WHAT IF ONE LINK IN THE CHAIN BREAKS?

 PARABLE OF THE HANGING TRUCK

MICHAEL HANGS ONTO A CHAIN

Twenty three minutes earlier Michael was driving his green truck on a sandy desert road in Utah.  His girl friend, Connie follows behind driving her Jeep, taking a video for their social media channel.

Connie and Michael stop at the end of the road in a dirt parking lot.  Connie says, "Michael, I need a drink of water before we walk over to the overlook."

Michael smiles, "Get your camera, I want to see how close I can get to the edge with my truck.  We'll get a million views!"

Connie yells, "Don't be silly!" as he jumps into his truck.  Shooting a video, the bottom of the truck scrapes over a boulder.  She yells again, "Stop and turn around right now or I'm going to leave!"   

Michael turns around the truck on the slickrock.  Getting out of the truck, he climbs up into the bed and starts jumping.  "Connie, did you get the video.  Come here and shoot a video showing the steep cliff."

Connie looks in horror, saying, "You're leaking red fluid, you better move your truck."  

Michael jumps in, starts the engine seeing his transmission light turn on.  The truck stalls!

Connie speaks, "I've got a long chain in the Jeep.  I can pull you back to the parking lot and you can leave it there for a tow truck."

After connecting the chain to the Jeep, Connie blasts, "When I start pulling, put your truck in neutral."  

She floors the Jeep, with tires spinning rocks and sand.  The truck moves only inches.

Michael HONKS and screams out the window, "MY BRAKES ARE BECOMING SOFT,  I'M LOSING BRAKE FLUID!"

With tears in her eyes, the Jeep rolls backwards.  In the rear view mirror Connie watches as Michael's truck, still attached to the chain goes over the cliff.  

Connies' Jeep is being dragged closer to the edge, even after putting it in park, with parking brake on and stepping hard on the brakes.  Speaking to herself, "Should I jump out now?"

A miracle happens and the chain snags, wedging between a sandstone crack in the slickrock.  The Jeep no longer is being pulled, and the truck jerks, swinging to a stop.

Connie jumps out running to the edge of the cliff, screaming, "Michael, are you dead?"

She hears an echo from the canyon walls.

Michael climbs out of the window onto the hood and grasping tight to the chain.  The truck wobbles by the sandstone wall.

Connie speaks, "Are you able to save yourself?  I'm not getting any cell service."

Michael replies, "I'm unable to climb up a slippery chain. Go get help or I'll never speak to you again."  

Connie speaks, "I'll jog on the road and flag someone down."

Later on the desert road, Paul and his sister Alicia are riding mountain bikes, seeing a dehydrated woman resting in a shady spot by a rock.

Connie explains every detail of their dilemna, before Paul and Alice race on the mountain bikes to the overlook.

Michael grasping onto the chain hears Ravens flying around him.  With every gust of wind, sand and gravel fall down onto the truck.

Paul and Alicia peddle up to the Jeep and dismounts from their mountain bikes.

Alicia lays down on her belly, holding a selfie stick and phone, peeping over the cliff seeing Michael. She says, "Do you have any next of kin we can contact in case of emergency?"

Michael yells, "The chain is hot and my hands are becoming numb; are you able to help me?  If one link in the chain breaks, I'm a goner."

Alicia speaks, "My brother Paul has a Satellite phone. He's finding the GPS pin.  He's going to call his Son in Moab, who flies a helicopter for search and rescue."

Paul lays on his belly and looks over the cliff, speaking, "Michael, a helicopter will arrive within an hour.  May I ask you a personal question."

Michael replies, "Sure, make it quick, before I die and go to hell."

Paul speaks politely, "Michael, everyone has a day and hour when you'll meet eternity.  If you were to die today, would you go to heaven or hell?"

Michael yells, "I'm a good person, I don't steal, I don't kill and  don't hurt anyone."

Paul adds, "Michael, I'm not judging you, but can I ask you a few questions?  Have you ever stolen anything?

Michael replies, "Yes."

Paul continues, "Michael have you ever looked at a woman with lust in your eyes.  Have you ever taken God's name in vain?  Have you ever had anger in your heart wanting to kill someone?  Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?

Michael replies, "Yes, yes, yes, everyone in the world has broken the Ten Commandments."

Paul speaks, "Imagine that each link in the chain you're holding is one of God's laws.

Adam only broke one commandment."

"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  (Genesis 2:16-17)

Alicia speaks, "Hang in there, his Son will be here soon."

Paul continues,  "You might follow all of God’s law. But if you fail to obey only one command, you are guilty of breaking all the commands in that law." (James 2:10 ERV - Easy to Read Version)  "Michael it only take one broken chain link for you to fall to your death."

Michael, trembles, "If I die will I go to hell?   

Paul replies, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16  NIV - New International Version)

Alicia continues, "Faith is more than believing a historic person lived, it's putting your full trust in Jesus and letting Him guide you each day with His Holy Spirit."

Michael replies, "I was taught if I keep the commandments, I would be saved."

Paul quotes, " I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."  (Galatians 2:21  LSB - Legacy Standard Bible)  

"Michael why did Jesus have to die and suffer on the cross for your sins, if you can save yourself by obeying the law?  It's like a broken chain link; if you break one law you're guilty of breaking all, and face everlasting death."

Michael speaks, "Paul what must I do to be saved?  My hands are numb and I can't hold on much longer."

Paul speaks, "Confess and turn away from your sins, trust and believe in Jesus Christ making him Lord of your life.  And receive His Holy Spirit."

The helicopter flies above, causing a blast of wind to shake Michael and the truck.  

A man from the helicopter is lowered with a harness.

Michael enters the helicopter seeing the chain snap, truck falling, rolling and crashing below.

The helicopter flies over to the parking area and lands.  Michael jumps out and runs over to Connie.

In tears, Michael and Connie embrace.  

Michael says, "His Son saved me today.  

I'm a new man!  Let's go to Moab and celebrate my new life!"