The Father thought it;
Jesus brought it;
Holy Spirit wrought it;
The Bible taught it;
The Devil fought it;
And I got it.

In an interview, actor Kevin Bacon shared a conversation he had with his six-year-old son after he had seen the movie Footloose for the first time.

The boy said, “Dad, that was really cool how you jumped up on the roof and swung from the rafters. How did you do that?”

“Well, son, I didn’t actually do that part,” said Bacon. “A stunt man did.”

“What’s a stunt man?” asked his son.

“That’s someone who dresses like me and does things I can’t do. Things that are too dangerous.

“Oh. Well, what about that part in the movie where you spin around on that gym bar and land on your feet,” persisted the boy. “How did you do that?”

“Well, son, that was the stunt man again, not me. He’s really good at gymnastics.”

“Oh.” A long pause. “Dad, just what DID you do in the movie?”

Bacon sheepishly replied, “I got all the glory.”

Jesus stood in for us so that we could have eternal life and share in God’s glory. He was nailed to the cross in our place, to pay for our sins, because He was the only one who could do it and emerge victorious.

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-edited from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice.

After a few of the usual Friday evening hymns, the church’s preacher once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit 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 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.”

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. He continued, “Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life….to which boy he would throw the other end of the 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 the line to his son’s friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.”

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man’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. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us.” With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man’s side. “That was a nice story,” politely started one of the boys, “but I don’t think it was very realistic for a father to give up his 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 the son’s friend.”