Stop This Ambulance and We Are Dead!

Stop This Ambulance and We Are Dead!Dr. Vince Hefner, PastorFirst Baptist ChurchCherryville, North CarolinaI was the ripe old age of 25 when I graduated from seminary and was called to pastor a church in Virginia. During my last year in seminary I worked two jobs, went to school full time, and I pastored a small church. Needless to say, I was always on the go. When I arrived on my new church field it only took me about four months to visit my entire congregation. Since we only had one service a week, and I had visited just about everybody in town, one of my church members told me to find a hobby to fill my time. Since I loved being in the center of the action, I joined the local rescue squad. I wasn’t trained to help anyone who was injured, but I could drive the ambulance. Let me tell you something, I loved driving that ambulance! I also enjoyed the fellowship of working with people who had prepared themselves to help others during times of crisis.One day I was “beeped” to go to the rescue squad because there had been a shooting and someone was critically injured. I arrived at the station and was ready to roll when the EMT showed up. We took off at break-neck speed on our way to the shooting not knowing what to expect when we showed up at the scene. The EMT told me we were going to the “Rough Part” of town and for me not to start asking questions about why this fellow had been shot. All of the sudden a big Cadillac pulled in behind me and started to blow the horn and flashing his lights. I told the EMT that someone wanted me to stop the ambulance. He looked in the side view mirror and told me not to stop. He said those people thought we had already picked up the wounded person and they wanted us to stop so they could finish the job, and they might shoot us as well! That was all I needed to hear. I drove that ambulance all over town with that big Caddy on my tail flashing its lights and blowing its horn. I drove through parking lots and over medians but I could not lose the big Caddy. I finally made a mistake when I pulled into an enclosed area and the big Caddy cut me off. I was expecting to get shot when the man jumped out of his car and came running up to my window shouting obscenities at me. He told me he had the person who had been shot in the back of his car and he was trying to get me to stop so we could help.In all of the excitement, I had forgotten that the reason I was driving the ambulance was to save a man from a gun shot wound. There I was, driving the vehicle with all the medical supplies and personnel to help, but I was running away from him. I was afraid something bad might happen to me. Fortunately for me and the person who had been shot, the wound was not life-threatening and the man survived. However, a few more laps around the town and the story might have had a different ending.What does this story have to do with my Christian faith? Hold on because I believe I can explain. The New Testament Church has everything we need to tell the world about Jesus Christ. We have the Scripture that tells us how to live our lives, we have the Savior that is willing to forgive us of our sins if we believe in Him, and we have the Holy Spirit to guide our actions and to correct us when we are wrong. We have it all, but do we share the “Good News” of Jesus Christ with others? Maybe we are like an ambulance that has the medical supplies and personnel to help, but we are too afraid to stop and share what we have. Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Christian should never forget the reason for our lives, to tell others about Jesus. We should never allow fear to stop us from sharing God’s love. Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!