Matthew 23:33-39 NIV
[33] “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? [34] Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. [35] And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. [36] Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. [37] “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. [38] Look, your house is left to you desolate. [39] For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

Recently I read an article about a famous person who made an unbearable statement. I wrote him an email about what was true and how high the stakes can be.

He is an atheist, so at one point I told him that he should believe in hell for an hour.

The injunction is solid. If anyone as smart as you are is going to risk so much on randomized notions of self-determination, you should consider hell real for one hour.

This does not seem like a big ask. Hell is breaking through the windows and doors of this world every day. War is an iteration of hell, Child abuse is an iteration of hell. Starvation and violence and human cruelty all come from hell.

Believe in hell for an hour. Do the research if it helps.

Then what?

Jesus is the only one who has ever promised us the chance to escape hell. This is a purely substitutionary offer—he went to hell to save us from it.

Believe in hell for an hour.

Put your trust in Jesus forever.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68790673

This is a story of how laying down palm branches can save your life.

As a landlubber who gets sea sick on a calm day, I am at once awed and dubious about three experienced mariners setting off in a skiff on the sea, storm forecast or no.

The bones of the story are evocative—

Sailors

Storm

Disabled boat

Rescue sign in the sand

Searchers

Help comes

Officially rescued.

I am so grateful these unnamed men are rescued and I can see the parable as well—

We have to know we are lost

Put out the “HELP” sign

Then search the sky for our Rescuer.

Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing me.

John 10