FATHER AND HIS SON

Our story is about a father and his son. The mother had just passed away and the father is left to raise his son. The father is an art collector and travels throughout the world buying fine art. The father loves his son with all his heart and not wanting to be separated from his son, takes him with him everywhere he travels. They do all things together and through time they bond, become very close as does their love for each other and this love is evident in all they do.
There comes a time when their country goes to war and the son says to the father, "I must serve our country and go to war." The father realizes that he must send his son and so he allows him to go. Seven months pass and the father gets a telegram telling him of his son's death. The telegram also says that his son had died while saving the life of another.
The father stops collecting art, becomes a recluse and shuts himself up in his home. Several months go by and there is a knock on the door. He opens the door to find a young man standing there. The young man says " I am the one whose life your son saved. I am not much of an artist, but I painted a picture of your son and wanted you to have it." The painting was not a work of art, but it did capture his sons features and characteristics. The father hangs the picture right in the center of all the fine art he had collected throughout his lifetime.
The years pass by and the father dies. There is an auction held to sell the estate and all the beautiful art that he had collected. The auction was packed with people from all walks of life and especially fine art experts, for the Fathers collection was known to be the finest collection of art there was.
As the auction begins, the auctioneer starts the auction with the painting of the son. "The auctioneer says "I would like to start the bidding at five thousand dollars. Do I have anyone who will start the bidding at five thousand dollars?" There are a bunch of grins, smiles and even some smirks, but no one makes a bid for the painting. They had come to buy the priceless art the father had collected. The auctioneer asks "Do I have a bid of one thousand dollars?" Again no one offers to bid on the painting. A young man in the back speaks up a bit nervously and says "I only have thirty-five dollars, but if you would consider this I would like to offer all of it for the painting?" The auctioneer says, " Well we have no other bids, so I will accept that as the opening bid. "I have an opening bid of thirty five dollars, do I have one hundred dollars?" No one makes and offer. The auctioneer says, " No other offers? Okay, going once, going twice, sold to the young man in the back for thirty-five dollars," as he slams the gavel down. "The auctioneer then again slams the gavel down and says "this auction is over." The other people all start to shout "What do you mean the auction is over?" The auctioneer states "The father stated in his will that I was to start this auction by offering the son, and whoever receives the son shall along with it, receive everything else!" Granted, you cannot purchase the Son, Jesus Christ. The fact is, it is He who purchased you, through His death on the cross. He died that along with Him you will also receive everything else. We all sin, no matter how good we are, and there is no formula or way that we can do enough good things to pay the penalty for our sin. Not going to church, not giving money, not being nice, not helping others. The only way is through accepting, trusting, that through His death on the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for your sins in full, past, present and future. It is by faith in this and this alone!
Along with eternal life, this does bring so much more. You now live a new life. Before you were separated from God, now you have intimate fellowship with God. We are God's children and as such, may freely go to Him in prayer, knowing that our prayers are heard, for Jesus is our intercessor before God always. You are accepted by God for who you are. He approves of you when you fail as much as when you succeed. He loves you when you sin and when you are walking closely with Him. God's approval and love are no longer based on what you have done. They are founded on what Jesus did for you on the cross. He took the sin that is upon you, and took it all upon Himself. It is because of Jesus that God can and does love us unconditionally, regardless of our goodness. Accept this truth and you will realize just how much God does loves you. He will forgive all that you have done, not only that but, His amazing love chooses not only to forgive all of your sins, but to remember them not! God loves you always, not just when you are good, but always! His love is total, ever flowing and unchanging for you. All the richest of His kingdom are yours, and all you need do, is to receive His Son as your personal Savior. This is the greatest gift of all, and this gift is not only available for everyone, but it is freely given to all that will accept it. Will you accept this gift and trust Jesus Christ as your Savior?