The Son

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.

diamond

ONE love, blood, life
Joined
May 3, 2002
Messages
12,849
Location
Tempe, Az USA
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 great works of art. When Vietnam broke out the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soilder.

The father was notified and grieved deeply for his 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'm the soldier for whom you son gave his life for. 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 his 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 potrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soilder had captured the personality of the son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up in 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 potrait over his mantle. Everytime visitors came to his home he took them to see the potrait 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 influentail people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an oppurtunity 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 someone bid for this painting
Who will start the bidding? 100 ,200?"

Another voice shouted angrily"We didn't come to see this painting. We came to the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with 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 gardner of the man and the 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 somebody 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 his gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!."

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 the stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought the 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 a cruel cross.

Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The Son, The Son, who will take the Son?" Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

-author unknown.
 
Last edited:
I can respect that :up:


But still........ .................. I have to give it a :eyebrow: I understand the metaphors, but.... I guess it's just a personal hitch for me. But I don't need to take away from that illustration there.


good story
 
I've heard that before...either at my church or my boyfriend's church in Iowa....

It's not a perfect anaolgy, IMO, there are better ones, but still nice to read/listen to.
 
diamond said:
i don't see it boding well w the predestination crowd.

db9

It's actually not the predestination (or lack thereof) that doesn't work for the Calvinists, it's the lack of a symbol for General and Special revelation. Calvinists believe that the existence of God is revealed to ALL people through His presence in creation (thus, say you're from a traditional tribe on some remote island and you've never heard of Jesus or the Bible...you still have access to God and Grace through the creation you're a part of). There is also Special Revelation, where God is again revealed to humanity through Scripture.

In the story, the people at the auction had no access to the painting before the auction, so obviously wouldn't have any idea what it was or what it was really worth.
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:


It's actually not the predestination (or lack thereof) that doesn't work for the Calvinists, it's the lack of a symbol for General and Special revelation. Calvinists believe that the existence of God is revealed to ALL people through His presence in creation (thus, say you're from a traditional tribe on some remote island and you've never heard of Jesus or the Bible...you still have access to God and Grace through the creation you're a part of). There is also Special Revelation, where God is again revealed to humanity through Scripture.

In the story, the people at the auction had no access to the painting before the auction, so obviously wouldn't have any idea what it was or what it was really worth.

perhaps the message was more about man's god given right to choose; with the auctioneer portraying the Holy Spirit by pleading and prompting the crowd, and the crowd representing the views of the world, not recognizing or choosing to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit, which testifies of all truth;thereby forfieting all of God's goodness..

db9
 
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:
Calvinists believe that the existence of God is revealed to ALL people through His presence in creation (thus, say you're from a traditional tribe on some remote island and you've never heard of Jesus or the Bible...you still have access to God and Grace through the creation you're a part of).

That´s cool. :up:
 
I think all mankind will be judged according to the Light of Christ and knowledge of Christ they possessed and what they decided to do with that knowledge.

Believing that God The Father and Creator of all of us (his children), those that did not have an oppurtunity to hear of The Son here, will hear about Him in the hereafter and at that time still have their free will their to choose how they want to map out their Eternal Progression.

Earthlife isn't black or white, nor were only a portion of God's children earmarked to be saved.

This is how I understand God, and this seems fair and just.

db9
 
Last edited:
Might as well lock this one up too sulawesigirl4.

After all it doesn't fit within the exact parameters.

dbs
 
diamond said:
Might as well lock this one up too sulawesigirl4.

After all it doesn't fit within the exact parameters.

dbs

That was very snarky of you to bump this thread in retaliation of sula closing your other thread. That was incredibly rude, and I'd advise against continuing such behavior.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom