DEEP in the caverns of the supermarket I met one o£ our church members. "Sister Worth," he said, "I have a neighbor I would like to have you visit. His name is Tony, but I don't know his last name. He is such a nice person I'd like you to visit him."
"All right. What is the address?"
"Two-fifty-four Cedar Lane."
Parking on Cedar Lane, I found that 254 was a mobile home. I knocked, eventually the door opened, and a very intoxicated woman appeared.
I said, "Does Tony live here? Mr. Kay told me you are such good neighbors I thought I would come to see you."
"Yes, [in a thick voice] this is where Tony Makovek lives. Come in."
She staggered into the living room, and I followed. Tony was conversing with another man, Joe Smith, I found out, and surrounding them was an array of bottles and disorder. I sat down on the davenport beside Mrs. Makovek, mentioned the inclement weather and other small matters. Then I said silently but vehemently, "I'm not here to talk about the weather!" I put my arm on the back of the davenport behind her and said, "Do you know God loves you and wants you in His kingdom?"
She looked startled. "But we drink!" Her husband sided with her.
"Oh, that is nothing for God to help you to overcome. He can move mountains. Do you have a Bible?"
"Yes, believe it or not, we do." And Mrs. Makovek went into an adjoining room and re turned with one. I do not take a Bible to a home the first time I go. It sometimes scares people. I opened the pages to Jeremiah 31:3 and said: "Will you read it, please?"
She had to blink a few times to catch the words.
"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." She read and Tony listened.
"How many people are 'thee'? To how many persons was God talking?"
"Everyone, I guess."
"Yes, He meant everyone when He said, 'God so loved the world,' but here He speaks to just one. 'Thee' is singular. He means you, as we say today. 'Thee' is Biblical language and singles out one individual. He loves you personally. What kind of love does He have for you?"
"Everlasting."
"What does that mean?"
"Well . . ."
"It means it just won't wear out. It has never worn out because you have been drinking intoxicants. He still loves you. Will you try to undemand it? and believe it?"
"Y-e-s."
I read from Romans 3:23: " 'All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' That means I have sinned; maybe not in the same way that you have, but in some way. And you have sinned. What do we deserve for our sinning?" I asked her to read the first clause of Romans 6:23.
"For the wages of sin is death . . ."
"We deserve death for our sins, don't we? But the rest of the verse shows that God has a plan by which we can escape that death. Read the rest, please."
". . . but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"Eternal life is the opposite of death, isn't it? And we may have it through Jesus. Do you know how that is possible?"
"No."
We found Isaiah 53:6. "'All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' Jesus bore every sin, yours and mine, and those of the whole world when He died on the cross. He bore every one. That is why God can forgive our sins when we trust entirely in His Son and believe His death was for us."
An Unwelcome Interruption
"Do you think it's right for a priest to charge 375 for a funeral service?"
"Well, I don't know the circumstances. Do you mind if we go on with this subject, please?
"Do you know why He was able to bear all our sins—the sins of the whole world?"
"No!"
"Let's read in John's Gospel, the first verse: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' The 'Word' is just one of Jesus' names. Read verse 14 next."
"The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
"We know who was made flesh, don't we? Jesus was. Now read with me verse 10: 'He was in the world, and the world was made by him.' He made the whole world and everyone in it. That is why He can stand good for everyone in the world. Do you see that? A parent can stand good for his children and often even pay their penalties. That is why Jesus could pay for all our sins."
"Do you think the Protestant Bible is as good as the Catholic Bible?" chimed in Mr. Smith.
"Well, both are inspired. Let us think about what it cost Jesus to bear all our sins."
The Interrupter Removed
Just then a horn honked and a taxi stood outside that had been summoned before I arrived to take Mr. Smith downtown to get more whisky. I said nothing about it. When he had gone, I repeated, "Let us think about what it cost Jesus. Read Isaiah 53:5: 'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.' Don't you love Him for doing all that and suffering so much for you?"
"Yes."
"He doesn't ask for much in return. Let's read Proverbs 23:26: 'My son [my daughter], give me thine heart.' Will you give Him your hearts now?"
"Yes."
"And will you invite Him to come into them? Read Revelation 3:20: 'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in.'
"Will you invite Him to come into your hearts, and will you give them to Him, for Him to live His life in you?"
"Yes."
"Well, let us kneel, and you tell Him so."
At the time I wondered if those precious words of life were being wasted, since the poor souls were so inebriated. Did they understand? I thought not. But they knelt, and I prayed first for them, then I helped them to say after me, "Lord Jesus, I do thank Thee for dying in my place. Please forgive my sins. I give Thee my heart right now and invite Thee to come into it. Amen."
As we rose from our knees I saw tears. "I will be back to see you soon," I assured them.
"Oh," said Mrs. Makovek, "it takes us a week to get over one of these."
"All right. I will be back in a week."
Just then the taxi drove up, and Mr. Smith came in with a bottle.
In exactly one week I returned, and oh, what a change! Everything was clean, and there were no signs of bottles. Husband and wife were dressed neatly and looked so different! The light of intelligence was on their faces although they did look a little sheepish. I greeted them warmly and then went through practically the very same Bible study we had read the previous week. I was sure they didn't even remember what had been said or that they understood it.
At the conclusion I asked them again to give their hearts to the Saviour, only this time I had brought decision cards, which I had made. They knelt and gave their hearts to Jesus anew! Then I said, "Now take these cards and pray about them. If you are sure you meant what you said, sign your name here where it says, 'Because I believe that Jesus loved me enough to die in my place to pay the penalty for my sins, I now give Him my heart, and receive Him as my Saviour.' Then put the date. Now place it in your Bible at Proverbs 23:26 where He asked you to give your hearts to Him." They did.
I went back every day for a while and held a short study with them and had prayer. They quickly and gladly grasped the doctrines, for they had learned to know and love the Author of Bible doctrines. I sometimes took two or three days for a subject. One day Tony said, "Mrs. Worth, as soon as I get work and we have some clothes, we are going to come to your church." So far I had not mentioned church.
An Astounding Revelation
One day when the husband was out and I was reading the Bible with Mrs. Makovek, she said, "Mrs. Worth, when Joe brought in the whisky that day, I said to him, 'There's going to be no more drinking in this house. This is going to be a Christian home!' "
I was amazed! I had thought they did not know what I was saying or what they were saying the first time, because they were so intoxicated. But the Word of God, sharper than any two-edged sword, had penetrated their dull senses and brought about the new birth.
They made faithful, grateful Adventists; an other illustration of the power of the Word, and of the truth that when the heart is fully yielded to the Saviour the doctrines present no difficulty. Alcohol had been only a substitute for what they really longed for—fellowship with God and an understanding of His Word. To both they yielded loving obedience.
