Read: Exodus 12:1-13

Many years ago a party of mountain climbers began their dangerous descent from on of the peaks in the Swiss Alps. The first man in the line lost his foothold and slipped over the edge. The next two men were dragged after him, but the experienced climbers above braced themselves and stood firm to bear the shock. However, when the rope ran its length, the cord snapped like a thread. Horrified, the climbers saw their friends spreading their arms and legs in a hopeless attempt to stop their slide over the precipice as they fell to their death on the great glacier 4,000 feet below.

For half an hour the other three remained in terrified silence-petrified with fear. Finally, they nervedthemselves to continue their perilous descent. Hours later they arrived in the local village to tell their sad story. When the climbers examined the rope to find out why it had not held, they were shocked at what they discovered. True Alpine Club rope has a red strand running through it, but this rope did not have that distinguishing thread. It was a weak substitute.

The saving power of the cross of Christ runs like a crimson strand through the heart of the Bible. We can only be safe if we are joined to the Lord Jesus by faith in His atoning work. Trusting in some frail substitute like religion will never get us to heaven. Only the blood of Christ's sacrifice will stand the strain of man's sin.

THOUGHT: Natural life came by God's breath; eternal like comes by Christ's blood.