> >AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS
> >SERMON FOR THE EVENING, 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 WERESAILING 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 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. 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 UP STRAIGHT 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. 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 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 GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT
> >IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
> >
> >YOU SEE...
> >
> >I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."
> >
> >
> >Take 60 seconds & give this a shot!
> >Let's see if Satan can stop this one!
> >All you do is simply:
> >
> > 1) Say this small prayer for the person who wrote this,
> >
> > Father, God bless this writer in whatever it is that you
know he or she may be needing this day! Amen
> >
> >
> > 2) then send it on to say five other people. Within hours five
people have prayed for you, and you caused a multitude of people to pray to
God for other people. Then sit back and watch the power of God work
in your life for doing the thing that you know he loves.