An Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at Creekwood  

In Your Hands 

A young Oriental student decided to mock his elderly teacher.  He caught a small bird and cupped it in his hands behind his back.  He then approached the sage with a plan in mind.  He would ask the old man what he had in his hand.  If he answered correctly, he would then ask the teacher if the bird was alive or dead.  If the old man said, “Alive,”  he would crush the bird instantly.  If he answered, “Dead,” he would release the bird to fly away.

Approaching the teacher, the young student asked, “What do I have in my hand, old man?”  The teacher responded, “A bird, my son.”

“Is he ALIVE or DEAD, old man?” the boy prodded.

The sage replied, “The answer to that question, my son, is in YOUR hands!”

You and I have a problem on OUR hands:  The problem is SIN.  Because of SIN, we are separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2) and from His wonderful plan for our lives.  Because of SIN, we are following a path that leads to destruction and eternal separation from God (Matthew 7:13-14).

We desperately need forgiveness!

God has taken the initiative in providing a PLAN  whereby we may be forgiven of 
our SIN and reconciled to Him.  The
PLAN  involved the giving of His Son to die on the CROSS  to pay the price for our redemption. The "sinless" would die in the place of the "sinful" The Apostle Paul reminded some Christians of the means of their reconciliation: “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the DEATH of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His LIFE” (Romans 5:10).

God has provided ALL that we need to take care of our SIN problem.  He has given His Son as payment for SIN.  He has revealed in His Word that those who place their faith in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of their sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) have their sins washed away (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  Then, as Christians CONTINUE to follow Jesus as a way of life, His blood CONTINUES to wash away their sins (1 John 1:7).

God has done HIS part - the rest is up to YOU. 

ALIVE or DEAD?  The answer… is in YOUR hands!

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister 

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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