The Greatest Contest on Earth!

The date was September 1, 1999. On November 28, the conestants had to be chosen and to meet for the final selection. On December 1, the contest would begin and had to be concluded by January 1, 2000.The call went out all across the world! Every country had to select their champions. Everyone was invited to participate: young, old, man or woman. The Challenge? They had to select what they thought were the 3 most important books ever written.The countries greatest scholars would determine who the winner in their country would be. The Expense? All must realize that no expense must be spared to fulfill this mission, the completion of this contest. Each contestant must be willing to sacrifice all that they had and all that they are to fulfill this mission. The Reason for the contest? The saving of only one life and the very existence of this one precious soul. Obviously, there was a matter of great urgency about this contest. So within 30 days of the announcement the champions had to be selected. They all met in the capital in the center of the world where all could come. What was considered the greatest minds of all the world were asked to be the judges. They were asked to select 3 people with their three books. They had just 3 days to do it. At the end their was a young man who was 25, a middle age woman who was 41 and an aged man who 74. There were some that feared that this would be an unfair advantage to the young man because he would have greater strength. Some feared that the woman would have the advantage because she would understand life from a woman's point of few and know that her books were best. Finally others felt that the aged man would have the greatest adavantage because of his great wisdom and his experiences in life. However, the contest demanded that they all travel together from beginning to end and more rules would be given them as they proceeded.

The contest began. As many people as could afford to come along were invited. So family and friends, scholars, intillectuals and just interested hangers on traveled with the group. But they had to keep up. They had to pay their own way. They couldn't help the contestants in any way. They couldn't cheer or support by any actions or they would be asked to leave. The only thing they could do was to watch!

Right away the three contestants were amazed that they were asked to work together to figure out where they were going, how they were going to get there and what they should do to save this person that needed them so desperately. They were given 10 days to figure out what country they should travel to. They were told that maybe some of their books should help them to find the way. They traveled to many countries and asking many questions to see if they were on the right track. At the end of the first 10 days, they were told that each of them had to throw away one book. They were told that they were in the right country.

Now they must continue their search and find the city they were to find. They frantically worked together searching for the endanagered person. At the end of the second 10 days, they were told that they were in the right city. Now they were each told to throw away another book, but they could help each other in these choices. Now they must find where the person lived and save this person at all costs. The search became desperate! They worked side by side, hour after hour, day after day.

Finally there was one day left. They had found the right street that the person lived on. Now they had to decide which book to save, to save this person's life, his or her very soul. The book that they chose? The Bible. They had to choose now one person to finally save this lost soul. The three contestants were all exhausted. They finally chose amongst themselves and chose the young man, for he was the only one with enough strength to go on. So on this last day, he began the frantic search from house to house to find the peron that needed to be saved. Finally, he found the 16 year old girl, dieing on her bed. She was given just one hour to live. The young man staggared into her, with the Bible in hand, crying out, "how can I help you?" The girl said that for you to save me, you must answer me but one question, but you must answer me from the Bible so that I can know for sure that my soul will be saved forever. The young man pleaded with her: "Please ask your question!" She looked into his eyes and said, "What must I do to be saved?" The young man fell on his face and burst into tears because he did not know the answer! The one who was controlling the contest, turned to the woman and the old man and asked them to answer the question. They too fell down weeping for they did not know the answer! Then the contestant manager turned to the throng of people for the answer. No one seemed to know. Then the contest manager took off his cloak and his gloves. Everyone gasped! He had holes in His hands and a whole in His side. To everyone that knew the story of the Bible, they realized that this was Jesus Christ who died for the world and had been raised to life, never to die again! Jesus turned to the young woman and said, "For God so loved the world that He sent me into the world save everyone who believes in me." (John 3:16). That you must believe and be baptized to be saved. (Mark 16:16). That when you repent and are baptized into me, your sins will be forgiven and I will give you the Holy Spirit to live in you. (Acts 2:38). Then you will have died to all your sins and have them buried with me as I was buried after my death. I will raise you to walk in new life, just as I was raised from the dead. (Romans 6:1-7). You will live with me for eternity! (John 14:1-6).

Do you have many quesitons about the contest? Where did it start? In your country, in your city! Who were the contestants? Any one in all the world. Where did they go? They went into all the world, seeking the lost. What books did they take? They took all the wisdom and religon of the world with them. Why did they choose the Bible? It was the only answer for all people for all time. Who was the dieing girl? She was you and me, for we are all dieing eternally without Jesus Christ.

Now, some questions for you.
1. Would you know what to do and how to answer the question: "What must I do to be saved?"
2. Would you know where to find the Bible answers for this question and NOT what man has told you they were?
3. Would you be willing to set out on this contest knowing that it could cost you everything that you had, everything that you are so one lost and desperate soul could be saved?
4. If you knew that their were BILLONS of souls in need like this, what would you do? Where would you be willing to go? What time would you give? How much money would you spend? What sacrifices would you make?
5. Jesus Christ made all these sacrifices for you. Will you make them for Him and for the lost?