the sawdust trail


I remember as a child we always watched the Billy Graham crusades on TV.  I don’t know why, really.  My parents were not Christians, as far as I knew.  They never went to church and they certainly never took, or even made, my sister and I go to church.  We never mentioned God or prayed, had no Bible on display, or acted in any way that might give the impression Jesus was anything special.   Yet, we always watched these crusades.  Perhaps it was because there were only three channels then.   I don’t know if maybe it was on all three, or it took the place of their favorite show.  It was during these televised crusades that I first heard the term “the saw dust trail.”  

 Apparently this trail was something special, as those on it were usually in tears.  I did not know if they were about to get their punishment or what, but they seemed happy enough, except of course for the all the tears. I watched and as those on the trail moved forward closer to the stage.  There was something special, mesmerizing, maybe even something Godly about it.  The gentleman on the stage was talking about eternal life, God’s love and all.  I really didn’t know what was going on, my parents never explained it, but as I recall my sister and I were allowed to stay up later than usual to watch it, so I guess it must have been important.  

 Fast forward about 30 years and I found myself on the same path in a different place.  It was a church parking lot, in fact.  The pastor had just given a particularly compelling altar call and I did not go forward.  I believed that I had already given my heart to Jesus some months previous, and while I had never gone forward at an altar call, I thought I already had a personal relationship with God, and as such, this altar call was for those that did not know the Lord.   I know now that my wife of 10 years, my best friend since 5th grade, his wife and apparently others were praying I would go forward. My new relationship with Jesus is was a personal matter I told myself, and I did not see past my needs.  I was certainly not thinking of the congregation of the people, or that anyone else might really care one way or the other.  

 The sermon ended and our little group exchanged pleasantries and we headed for the door.  A girl I had known since high school, was there and could not believe I did not go forward. As I understand it, she ran up to Ricky, our pastor, and told him that he had to go talk to me.  I was right on the edge and ready to fall.  As only Ricky could, he said “you go.”  Ginger turned around and ran through the crowd into the lobby and burst through the doors running into the parking lot.   She tracked us down, my wife and I, my best friend , Hugh, and his wife Judy, practically ambushing us.  To this day I don’t remember what she said, but in short order I was praying with Ginger, and the other three with me, to receive Christ, right there in the church parking lot.  My saw dust trail, I guess. 

 That day changed everything.  I felt different.  Those who knew me were acting so relieved and happy.   Others I only knew by sight at church were now acting like long lost friends and God was alive.  I remember, and I know this sounds strange, but I remember that even colors were different, it was as if God was showing me that I could now see, really see.  Needless to say my attitudes changed about almost everything.  I was studying the Word of God with a gusto I cannot recall I have ever had for anything before.  Friends and acquaintances at church were asking if I could “fill in” for them doing 5th grade or nursery or what have you, when they were gone.   I didn’t really want to, but each time it is was a total blessing, and I became more and more comfortable sharing God’s Word whenever I was needed.  A few months later Ricky asked if I would share some information about the creation/evolution debate with the college age singles group.  I did, and Ricky watched from the balcony.  Later he asked if I would do a couple of Wednesday nights for the entire church on the same topic.   The night arrived and I sat on the floor in a side hall, almost in tears.   I could not do this.  Not in front of the entire church.  I have been a Christian not even six months!  Even I knew this was not right.  So, as new Christians all want to do, I made a deal with God, right there on the floor of the hall just outside the sanctuary. I would go, but God you have to do this.  I want Your Words, and I want You to speak, and If You did this, I would always go, but You have to always cover me.  My wife and friends, including Ginger and Dave, her husband, were right in the front row, along with Ricky and about 253 of my closest, new friends.  

 I don’t remember saying anything and then it was over.  Everyone was happy and claimed to learn new things.  People kept asking if I would teach, speak, go there, or come here, as it turns out some 1800 times so far.  I have kept my agreement with God and He has kept up His end.  Churches, home studies, public schools, rescue missions, juvenile hall, retirement centers, camps, marriage retreats, every age of Sunday school , high school, junior  high, college groups, it is unbelievable.  Twice I had eleven gigs in one week in 6 different places, and He covers it, every time, in every place.  I often wonder why?   I barely made it out of high school, am not much of a speaker, certainly not a looker, and did not set foot in a church until I was 35.  I stand with Moses on this one when he told God he was not the guy, he stuttered, he was ugly, and his feet stank.  Send Aaron, he said. But God said no, you go.     

