Where were you on 9/11?

Who can forget those now iconic images of the burning towers?

And 10 years on, it still somehow seems unreal. Two hijacked airliners, aimed like missiles, crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre with the loss of thousands of lives. It was not some over hyped disaster movie; it is unthinkably true.

Before the north tower collapsed, people could be seen jumping from the upper floors. They were trapped. They couldn’t go down because the fire was below them. They couldn’t get onto the roof because of a locked door. They could only stay put and wait. But of course, the tower acted like a chimney and as fire and smoke spread upwards through the building, their situation became increasingly desperate. And so some faced with death by fire or asphyxiation made one final choice - to jump.

People in the streets below watched in horror as folk leapt to their death. From those top floors it took about 10 seconds before they hit the ground.

Those tragic scenes were caught on camera and there was one image in particular which has come to be known as the ‘falling man.’ It is of a nameless man, wearing a white shirt and black trousers plunging head first to his death.
The ‘falling man,’ and in a terrible way it is a picture of us all.

The moment is frozen in that photograph and we are horrified. He is powerless to save himself and powerless to change the outcome. His life, passing in seconds, is gone forever!

We are that ’falling man.’

From the moment of our birth, we are in free fall plunging towards eternity. And measured against eternity, our life is but a few seconds. Death always comes too soon.

As we fall, we pass through a kaleidoscope of images and experiences. But we cannot hold onto them and none of them can slow us down or break our fall. We are not in control. That falling man, was he rich or popular or successful? Did he love and hate, laugh or cry? What does it matter now?

We are falling. We may be having a wonderful journey but that doesn’t change the ending. ‘What man can live and not see death. Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?’ (The Bible)
Death and eternity are racing towards us. Our lives will soon be over. And what then? The Bible tells us that we are ‘destined to die once and after that to face judgement.’
We are going to eternity via the Judgement.
And we already know the verdict of that Day. Which of us can say we have loved God with all our hearts or our neighbor as ourselves? On the contrary we have walked out on our Maker. We spend our lives provoking Him. God is not soft. When we go our own way there is a price to pay - eternal punishment in that other place. ‘For the wages of sin is death.’ (The Bible)

An invitation to live

When Jesus says ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ He is inviting a falling man to live.

God doesn’t spread a safety net under us all, so that whoever I am, whatever I believe, whenever I die, I’ll fall into it. But He has promised to safely catch all who trust in Him.

Jesus went to a cross where the wrongs of countless people were put to His account and so when God came to punish the guilty, Jesus took the blame.
He died so that sinners need never die. He laid down His life so that all who come to Him ‘should not perish but have everlasting life!’

What of you?

 

You are falling. Judgement and eternity are racing towards you. Why will you die when Jesus stands with open arms ready to save? Choose life. Turn from your sins and surrender yourself to Jesus ‘For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (The Bible)

Why not take steps to find out more today?
You can start finding out about Jesus in the Bible - the book of Mark is a good place to begin.
Or check out this website
Or ask for our free DVD
Or come along to an introductory meeting for our Christianity Explored course.
Or call for information on 020 8891 3938.
Or simply join us one Sunday at 11am or 6.30pm. You will be most welcome.