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    I do not know if this is true, but I have ben hearing it ever sence I gave my life to Jesus Christ, and it always has tuched my hart.

Subject: The Pastor
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, 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 HE WOULD 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 TAKE 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 THE BOYS,
"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."

Oklahoma Howdy to Forrest,

THANKS! Brother, that was a beautiful story. The comparison to God's Love and Grace in the GIFT of HIS SON is the real beauty. What would this world be like without THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR?

Thanks be unto God for HIS Unspeakable GIFT!

In Christ,
Tom

AMEN!!!!!

Brother Love :)