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 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 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  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. 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 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. There was to be a great auction of his  paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the  great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their  collection.

  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 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? $100, $200?'

  Another  voice 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.'

  '$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, 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. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

  'What about the paintings?'

  '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. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire  estate, including the paintings.

  The man who took the son gets everything!'

  God  gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the 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.

  FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Let us Journey On...