There once was a Pastor, named George Thomas, in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old birdcage, and set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak.
“I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, “What you got there son?”
“Just some old birds,” came the reply.
“What are you gonna do with them?” I asked.
“Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,” he answered. I’m gonna tease ‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time.”
“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?”
“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds. I’ll take’em to them.”
The Pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those birds, son?”
“Huh??!!! Why, you don’t want them bird’s, mister. They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing — they ain’t even pretty!”
“How much?” the Pastor asked again.
The boy sized up the Pastor as if he were crazy and said, “$10?”
The Pastor reached in his pocket and look out a ten-dollar bill.
He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.
The Pastor picked up the cage
and went to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot.
Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
Well, that explained the empty birdcage on the pulpit, and then the Pastor began to tell this story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap and used bait I knew they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!”
“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.
Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other and much more… I’m really gonna have fun!”
“And what will you do when you get done with them?” Jesus asked.
“Oh, I’ll kill ‘em,” Satan glared proudly.
“How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked.
“Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you!! You don’t want those people!”
“How much?” He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your tears, and all your blood.”
Jesus said, “DONE!” Then He paid the price.
I will be posting Powerful Power point soon of the full Story.
Isaiah 53
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
In Him only we have life and if it was not form His love first for us we could ever know what is it like to live in Hope
thank you for sharing dear Anne
God bless your life
LikeLike
Thank you my dear friend Dunia, yes without our Awesome Loving Saviour where would we be, how great is His Love for us, how He longs to embrace us and call us His own, how much He hurts when we go our own way instead of listening to His voice leading and guiding us, we need to always follow the good Shepherd and not the wayward flock.
Thank you for sharing and always caring – Christian Love Anne
LikeLike
The illustrations are powerful, Annie. It reminds us well of the price Jesus paid for us.
I’m thankful for a powerful and all inspiring God!
Lady D
LikeLike
Thank you L.D my critter friend who is also special and gifted, how very blessed we are in Christ Jesus, He did indeed pay the price for all mankind to set us free, not one of us can take the credit for our Salvation but we were Born to be free and to soar not be couped up like chickens unable to rise up like your plans and gliders do, we are to be free like a bird in flight.
Christian Love Anne
LikeLike
Amen, Anne. God’s undeserved love illustrated well. God bless.
LikeLike
Thank you mtsweat my friend in Christ Jesus how good to have your encouragement.
Christian Love Anne.
LikeLike
Great story. It really makes the point about God’s love for us. Thanks.
LikeLike
Thank you my friend Dru and yes it seems to be the message that touched others hearts as well and how True it is .. God is Love and can be no other way, how very good this is to know and believe.
Christian Love Annie
LikeLike
Such a good illustration of Gods love for us and of Jesus love for the Father.
Ron
LikeLike
Thank you Ron and yes so True God’s Love is always with us never failing , never ending.
Christian Love Anne.
LikeLike