They Gave Their Lives
Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
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"What is your life?" This theme question for the
week finds the answer ... in death.
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COLUMN: Guest Article
They Gave Their Lives
by Warren Baldwin
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten son, that whosoever believes in him
should not perish but have everlasting life" (John
3:16).
That verse in one of the mainstays of our faith.
Ask someone to quote a verse from the Bible, and
John 3:16 is sure to be one that gets quoted. It
is transferable to any situation, quotable in
nearly any context.
We live in a world of selfishness -- people making
decisions to please themselves. People choosing a
course of action that makes them feel good,
whether in financial profits or sensual pleasures.
John 3:16 says, "Not so with God. Not so with
Jesus. When God saw it was necessary to do
something drastic to save his children, he wasn't
thinking about his own pleasure. He was thinking
about the needs of the people he loved. So he gave
his son. And Jesus was thinking, 'The cross is not
an exciting way to exit this world. It is harsh,
it is painful. But if that is what my Father says
is necessary to save these people, I'll do it. Not
my will, but thine be done.'"
Romans 8 says that the cross clearly demonstrates
Jesus' love for us. "While we were yet sinners
Christ died for the ungodly." He didn't wait until
we somehow "got better," and then died for us when
we were good ole folks. No, Jesus died for us when
we were still rascals.
The cross is God's sign, the cross is Jesus
action. That love for others and sacrifice for the
needs of others is still greater than self-
satisfaction achieved in profits or pleasures.
Does anybody today ever hear that message? Does
anyone ever sacrifice themselves for others
anymore? Does anyone ever risk their security and
their lives for the sake of someone else?
And the answer is ... yes.
Adam Cohen, 19, Jonah Richman, 18, and Jordan
Satin, 19, sacrificed themselves for the sake of
someone they loved.
On August 12, 2003, their friend, David
Altschuler, 18, slipped off a ledge in the
Adirondack State Park of upstate New York and fell
into a swirling fury of water. The water at this
spot was particularly furious because it was at
the bottom of a waterfall. The water would churn
and froth. It was very aerated, meaning the water
did not provide the buoyancy it normally would,
making it was harder to swim or stay afloat.
Into this turbulence fell David. He didn't have a
chance. But his friends, Adam, Jonah, and Jordan
couldn't stand idly by and watch their friend
drown. So they jumped. That's right, they jumped.
They didn't fall in. They didn't slip. Risking
their own lives, all three teenagers jumped right
into the fury of the water to try to rescue their
friend. They didn't. And they didn't even save
their own lives. All four young men drowned.
The county sheriff said, ""They didn't stand a
chance. No one, no matter how strong a swimmer.
They were doomed from the moment they hit the
water."
Why do it? Why risk their lives for someone else
who was dying? Well, the boys aren't here for us
to interview and ask. But I'll bet there are a
couple of reasons.
One, love. These three guys simply loved their
friend. Family and friends later said that any of
these four guys would have died for the others.
Two, selfishness does not have to reign in our
hearts. It didn't with these guys. The spirit of
sacrifice for others is still around.
I can't help but think of a verse in first John
that parallels John 3:16: "This is how we know
what love is: Christ Jesus laid down his live for
us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our
brothers." Incidentally, that is 1 John 3:16. A
good verse to memorize. A good verse to live out
in our lives.
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