Greater Love Has No Man
The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the Scripture is 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities is about Sydney Carlton and Charles Donnas. They both love the same young woman, but she marries Charles and starts having children. This is the French Revolution; and so Charles Donnas is arrested and is taken to prison, and he awaits his execution. On the night before his execution, Sydney Carlton, who looks quite a bit like Charles Donnas, steals into the prison and says, Look Charles, you have a wife and a child, let s switch places. Let s change clothes, and I will die in your place. Charles Donnas says, No way! Are you kidding? I will never let you do such a thing!
So Sydney Carlton smacks Donnas over the head and knocks him out cold, and he puts his clothes on himself. Sydney s peace passes onto Charles, and Charles punishment passes to Sydney. He has some people take Charles, who is now out cold, and he assumes his place in the prison waiting to be executed.
There is a little young woman, who is also about to be executed, and she knew Charles Donnas previously and when she hears that he is there she seeks him out and comes out and starts talking. Do you remember this, do you remember that? Sydney Carlton is, of course, looking away hoping that she will not look too closely, and suddenly she sees and realizes that it is not Charles Donnas, and her eyes get real big. She says, Are you dying for him? He says, Yes, and for his wife and children? She says, Stranger, I had a feeling that I would not be able to face my death, but can I hold your hand because if someone as brave and as loving as you holds my hand, then I think that I will be okay.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one s life for one s friends.
Champions, have a great week!-David Vining
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