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Home - Pastoral and Study Resources - Biblical Illustrations - Salvation
Salvation
Love of a Father
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend.
With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit 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 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."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. He continued, "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 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 the line to his son's friend. By the time he
pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man'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. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story,"
politely started one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his 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, and 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 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 the son's friend.
Who'll Take the Son?
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had
everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit
together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very
courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was
notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A
young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir,
you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He
saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet
struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and
your love for art.The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't
much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted
you to have this." The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his
son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had
captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn
to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man
and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what
your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his
mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait
of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had
collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his
paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great
paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his
gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid
for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room
shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will
start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't
come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get
on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The
son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came for the very back of the room. It was the longtime
gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a
poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the
masters." $10 is the bid won't someone bid $20?"
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They
wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going one, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man
sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What
about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction,
I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal
that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be
auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate,
including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"
God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the
auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
God Doesn't Exist
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When
they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists.""Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would
be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a
man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what?
Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you! "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they
did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside." "Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens, is people do not come to me." "Exactly!"- affirmed the customer.
"That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
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