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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 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 STOR Y 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.'