Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Dec 8, 2007 0:40:59 GMT -5
THE LIFE LINE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
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 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."
This story gives a wonderful picture of what God did for us.
I hope and pray you know JUST HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU
Will you take the LIFE LINE God has thrown to you?
-------------------------------------
We are the REASON,
JESUS gave HIS LIFE
We are the Reason that
HE suffered and Died
To a world that was LOST
GOD gave ALL He could give
To show US a REASON to LIVE
--------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
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 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."
This story gives a wonderful picture of what God did for us.
I hope and pray you know JUST HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU
Will you take the LIFE LINE God has thrown to you?
-------------------------------------
We are the REASON,
JESUS gave HIS LIFE
We are the Reason that
HE suffered and Died
To a world that was LOST
GOD gave ALL He could give
To show US a REASON to LIVE
--------------------------------------