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.
After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor slowly stood up and walked over to the pulpit. Before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service.
In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest 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 coast,” he began. “Soon 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.
“The three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized. The father was able to flip the boat over and get back in, but the two teenagers were too far away, struggling against the surging waves.”
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 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 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,” one of the boys politely stated, “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, 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 that father and your pastor was my son’s friend.”
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Meet Pastors Dean and Kim Hawk, the heartwarming duo behind the creation of Rock Family Church. Since they exchanged vows in 1983, their journey has been filled with love and family. Together, they have five incredible adult children—Alesha with her husband Aaron, Allyson, and Preston with his wife Melannie. Their joy extends to four precious grandchildren.
Dean's dedication to ministry dates back to 1981, and his passion shines through in every aspect of his work. Before establishing RFC in 2004, he graciously served as a Youth and Associate Pastor in three different churches. Dean's teaching style is both practical and illustrative, bringing the Bible to life through engaging topical and verse-by-verse lessons that seamlessly apply to your everyday life. Beyond his pastoral duties, Dean shares his wisdom as an adjunct professor at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park.
Kim, a vital part of our Executive Team, wears multiple hats as our CFO and oversees the Children's Team and Women's Ministry. Her vibrant and infectious attitude, combined with her deep love for our church family, is unmistakable.
Don't hesitate to introduce yourself: you'll often find them in the lobby between services. Dean and Kim can't wait to welcome you and look forward to the joy of meeting you soon!