“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16-17).
After the Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor stood up, walked 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 waves 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” (https://www.jesussite.com/resources/illustrations/salvation/).
Friends, your salvation from Hell’s damnation is just that important to God. Recite the most familiar verse in the Bible that speaks of God’s love for you and Him sending Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to die in your place to pay the debt of punishment that you deserve for you, so you could have the opportunity to be saved and escape the eternal punishment you deserve. Jesus said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” From Romans 5:8-9, we have this assurance: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
Even so, many people reject the offer of salvation in Jesus, because their hearts are full of worry and concern over what they will have to give up. They know God requires they give up their sins; however, they love and enjoy their sin. They are afraid that, if they become Christians, they may have to give up the habits they love and the hobbies they enjoy. What if God requires them to sell their home and move away to a strange place? What if I have to change jobs? Will I have enough money to keep up my lifestyle? They have a thousand questions for which God will not answer other than to say, “Trust Me.” That is the essence of faith, and faith is the basis upon which God requires us to relate Him. Moreover, as Hebrews 11:6 confirms, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”
The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, left us incredible news in 2 Peter 1:3: “His (God’s) divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” Did you hear that? God grants to the believer everything, say it again, “everything,” pertaining to life and godliness. 2 Corinthians 9:8 assures us: “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” Did you catch that? God give all grace in all situations so that the believer has all sufficiency in everything to do what God requires. So, you see friends, in Christ, the believer has everything necessary to live his or her life for God’s glory and accomplish the work God has prepared for him or her to do before departing this earth for the glories of Heaven. But remember that promise and the others hinge on you taking Jesus to be the Lord of your life. John 3:35-36 says, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
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 their great works of art. When the Vietnam War broke out, the son enlisted and 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, he took them to see the portrait of his son, before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The father died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited to see the great paintings and have an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat, all alone, 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 from 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,” came a shout from the audience. $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 once, going 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, and announced, “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” came the reply. “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 after the portrait of the son was sold and the auction was declared over. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the priceless collection of other paintings. It was the father’s will that 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” (https://www.jesussite.com/resources/illustrations/salvation/).
Friends, when we truly embrace Jesus as Lord, are born-again, and enter God’s forever family, there begins a process by which God purges all that is unnecessary and destructive to our new life in Christ. So, yes, there are things that we must give up in order to be God’s children. But I challenge you. Look from the front cover to the back cover of the Bible and find one, just one, instance of a person giving up something for the sake of love and obedience to God that He later regrets surrendering. You will not even find one. That is because what we gain in Christ is so much better than anything we give up for Him. It is off-the-charts better. However, as much as you want to know that personally for yourself before you give your life to Christ, it does not work that way. Why? Because that is not faith. With Jesus, it is not “see it and then believe it.” It is “believe it and then see it.”
So, now, the question before you remains: the Son, the Son, who’ll take the Son? Rom 8:16-17 tells us “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” So, when we take the Son, Jesus, as Lord and Savior, all that is His becomes ours. Let the Holy Spirit engrave this on forefront of your brain, and press it deeply into your heart. Here it is. Are you ready? Whoever takes the Son gets everything.
So, the ball is in your court. Will you take Jesus?