THE SON

A weathly man and his son loved

to collect rare works of art. They had

everything in their collection, from

Picasso to Rapheal, and often stood

together, admiring the works of the

great artists.

When the Veitnam conflict broke

out, the son went to war. Several

months later, the father received the

heart breaking news that his only son

had been killed in battle while rescuing

another soldier.

the father received the

heart-breaking news that his only son

had been killed in battle while rescuing

another soldier.

One day, there was a knock at his

door. A young man stood 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 was carrying me to safety

when a bullet hit him, and he died

instantly. He often talked about you,

and your love for art." The young man

held out his package. "I'm not really a

great artist, but I think your son would

have wanted you to have this."

Opening the package, the father's

eyes welled up with tears as he saw

how the young man had captured the

personality of his son in the painted

portrait. He thanked the young man

and offered to pay him for the picture.

" Oh, no sir," the young man replied, "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,

and an auction of his art collections was

arranged. Many influential people

gathered, exicted over the prospect of

seeing the great paintings and the

opportunity of purchasing one.

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

shouted. "We want to see the famous

paintings. Skip that one."

But the auctioneer repeated. "Will

someone bid for this painting? Who

will start the bidding? $100? $200?"

Another voice shouted angrily,

"We didn't come to see that painting.

We came to see the Van Goghs, the

Rembrandts. Get on with the real

bids!" But still the auctioneer

persisted: "The Son! The Son! Who'll

take the Son?"

Finally, a voice came from the

very back of the room. It was the

long-time 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

once. Going 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?"

"I am sorry," the auctioneer

replied. "When I was asked to

conduct this auction I was told of a

stipulation in the will that was not to

be revealed untill this time. Only the

painting of the son was to be

auctioned. Whoever bought that

painting would inherit the entire

estate, including the collection. The

man who took "the son" gets everything!"

Nearly 2,000 years ago God gave

His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, 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!

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of

God hath not life.

1John 5:12