Proverbs 24:11- Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

The Power Rangers have a singular mission in life. Whenever the evil Rita Repulsa creates a monster and sends it to Earth to cause destruction, the Power Rangers immediately drop everything to confront it. These five teenagers lead ordinary lives, but their true purpose becomes clear when a fifty-foot creature starts demolishing buildings. The moment they strike the monster with a powerful energy beam or slash it with their giant mech sword, they can return to their everyday activities. And here you thought EMTs had a tough job.

There are two kinds of death in scripture. The first one is quite literal. When your heart stops beating, you die. The second death is spiritual. When God looks at your life and sees sin, that is a spiritual death. Humanity has spent millions of dollars and hours trying to avoid the first definition, but scripture is more concerned with the second one.

Spiritual death is admitting that you do not want God in your life. You have your agenda, God has his agenda, and you are not budging. It’s the default setting of humanity.

My faith is always trying to rectify that situation. I can’t take away anyone’s sin. That is a task for Jesus. But I can devote my life to directing people away from the second death. I can arrange appointments for people to meet Jesus and learn about His cure for the second death. As a father, I teach my sons about the reality of death and how much God desires for them to have life. As a campus minister, I represent and advocate for Jesus with everyone I meet.

When you are young, death seems so far away that it might as well be a rumor. For Christians, death is a permanent condition that needs to be dealt with. The only way we know how is to bring Jesus into the conversation.

* One would think that the Power Rangers should lead their attack with the giant mech sword or energy beam instead of using it as a last resort. That would make their lives a whole lot easier.

Figure it Out:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

  1. What kind of life is Jesus talking about? (Think beyond just being born.)
  2. What kind of death is Jesus talking about? (Think beyond mortality rates.)
  3. How confident are you that everyone you meet should know Jesus?
  4. How do you make sharing this your life purpose?