The Village

A Fictional Narrative – Originally Published in 2019

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15,16)

There was once a very remote village with a population of several hundred. There came to this village a traveler one day. He spoke of a king and a kingdom that were seeking subjects. The villagers listened to the man as he presented the kingdom to them, but they did not feel they needed a king or a kingdom and went about their business paying no heed to what the man presented. There was one exception to this; one man in the village listened intently to the story of this king and kingdom and told the traveler that he wanted to become part of the kingdom.

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

The traveler told the man that the only requirement for becoming a part of this kingdom under the king was to admit that he needed what the kingdom had to offer. The man did just that and became part of the kingdom. The traveler stayed for some time and told the man all about the wonderful king and kingdom.

After a period of time, the traveler told the man that he needed to leave the village. He said he had been sent by the king to reach as many villages as he could with the message of the kingdom. The king was now calling him to continue on his journey. He would go on to the next remote village with the good news of the wonderful king and kingdom.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Before the traveler left, he gave the man a book that had all the information that the man would need regarding the king and kingdom. He told the man to read the book every day and that it would encourage him and reinforce all the traveler had told him. The man was sad to see the traveler go but thanked him profusely for telling him about the kingdom. He told the traveler that the words of the kingdom had changed his life for the better and that he would seek to share the message with the other villagers.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout …..(1 Thess. 4:16)

Before the traveler departed on his planned journey to other villages; he told the man something most incredible. He said that one day the king himself would come for his servants and take them to live with the king forevermore. The traveler told him that all of this was written in the book for the man’s encouragement.

After the traveler’s departure, the man went throughout the village telling all those that would listen of all the wonderful news of the kingdom. The villagers at first listened, but most did not accept what the man told them. He showed them the book and told them of the one day return of the king to take those that had become part of the kingdom away to be with him. Over time, they became angry with the man, mistreated him, and would avoid him whenever possible. The man did not give up. He heralded the good news of the kingdom throughout the village each day.

“Then we which are alive and remain will be caught up …… to meet the Lord in the air…” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

One day the villagers realized that the man and all those that had believed his words were missing. They searched the village for them, but they were nowhere to be found. They remembered his words about the kingdom. They searched his home and found the book he carried with him everywhere. The book had been left on the desk opened to the story of the sudden return of the king for those that were part of his kingdom. The villagers remembered that the man had told them all about these things when he spoke to them about the kingdom.

There were some in the village that took to heart the message the man had brought them. They encouraged each other each day with the words of the book. They also warned the other villagers about a terrible end that was spoken of in the book for those that were not part of the kingdom. The villagers listened at first, but then told those with the message from the book to leave them alone and not bother them any longer. The villagers said they had their lives to live and did not want their lives interrupted or troubled by these words.

“For then shall be great tribulation … (Matthew 24:21)

What the villagers did not realize, was that there was a great storm coming that would destroy their village and take many lives. And although all those in the village would go through the coming storm, there was a place of security for those in the king’s kingdom. As the storm began to bear down on their village, with certain destruction inevitable, the villagers continued living their normal lives unaware of their final end.

THE HOUR IS LATE!

Today, the Lord is calling out to all those that will hear and come to Him. We are promised no more than today. Today is the day of salvation. Won’t you come to Him and enter His rest.

“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

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