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 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."