GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD – JOHN 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16, ESV]
Take my son. There is a lesson in this story that I want to share with my readers and everyone. This is a great story; it has been told from generation to generation. Take a moment to read it; it will make your day! The ending is sweet, as it is from the beginning, and it will surprise you in the end.
The Author is “Unknown,” but thanks to Tony Cooke Ministry, among others, for sharing it with their audience. Here goes the message of the Gospel with a very touching and hopeful story:
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from “Picasso to Raphael.” The father and son would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Vietnam 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 man’s door. He opened the door, and there stood a young man with a large package in his hands.
The young man 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 this 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. The wealthy man 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. The wealthy man thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no, Sir,” said the young soldier, “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 over the years. The son’s portrait was always at the heart of the father who so loved his son, who died for his friends on the battlefield.
The wealthy man died later on, and according to his will, there was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many wealthy and influential people gathered, excited about the great paintings and ready for the opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
The first painting to be auctioned and was sitting on the platform, was 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.
The auctioneer continued asking who would bid for this painting. Still, there was complete 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 somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? Going for $100, any buyer?” The crowd remained silent.
Another voice angrily shouted at the back of the room. “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 from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the wealthy man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
The auctioneer announced: “We have $10; who will bid $20?”
“Give it to him for $10, the crowd shouted. Let’s see the master’s.”
“$10 is the bid; won’t someone bid $20?’ The auctioneer asked.
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 once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting in 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?” They asked angrily.
“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. And whoever bought the son’s painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!’
So here is the sweet deal: God gave His Son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is the same as yesterday: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?”
You see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. Have you taken the Son? Just be truthful to yourself. If you have not professed your faith faithfully, repent now, confess your sins, accept the Son as your personal saviour, receive baptism, and inherit the estate of the Kingdom of the Lord.
“For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth shall have eternal life” – that’s love.
Someone may need to hear this message. You can choose to pass it on and preach it for salvation, or decide otherwise. This is the Word of the Lord God. Until next time, God bless you and keep the Faith and Hope alive.
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