Luke 13:24-2824Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (Luke 13:24‑28)
A man was converted in Europe several years ago, and he liked the Gospel so well he thought he should go and preach it. He started out, and great crowds came to hear him just out of curiosity. The next night there were not so many there, and the third night the man had scarcely a hearer. But he was anxious to preach the Gospel, and so he prepared some great placards and posted them all over the town, declaring that if any man in that town that was in debt would come to his office before twelve o’clock on a certain day with the proof of indebtedness, he would pay the debt. This news spread all over the town, but the people did not believe him.
One man said to his neighbor, “John, do you believe this man will pay our debts?”
“No, of course not, it’s only a hoax.”
The day came, and instead of there being a great rush, nobody came. Now it is a wonder there is not a great rush of men into the Kingdom of God to have their debts paid, when a man can be saved for nothing.
About ten o’clock a man was walking in front of the office. He looked this way and that to see if anybody was looking, and by and by, satisfied that there was no one looking, he slipped in, and said:
“I saw a notice about town that if anyone would call here at a certain hour you would pay their debts; is there any truth in it?”
“Yes,” said the man. “It’s quite true. Did you bring the necessary papers with you?”
“Yes.”
After the man had paid the debt, he said, “Sit down, I want to talk with you,” and he kept him there until twelve o’clock. Before twelve o’clock had passed two more came in and had their debts paid. At twelve o’clock he let them all out. Some other men were standing around the door.
“Well, did he pay your debts?”
“Yes,” they said. “It was quite true; our debts were all paid.”
“Oh! then we’ll go in and get ours paid.”
They went, but it was too late. Twelve o’clock had passed. To every one of you who is a bankrupt sinner — and you never saw a sinner in the world that was not a bankrupt sinner — Christ comes and He says, “I will pay your debts.”