AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW
MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE....
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.
'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON
WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN.
'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT
TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE.
THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER
WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT
AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'
THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,
MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,
LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY...
THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,
'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION
'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION
OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND
HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT..
THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT..
THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!'
HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.
BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT,
HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.
HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UPSTRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS
AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND
STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS..
THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND.
THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND.
HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US.
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED.
I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU
AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.'
WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR
WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR
AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT
AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END.
HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED,
THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,
'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER
TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT
THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'
'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED,
GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE.
A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE.
HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID,
'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT?
BUT,
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY
GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD
TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
YOU SEE...
I WAS THAT FATHER
AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND.'
Please receive the free gift offered to you by the Father above. It is salvation through the death of His Son, Jesus. No man comes to the Father but by me.
I do not know who wrote this moving story but I do know the Father gave the Son to be the savior of the world. Please be sure you are on your way to Heaven when you die. Trust Jesus only for your salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from youselves, it is the gift of God--not by works of righteousness you have done. Eph 2:8,9 You cannot be saved with baptism, doing good things, saying a creed, or helping a little lady across the street. The only way to be saved.......... 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.....Romans 10:9
