Who Will Take the Son?

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. –Colossians 2:9

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 grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, a young man stood at the rich man’s door with a large package in his hands. He said, “I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. 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 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 rich man died a few months later and there was an 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 and tried unsuccessfully to get someone – anyone – to buy the painting. But the audience remained silent. As he continued urging them to purchase it, they began to grow restive and irritated. They only wanted to see the expensive paintings. Finally, the rich man’s gardener, an elderly man who had dedicated himself to the service of that family purchased the painting 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. There was a stipulation in the will that whoever purchased that painting was to inherit everything the rich man owned.”

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'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.