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"BYLINE with Dan Betzer" Program #1987
Release Tuesday, May 15, 2001
"Sheep Gone Astray"
by Dan Betzer
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Hello again, this is Dan Betzer.

The strangest thing happened the other day in Alexandria,
Egypt. It happened to a Muslim who was preparing a
sacrifice for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice.

If you've been to Egypt, you know that over-crowding is
just about everywhere. Many city-dwellers keep livestock
on their rooftops, balconies or basements. Especially in
the run up to the day of sacrifice.

56-year-old Waheeb Hamoudah had been feeding his
sheep which he had tethered on the rooftop. Suddenly,
the sheep broke loose from its moorings and butted its
owner, and in the process knocked him off the third story
roof. Hamoudah fell to his death.

Killed by his own sacrifice.

Several things are sad about that story. One is that the
man was killed. And the other was that the sacrifice was
completely unnecessary. The New Testament book of
Hebrews teaches that it is not possible for the blood of bulls
and goats to take away sins. Christ died to set us free
from the penalty of the sins we committed. Christ died only
once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of all the people.
He will come again but not to deal with our sins again.

What a wonderful passage! The debt for my sin and yours
had already been paid in full at Calvary. When Jesus cried
out with his last breath, "It is finished," He meant not only
His earthly life, but also the price of our redemption.

No more sacrifices, no more bloodshed. What Christ did
was full and complete. Now comes only the matter of the
sinner accepting what Jesus purchased. So that poor guy
in Egypt was butted off the third story by the very sacrifice
he believed would redeem him.

He had his trust in the wrong place. Where do you have
your trust today, good friend?

Dan Betzer here and that's BYLINE.