Disaster Relief
The following Gospel presentation is a recreation of a Gospel tract, which is available to you at the bottom of this page.
When Disaster Comes
When a disaster hits, the world seems to fall apart. It could be the winds of a tornado or hurricane, the rushing waters of a flood, or the death of a loved one. In the blink of an eye, all sense of control slips away. The ground beneath your feet seems to shift. Then there is the aftermath. You are left picking up the broken pieces of life and searching for relief.
What if you could find lasting relief? Relief not just for your body and mind but also for your soul?
The relief you’re seeking is found in Jesus Christ. He gives peace and hope in the darkest storms. A disaster may leave physical damage that takes time to rebuild, but the gospel brings healing to a broken soul and is available to every person, no matter the situation.
A Rescue Story
Here is a true rescue story. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey pounded Texas and Louisiana. The high winds and massive flooding left large areas underwater and thousands of people trapped in their homes as they waited for anyone to bring them to safety.
Among the stranded was a mother named Maria and her two children.
As the storm raged on, Maria watched the waters rise higher and higher and realized there was no way out. She had no way to call for help.
At that moment, she clung to her children and prayed that relief would come before it was too late. Days passed, and Maria began losing hope, but suddenly, she heard a sound overhead. It was a rescue helicopter! Finally, Maria and her children were safe.
Maria’s story is a powerful reminder! Even when you feel the most lost, help can come. Someone physically rescued Maria and her children, but their experience illustrates a more critical rescue. A rescue every person needs — spiritual rescue.
The Storm Within
Did you realize there is a spiritual storm raging within each of us? Just like the calm in the eye of a tornado or hurricane conceals the destruction around it, this storm obscures our need and obstructs our vision. You may be wondering why we can’t see the storm. The Bible gives us the answer. It says in Romans 3:10,
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
Just like Maria and her children, we are defenceless against the storm. However, there is one difference – they recognized their need. They knew if help did not come, their lives would be lost. We must do the same if we want to escape this spiritual storm. We must recognize our situation and see our need before search and rescue can come and save us.
Once we see our need, we must see what’s separating us from being rescued. For Maria, it was perilous flood waters and debris, but the Bible says we are all trapped by something far more dangerous – sin.
Romans 3:23 says,
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. . .”
Because of sin, we are all guilty, shameful, and hopeless. Sin has separated us from God and left us in desperate need of rescue. Just as we cannot stand against the power of a hurricane, we cannot stand against sin or the consequences of sin.
Romans 6:23a warns us,
“For the wages of sin is death. . .”
Sin’s penalty is death. Not just bodily death in the grave, but spiritual death that separates us from God for eternity! It is the ultimate disaster! But there is good news – God has made a way to rescue us.
The Greatest Rescue Mission
Yes, the penalty of sin is death but God loves us and He has an amazing gift that’s for everyone! God tells us about this gift in Romans 6:23b,
“. . .but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”
Isn’t that amazing? God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, on a rescue mission to save us from our sins. Jesus willingly left the glories of Heaven to come to earth, live a perfect life, and die in our place. Jesus took the punishment we deserved, and God’s gift of eternal life is only through Him.
Romans 5:8 tells us,
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Just like those who rescued Maria, Jesus came to save us even when we were hopelessly trapped. God knew we had no way out and couldn’t save ourselves, and He desired to rescue us from sin and its penalty. Because God loves us, He sent Jesus to die in our place.
God can rescue us from the storm we are in because of Jesus’ death on the cross. To prove He has the power to give new life (eternal life ), Jesus rose from the dead three days after He died! No storm, no matter how fierce, can destroy the life Jesus gives. He offers us eternal life because we cannot earn it – it is the gift of God. All we have to do is receive it.
How To Be Rescued
Once help arrived, Maria chose to trust her rescuers and climb aboard the helicopter. We must do the same with Jesus. We must choose to accept the rescue God offers through Jesus’ death on the cross.
Now the decision is up to you. Will you trust Jesus and accept the rescue God offers.
Jesus said in John 14:6,
“. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
and Romans 10:9 says,
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
The question is simple. Will you allow Jesus to rescue you? If you will, the rescue requires a response. You must repent or turn away from your sins and turn toward God. Repentance is the first step toward receiving God’s gift of eternal life.
Romans 10:13 promises,
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Being rescued was only the beginning for Maria and her children. The rescue helicopter took them to a shelter for food, clothing, and a place to rest. They received much-needed physical relief; however, an infinitely greater relief comes when we know our soul is secure in Jesus Christ.
So, no matter where you are or what you’ve done, Jesus is extending His nail-pierced hand to rescue you.
An Invitation
If you’ve been through a natural disaster, you know how overwhelming it can be. The road to recovery may be long and difficult, but Jesus will bring healing and “peace that passes all understanding” to your soul. He will be with you through any physical or emotional trials ahead of you.
Will you accept His offer of rescue today?
Call on the Lord Jesus now! “Dear God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I believe You died for my sin and rose from the dead. Jesus, I turn from my sin and trust You as my personal Savior. Thank you for rescuing me and giving me the gift of eternal life. In Jesus name, Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer, Jesus has rescued you and He promises, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”
Begin To Grow
Praise the Lord for your decision to trust Christ as Saviour!
Friend, you have a new life! You are a new creature in God's sight! You have a new eternal destiny and a new Heavenly Father! He wants you to grow in faith, day by day-learning more of His love, His Word, and His plan for your life.
We would encourage you to purchase a Bible, begin reading it, and ask the Lord help you obey His Word!
In Acts 2, the people who trusted Christ assembled together (as a church) to learn the Bible and encourage each other. It's important that you quickly find a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church where each week you can learn more of Jesus Christ and find friends who will encourage you in your journey.
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