::the storm story:::

--Author Unknown

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, the elderly
gentleman stepped up to the pulpit and began to
speak.

"A father, and his son, and a friend of his son were
sailing off the Pacific coast," he began... "when a
fast storm blocked any attempt to get back to the
shore. The waves were so high, 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 end of the life line? He had only
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 night. His body was never
recovered," the old man said sadly.

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 is
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
so that we could be saved. I urge you to accept His
offer to rescue you and 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. But, within
moments after the service ended, the two boys
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 would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man
replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. As a big
smile broadened his narrow face, he looked up
again at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very
realistic, is it? But, I'm here today to tell you this
story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been
like for God to give up His only Son for me. You
see... I was that father, and your Pastor is my
son's friend."