It’s Never Too Late to Trust in Jesus
By Greg Johnson
May 30, 2007
I have had the privilege of personally leading three men to Jesus just weeks prior to their deaths. One was in Matewan, West Virginia, one in Charleston, West Virginia, and the other in Cynthiana, Kentucky. These were genuine conversions and within just a few weeks each one of them died. One of these deaths was expected, but the other two were unexpected.
I did not pastor any of these men, but God brought them across my path and taught me the importance of walking in the Spirit and being a willing vessel for God to use in Divine appointments. Souls are weighing in the balance between heaven and hell. God desires to use each of us in His harvest field.
All three of these men had spent many years gratifying the flesh and all of it’s worldly desires and had not lived for God or been a part of the church. God drew them to Jesus late in their life outside of the church and their testimony reinforces the truth that it is not too late to trust in Jesus.
The devil wants you to think that your troubles have progressed to the point where nothing good can come out, but God wants you to know that it is not too late to trust in Jesus. Don’t let any doubt destroy your faith. Trust fully in Jesus and turn from the sin of unbelief.
IT’S NOT ABOUT FAIRNESS
Some that have crucified the flesh for years and have labored and suffered much for Jesus will be tempted to believe the lie of the devil that it is unfair. Satan wants those that have given up much to believe it’s unfair for someone to live any way they want for years and come into the blessings of God. It’s unfair when I have labored and suffered for Jesus for so long and now I face this great difficulty and trouble and there seems to be no relief insight. It’s unfair.
Jesus gave us a parable concerning this. (Matthew 20:1-16 NIV) ""For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. {2} He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. {3} "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. {4} He told them, ’You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ {5} So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. {6} About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ’Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ {7} "’Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. "He said to them, ’You also go and work in my vineyard.’ {8} "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ’Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ {9} "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. {10} So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. {11} When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. {12} ’These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ’and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ {13} "But he answered one of them, ’Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? {14} Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. {15} Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ {16} "So the last will be first, and the first will be last.""
This parable teaches us that it’s not about fairness. It’s all about God’s amazing grace. It’s all about God’s unmerited favor toward those that turn to Him through Jesus Christ. It’s all about God’s acceptance of people just as they are. It’s all about God’s unconditional love. It’s all about God’s nondiscriminatory and all inclusiveness of whosever will come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus showed us at the cross that it’s not about fairness. It was not fair that Jesus died for my sin. Fairness would be for me to take the punishment for my own sin, but Jesus took it for me. Jesus suffered and died so that I can enter into the blessings of God and have eternal life.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO TRUST IN JESUS.
Jesus also showed us at the cross that it is not too late to trust in Him. My wife Becky preached a powerful sermon not too long ago on the three crosses of Calvary. Jesus was crucified on the center cross and there were men on each side of Him that were presented with the same opportunity. They made different choices. One trusted Jesus and the other did not. The one that placed his trust in Jesus is with Jesus right now. The other is spending eternity in hell. (Luke 23:39-43 NIV) "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" {40} But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? {41} We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." {42} Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." {43} Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." The one that trusted Jesus entered into God’s blessings for all eternity and he is still with Jesus. His future became brighter than his past even though his present found himself dying on a cross.
Realize today that it’s not too late to trust in Jesus. Place your total trust in Him and enter into God’s blessings for you. Your future will be much brighter than your past even though your present may be much less than pleasant. Trust in Jesus. There is sweetness there.
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