Some great examples of biblical truth come from sources outside the Bible.
In his classic, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens (who was, by the way, a dedicated Christ follower) tells the story of two friends who were very different, yet deeply devoted to each other. Along the way the story clearly illustrates Jesus’ observation about the quality of love that leads a friend to give his life for another.
Charles Darnay is a young Frenchman who runs afoul of the law during that chaotic period in history known as the French Revolution, in the late 1700s. After developing a friendship with Sidney Carton in England, a man he closely resembles, Darnay is unfairly arrested in Paris and thrown into a dungeon. His sentence is the same as many people in that city during those terrifying years: death by guillotine. He is to have his head separated from his body. Carton, a loose–living, corrupt lawyer who has slowly descended into misery, hears about Darnay’s plight and schemes to rescue his dear friend.
On the night before the execution, Carton finds a way into the dungeon where Darnay is incarcerated, persuades his friend to switch clothing with him, and sends his look–alike friend away while he stays behind to face the
swift, merciless guillotine. The next morning it is Sidney Carton, not Charles Darnay, who dies. Carton’s
courageous act of friendship results in the preservation of Darnay’s life.
Then Dickens makes his story’s connection with John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Who would know the terrible, wonderful truth of that statement more than Jesus? For in His own words, on the night before He was crucified, Jesus spoke of His own death, the ultimate example of such love for His
friends—and His enemies as well. In fact, Jesus died for people who would reject Him as much as He did for those who would accept Him, in the centuries to follow.
In the words of the immortal hymn, “As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free.” May His supreme act of friendship result in followers whose lives are dedicated to the lives of others.
In his classic, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens (who was, by the way, a dedicated Christ follower) tells the story of two friends who were very different, yet deeply devoted to each other. Along the way the story clearly illustrates Jesus’ observation about the quality of love that leads a friend to give his life for another.
Charles Darnay is a young Frenchman who runs afoul of the law during that chaotic period in history known as the French Revolution, in the late 1700s. After developing a friendship with Sidney Carton in England, a man he closely resembles, Darnay is unfairly arrested in Paris and thrown into a dungeon. His sentence is the same as many people in that city during those terrifying years: death by guillotine. He is to have his head separated from his body. Carton, a loose–living, corrupt lawyer who has slowly descended into misery, hears about Darnay’s plight and schemes to rescue his dear friend.
On the night before the execution, Carton finds a way into the dungeon where Darnay is incarcerated, persuades his friend to switch clothing with him, and sends his look–alike friend away while he stays behind to face the
swift, merciless guillotine. The next morning it is Sidney Carton, not Charles Darnay, who dies. Carton’s
courageous act of friendship results in the preservation of Darnay’s life.
Then Dickens makes his story’s connection with John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Who would know the terrible, wonderful truth of that statement more than Jesus? For in His own words, on the night before He was crucified, Jesus spoke of His own death, the ultimate example of such love for His
friends—and His enemies as well. In fact, Jesus died for people who would reject Him as much as He did for those who would accept Him, in the centuries to follow.
In the words of the immortal hymn, “As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free.” May His supreme act of friendship result in followers whose lives are dedicated to the lives of others.
*The views expressed in this blog are exclusively the pesonal views of Curtis Alexander, and do not necessarily represent the views of Child Evangelism Fellowship®.
RSS Feed