wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Francis Harper Message for 11/9/2018
Dear Ones,
What are we willing to sacrifice?
“After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor slowly stood, walked to the pulpit, and before giving his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was at the service. In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister had been one of his dearest friends since childhood. He said he wanted the guest to have a few minutes to greet the congregation, and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service. With that, an elderly man took his place at the pulpit and began to speak.
“A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast 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 when their boat capsized.
“The 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: Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life – to which boy would he throw the lifeline? He had only seconds to make his 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, ‘I love you, son,’ he threw the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time the father pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells. His body was never recovered.
“By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straight up in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come from 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 eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the 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 hold of the lifeline he is throwing out to you in this service.
“With that, the old man turned and sat down in his chair as silence filled the room. The pastor walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end. No one, however, 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 son’s life in the 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. Then a big smile broadened his narrow face, as he looked at the boys and said, ‘It sure isn’t very realistic, is it? But I’m standing here today to tell you this story is true, and it gives us a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up his Son for us.’
“You see, I was that father, and your pastor was my son’s friend.”
My Love to All,
Francis Harper
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God is Love
“God is love” (1 John 4:16). This short but profound quote from John, the beloved apostle, has been firmly implanted in my mind from my youth. This scripture was inscribed in bold letters, framed, and was placed as a reminder on the right hand wall of the old RLDS Church in Woodbine. Evidently during the dismantling of the church, built in the 1880’s, and the building of the new, this heirloom was lost.
We need to be reminded often of the truth that “God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish; but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, . . . this is in remembrance of my blood of the new testament, which is shed for as many as shall believe on my name, for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:22-24 IV; 26: 26-28 KJV).
The love of the Savior is revealed to us by his willingness to die for us. He said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8). “. . . the love of Christ constraineth us; . . . And he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
I believe it was Apostle Arthur Oakman who often asked: “Have you been to the cross?” The Holy Spirit needs to reveal the cross to us. Jesus on the cross was a visual demonstration of his love for every person who has ever lived on earth. “When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died . . . love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all” (The Hymnal, #182).
David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switch Blade, wrote: “They have done away with the cross.” In response to his statement, a friend of mine wrote: “Obviously the very best that we can come up with in terms of evangelistic efforts would amount to nothing if we do away with the cross.”
Jesus was the Lamb of God, “. . . without blemish, and without spot; Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but manifest in these last times for you, Who by him [we] do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:19-21).
Jesus was “the great and last sacrifice.” “Yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; . . . it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice . . . and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God” (Alma 16:210-215). Alma, who lived before Jesus, prophesied of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Hereby perceive we the love of Christ, because he laid down his life for us; . . . we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
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