The Pastor

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."