From my inbox...

AFTER  A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,   
THE  CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,  WALKED  OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, 
 BEFORE  HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,   
 HE  BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER   
WHO  WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. 
IN  THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION  THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS 
ONE  OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND   
THAT  HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS  TO  GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER   
HE  FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.   
 WITH  THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE   
PULPIT  AND BEGAN 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 THE 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 AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED."   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. 
THE  AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,   
 "GRABBING  A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE   
MOST  EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY   
WOULD  HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE 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 OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.   
BY  THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK   
 TO  THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH   
THE  RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.   
HIS  BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. 
BY  THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP   
STRAIGHT  IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT   
WORDS  TO COME OUT OF 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   
AN  ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED   
HIS  SON TO SAVE THE SON'S 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 A HOLD OF THE   
LIFE  LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE."   
WITH  THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN   
HIS  CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM. 
THE  PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND   
 DELIVERED  A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE   
END.  HOWEVER, NO ONE 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   
THEM,"BUT  I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A   
FATHER  TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY 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. 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 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 THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."