judas betrays

Illegal night trials

Peter denying three times

Beatings,

Beard plucked out

Crown of thorns