Friday, February 21, 2014

The Sawdust Trail by Jimmy D. Carr Th.D.

Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of John 14:4, tells us that "where He was going, people knew where He was going, and the way there was plain." (paraphrased)

Jesus says he has plainly marked the way to Heaven.  Man is taught that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven.

In the early 20th century, a young major league baseball player named Billy Sunday became a Christian.  He was later called to preach.  During his many years of preaching, this evangelist held a number of tent revivals.  In preparation for the meetings, the floors of the tents would be covered with sawdust. People who walked down the aisle to receive Christ as Savior and Lord would be said to be "walking down the sawdust trail."

This was not the beginning of the "sawdust trail", however.  In the early days of logging in the Northwest, lumberjacks used sawdust, too.  They would fill sacks with sawdust and, when they headed into a deep, dark, unknown forest, they would cut a small hole in the sack and throw that big sack over their shoulder.  The sawdust would fall from the hole and mark their path.  When they were ready to head out, the lumberjacks would follow their "sawdust trail" back to their family and friends.

Jesus Christ has marked the path for you and me.  It is a simple path that leads from Calvary all the way to Heaven.  Be assured, dear ones, this path is the ONLY path that leads to eternal life.  Jesus tells us that He IS the way, and that we know that way.  The question is not "What is the way?".  The question is, "Will we follow that way?"

Just as evangelist Billy Sunday asked people to walk down that sawdust trail on receiving Christ, and those lumberjacks trusted the trails marked with sawdust, you and I are called to trust Jesus Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life."

Jesus loves you.

Jesus loves you and calls for you to find your own sawdust trail.  He longs for you to find your pathway out of sin and darkness.  Follow His sawdust trail.  You will not be misled.

1 comment: