R U E ?
Posted November 4th, 2004 2:49 PM
Jim Horning (Director of Student Ministries - Grace Community Church)

If your kids are in youth group, they’ve already heard this story. If your kids are in youth group, they’ve already seen the shirt. But if you don’t have kids in youth group, or even if you do and haven’t heard, I’ve got a challenge for you that’s fresh on my heart, mind, and soul.

R U E ? It’s not someone messing up Evan LaRue’s name. It’s not a new clothing distributor like Guess or American Eagle. It’s a question.
But it’s a question that's probably hard to figure out without seeing it in color. Picture the “E” in red. Can you figure out what it’s asking?

Are you ready? A friend of my family and an elder in my family’s Ohio church designed these shirts, hats, and other articles of clothing as a means of stimulating conversation and, ultimately, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you ready for eternity? It goes nicely with our building program…quot; Building to SHARE...So Hearts Are Ready for Eternity.

Chuck, the shirt’s designer, died a week ago Thursday. In his casket was a hat with “R U E ?” across the front. Chuck was ready for eternity and is enjoying a wonderful reunion with his Savior and family and friends who have gone before. Chuck was not a perfect man. Chuck didn’t live a perfect life. But Chuck DID put his trust in a Perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for his sins… and yours and mine. That’s what made Chuck “ready.”

So… at the funeral, my dad asked two questions. And I want to relay them to you.

Are you ready? Are you ready for eternity? Are you ready to die and face the reality of eternal rewards in heaven or eternal condemnation in hell? A relationship with Christ is what makes the difference. Romans 10 says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED! Jesus came to save us from eternal judgment and to give us hope and life. Ephesians 2 says that it’s a free gift, not something we can earn or merit. It’s available to us by God’s grace.

Some of you have already dealt with that question and responded to God’s gift of eternal life and forgiveness through Christ. But even now as a Christian, a believer in Christ, you still need to deal with the question- “Are you ready?” Are you ready to die to self and live for Christ in every facet of your life? Are you ready to take yourself off the “throne” of your life and allow Christ to sit there? Are you ready to live your life and intentionally pursue relationships with others so that they are ready for eternity?

I urge you to talk with someone about these questions. Our staff and church leadership are available. Please stop in, call, or email us.
My prayer is that this “R U E ?” question would shape and challenge your hearts and lives today and every day as you seek the Lord. My prayer is that we would be challenged out of the ruts and off the plateaus of comfort that we so easily fall into and would sense the urgency of responding to and sharing Christ with a town and world that need Him.

Are You Ready?