The Ultimate Example
There is a story I would like to tell. A true story as far as I know.
It begins with a pastor greeting his congregation after the beginning worship songs. The pastor proceeds to tell the congregation that another pastor was visiting today. A dear and very close friend of his, and the pastor welcomed him up to the stage to say whatever he may want to say.
So an elderly man walked up to the stage and began to tell this story.
There once was a fisherman, who took his son and his son’s best friend out on a fishing trip, as they were wont to do. But on this particular day a fierce storm rolled in, cutting the fishing boat off from the safety of the shore.
It was a strong wind, and despite the experience of the fisherman, he could not keep the fishing boat from capsizing.
The boat turned over, casting it’s crew into the sea. The fisherman was able to hang on, and get ahold of the life line and in that instant had to make a decision. Cast the line to his son or cast the line to his son’s friend.
The fisherman was a Christian, and knowing that his son was saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, but that his son’s friend was not, the fisherman made the impossible decision. He called out “I love you son!” and threw the life line to his son’s friend.
Neither father nor friend truly ever got over the tragedy of that loss, but when the friend asked why he had been saved, the father said it was in the hopes that he may be saved by Jesus.
Then the old man told the congregation, don’t waste any more time. Accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. For just as the father did in the story, God the Father sacrificed His only Son for the chance that you might be saved.
Then the pastor returned, gave a short sermon and gave a call to come to the altar. No one moved from their seats. But right after the service, two teenage boys who had been sitting in the front row went straight to the side of the old pastor.
Your story, they said. It was rather unrealistic for the father to save his son’s friend just because he might be saved.
The old man thought about that and said, you know, your right. It probably is unrealistic. But I am here to tell you that however unrealistic, it is the best picture I can give to what God felt when he gave His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. And no matter how unrealistic, I am here to tell you boys that I was that fisherman. And your pastor, was my son’s friend.
Jesus Christ died on the cross. Why? So that we may be saved. It was an altruistic, agape love, self-sacrificial act. He was blameless, sinless, and without guilt. And yet He died so that we may live.
If you accept his sacrifice, and follow him, you will gain such a confidence and security in not only who you are, but in your eternal resting place, that humility, leading to service, leading to giving, leading to true happiness and joy will not only be possible, but a reality.
Jared Williams
It begins with a pastor greeting his congregation after the beginning worship songs. The pastor proceeds to tell the congregation that another pastor was visiting today. A dear and very close friend of his, and the pastor welcomed him up to the stage to say whatever he may want to say.
So an elderly man walked up to the stage and began to tell this story.
There once was a fisherman, who took his son and his son’s best friend out on a fishing trip, as they were wont to do. But on this particular day a fierce storm rolled in, cutting the fishing boat off from the safety of the shore.
It was a strong wind, and despite the experience of the fisherman, he could not keep the fishing boat from capsizing.
The boat turned over, casting it’s crew into the sea. The fisherman was able to hang on, and get ahold of the life line and in that instant had to make a decision. Cast the line to his son or cast the line to his son’s friend.
The fisherman was a Christian, and knowing that his son was saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, but that his son’s friend was not, the fisherman made the impossible decision. He called out “I love you son!” and threw the life line to his son’s friend.
Neither father nor friend truly ever got over the tragedy of that loss, but when the friend asked why he had been saved, the father said it was in the hopes that he may be saved by Jesus.
Then the old man told the congregation, don’t waste any more time. Accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. For just as the father did in the story, God the Father sacrificed His only Son for the chance that you might be saved.
Then the pastor returned, gave a short sermon and gave a call to come to the altar. No one moved from their seats. But right after the service, two teenage boys who had been sitting in the front row went straight to the side of the old pastor.
Your story, they said. It was rather unrealistic for the father to save his son’s friend just because he might be saved.
The old man thought about that and said, you know, your right. It probably is unrealistic. But I am here to tell you that however unrealistic, it is the best picture I can give to what God felt when he gave His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. And no matter how unrealistic, I am here to tell you boys that I was that fisherman. And your pastor, was my son’s friend.
Jesus Christ died on the cross. Why? So that we may be saved. It was an altruistic, agape love, self-sacrificial act. He was blameless, sinless, and without guilt. And yet He died so that we may live.
If you accept his sacrifice, and follow him, you will gain such a confidence and security in not only who you are, but in your eternal resting place, that humility, leading to service, leading to giving, leading to true happiness and joy will not only be possible, but a reality.
Jared Williams
