Your choice: Life or death

Ezikeil 37 (12-14)
Romans 8 (8-10
John 11 (1-45)


Basically you have two choices in life. You can choose life or you can choose death. It's the most basic and elemental fork in the road, and which way you choose determines your course in life.


There was a father who decided to take his 18-year-old son out for a burger. A discussion ensued, and it eventually segued into a discussion about God.


The son said, "You know, I respect that you tried to get me interested in God and all, dad, yet I really have trouble with the concept. There are a lot of unreal things in religion: You have a virgin giving birth, a man raising from the dead and into heaven. It's just all hard for me to fathom. There's not much science involved in it all. Now I don't mean to disrespect you or mom, that's just how I feel about religion at this time."


The dad sat there in silence for a moment, and then he said, "You know son, I'm proud of you. I'm proud that you have made some great decisions in your life to this point. You chose to go to college, you chose a good profession, you have a good girl friend, you've been very virtuous for the most part. I think you've set yourself up for a good life."


He paused and then said, "I just want you to know one thing. If it weren't for Christianity I would be dead. If it weren't for me finding God and getting close to him and choosing to believe, I'd be dead. I thought long and hard about killing myself once. I'm sure you remember mom and I were close to getting a divorce. That was the worse time in my life.


"I was introduced to the church as a kid just as you, and I even continued to go to church as an adult. You remember, I'm sure, how we took you to church every Sunday rain or shine."


"I remember," the son said.


"Well, even though I went to church, even though I said I believed in God, I didn't really live p to what I was saying. I didn't read the Bible. I was sort of virtuous, but I sometimes wasn't. Even though I said I believed, and even though I went through the motions, I was really on that other path. I chose wrong.


"Then I chose God, and I was saved. I got my life back. Mom and I found each other again. I chose life, and my life continued to get better. I chose to do my best to be a good Christian so I can live forever."


The son continued to look at his father. "You see," the father said, "If you choose the wrong path, there is a 100% chance you will die. If you choose the path of Christianity, there is a 50% chance you will die, and yet even the 50% who are headed for death are in a good position to still live."


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