 Recently, I was doing another couple of Wednesday night’s teaching on Passover for our church here in the Rockies of Colorado.  We were talking about Passover being an appointment (moed translated as feast) God made with his people, and also about the feasts being rehearsals (migra translated as Holy Convocation)  for the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, in Passover.  Leviticus 23:2.  I asked who knew what time of day Christ died?  Several responded about 3 in the afternoon.  Correct.  I asked when His resurrection occurred.  Nothing.  Silence.  No one knew.  It is not recorded in Scripture.  The crucifixion was public, but the resurrection was private.  Verse 3 of chapter 12 in the book of Exodus, the Passover account, tells us that each house (pronounced bah’-yith, spelled in the Hebrew language as BYT, the B, a bet meaning tent or structure in which you live; the T, a tav meaning a monument or what others see you and your house to be – how you live; on each side of the Y, a yud meaning worship.  Those are the things that make up a Godly home, the monument of your life and the place you live should be centered on worship of God.  Hebrew words are often built from the center letter out to each side.) is to take a lamb for each bah’-yith, or  house.  Passover is a personal celebration.  Those in Egypt that were covered by the blood of the perfect, male, first born lamb, saw a miracle of God in their homes that very night.  But verse 6 tells us that the “whole assembly of the congregation shall kill it,” a very public act.  Now which is it?  Of course it is both, an appointment and a rehearsal; it is a picture of the public crucifixion and the private resurrection. 

 Thinking back to that sawdust trail, to my encounter with Ginger and Jesus, and to altar calls in general.  I wonder if there is something we sometimes miss.  While I understand that baptism is a public display of a private work, and should be embraced by all who follow after Christ, there is something special about actually going forward in front of the congregation of the people of the Lord.  In my case everything changed when I did that.  All of a sudden God was able or willing or both, to use me, and I was able or willing or both to hear Him.  When the death angel passed over Egypt 3,500 years ago, each house covered by the blood of the sacrifice, personally and privately saw a miracle, and then later that same evening, the congregation of the people saw another miracle as they left Egypt together.  Their individual lives of bondage were crucified and they were resurrected a free and cohesive people.  1,500 years after that, Jesus was publicly crucified on a Roman cross for the sins of the people He loved, and three days later was privately resurrected by the Father, as the savior of His people.  I don’t know, I would not be dogmatic on this but, I think a public display of the old man being crucified as the new believer goes down the aisle, sawdust trail, or parking lot, to the foot of the cross in full view of the people, is the same picture we see at the Passover, at the Cross and Tomb, and several other times in Scripture, and is something worth doing.  It has the power to change a person, and it has the power to change a congregation of believers. 

 We know that value is related to cost.  If something is easy, we can consider it to be of little value.  In today’s church we often hear “with every eye closed and every head down” or “in the privacy of your own heart, pray after me.”   There is no real cost to that, and I wonder sometimes if the value is not also reduced.  I get it.  Pastors don’t want the new believer to feel uncomfortable, nor do they want to give an altar call and have no one come forward.  But the act of going forward can be life changing.  Billy Graham knew that.  God knows that.   The Bible teaches that.  Jesus said “if you confess Me before men I will confess you before My Father”.  

 While it is not an issue of salvation, removing the opportunity to go forward may be short changing both the new believer and the congregation.  I vividly remember one service at a rescue mission, I gave the altar call and to my surprise 21 men came forward.   I was overwhelmed and had to call in reinforcements from the worship band, and had to ask them to hold off serving dinner while we prayed with these men.  There were tears and weeping like I had never heard as these men were apparently cut to the quick and needed the restoration only Jesus can provide. After making a quick mental note to write this sermon down, I soon discovered that of the 21 men, 16 did not speak English.  A lightning reminder of my agreement with God those many years ago, if I would go, He would speak.  The Spirit touched and called those men that night, they answered and came to the cross, in fact I doubt if I could have stopped them.  They needed to come.  A private prayer or raised hand would not do.  They needed to come to the cross to be seen by the congregation and pay the cost of going forward.   Amen. 

 CB
4.30.2014