A GREAT STORY

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,

THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,

WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT &

BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON 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:

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 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," 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 sent you this,


Father, God bless this sender in whatever it is

You know he or she may be needing this day!

Amen


2) Now send it on to 5-other people.

Within hours, 5-people have prayed for you,

And you caused many people to pray to God for other people.


Then sit back & watch the power of God work

In your life for doing the thing that you know he loves.


I would rather live my life as if there is a God

And die to find out there isn't,

Than live my life as if there isn't

And die to find out there is.