Transcript
In 218 B.C., a king Hannibal stood atop the lofty alps and looked upon the mighty Roman empire. The kingdom he had come to destroy. Inflamed with hatred, he drove his tattered army down the mountain side. Before his quest for glory could be realized, however, he had to overcome the last obstacle blocking his path. An enormous rock wedged into the valley floor that prevented his passage. It was impossible to move his chariots and wagons through the pass unless the rock was dislodged and moved out of the way. So, they tried all kinds of attempts with hammers and picks, and it failed. They did sacrifices and incantations and no result. So desperate, Hannibal cried out, burn it! To his half dead troops and then surely they thought Hannibal wasn’t serious, burn a rock? Nevertheless, within a few hours, felled trees were clustered around to fuel the fire. And when the wood was laid, the soldiers lit the fire, and in fascination, the flames firmed an inferno around the rock, and they were able to hear a crack. And an impenetrable rock had split in two. Hannibal, and his army descended upon Rome and the course of world history was changed forever. Many of us believe it’s possible to change bad people into good people with education and an improved environment, increased economic assistance or special programs. And as helpful as those things may be, they are merely picks and hammers scratching an enormous rock. Only God is able to change the human heart. In one sense, when he spread the good news of the Gospel of Christ for when we serve others in the name of Christ, we lay around the hearts of people. Firewood to be lit by the power of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of changing people from the inside out. You have a great day as you try to change the world through your love. This has been Captain Ken Chapman.