As me and millions of others sat glued to the screen watching the almost miraculous rescue of the miners from 2300 feet below ground, it occured to me how many similarities there are to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider:
| Chilean Miner Rescue | Gospel of Jesus Christ |
| The miners were hopelessly lost in the darkness of the earth, buried and dead, but faith kept them alive—the faith of the individuals and the rescuers | We are hopelessly dead in our sin. Buried deep, with no way out. It is only by Faith that we can receive the rescue that ONLY Jesus Christ brings. |
| A hole had to be punched through to the miners to bring them communication, food and air. | A hole must be punched into our minds that we, through prayer can receive the life saving, life giving messages of life that are food and breath to us. |
| In order to be saved, they had to depend on another, they COULD NOT save themselves
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We cannot dig ourselves out of the grave that we are in. We must depend upon another to save us from an eternity separated from God. |
| To be rescued from the mine, a hole had to be punched through the earth to bring them up and out. | Jesus went to the cross, died and descended into hell, and He punched a hole in hell, overcame death, was resurrected from death and has given that gift to all who will believe! |
| The miners had to trust in the method of rescue, climb into the rescue pod, and have simple faith that they would be lifted up to life and freedom from their grave. | To be saved, we must simply trust in the method of salvation. Believe in the Lord Jesus, confess Him as Savior and Lord, and be lifted up! |
| Those who were above ground, reached down to their brothers, they did not leave them there, and in fact some actually descended into the mine to rescue their brothers—once in the mine, they aided their brothers in climbing into the rescue pod. | Those of us who have been given this gift of salvation and have been rescued from death are called to not forget our brothers still trapped—we are called to go down to them and help them into the rescue pod—to tell them the good new of salvation through Jesus Christ! |
| The miners had to pass from darkness through a tight passageway into light and freedom and life—similar to their original birth experience into the world—the miners were “reborn”. | Jesus said we must reborn. The birth He speaks of is leaving the darkness of our life of death, and being reborn into the life and light and freedom of eternal life. |
| The president of Chile was present as each man was brought to the surface. He personally congratulated and thanked each rescuer and each miner. | In Proverbs there is a passage that says: “do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings.” |
| How many miners were there? 33. | How old was Jesus when He went to the cross to die for the sins of men? 33. |
| When the men were brought to the surface, they were reunited with loved ones, and received a warm reception from the rescuers and these formerly obscure unknown men met the president (king) of Chile. | As believers in Jesus Christ who have been given eternal life, when we step from this life into eternity, we will be reunited with loved ones (those who received eternal life through Jesus Christ), and we will also meet the King! |
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