Sermon Central
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Father, Forgive Them... PRO
Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 27, 2009 (message contributor)
FATHER, FORGIVE THEM...
Many years ago, long before any of us were born, and long before our great grandparents were born, a young man walked into town. His clothes were old and well worn. His shoes had holes, and he carried all of his possessions in a small, dirty bag. When he first arrived in town he slept under an apple tree, and the residents of the town quickly got to know him because he was always asking if he could do jobs for people.
"I can do anything that needs to be done; and I promise I will never ask for payment," said the scruffy young man.
Some were suspicious of him, and some told him to get lost, but slowly and surely more and more people trusted him, and the quality of his work was superb. He could paint, do the garden, fix broken furniture, run errands and entertain children. He was a great shoe shiner, a blacksmith, and a builder.
Some people paid him by giving him a meal. Some gave him water to drink. Some gave him money, but there were many people who took advantage of him. They asked him to do enormous jobs that lasted all day and then gave him nothing; but the young man never complained. He had said he would work for nothing, and so at the end of a hard day’s work, he would leave with a cheerful smile on his face – even more cheerful than the smile that greeted the people of the town every morning.
As time went by, stories of the man passed from house to house and to other towns; and more and more people realised that they didn’t have to give the young man anything for his efforts, so he began to receive less food, and less water. But still he worked hard, smiled with an infectious smile, and slept under the apple tree.
One day there was no work. The man was hungry and thirsty.
There was no work because it was the King’s birthday! It was a national holiday. Everyone was dressed up in their finest clothes, because the king was coming to town. Music was playing. Laughter filled the air. Children couldn’t wait to get their first glimpse of the king. The young man’s smile was broader than ever, but the people of the town told him to keep his distance because his clothes looked out of place for such a grand occasion. In fact, they tied him to his apple tree so that he would not spoil the day.
When the King’s carriage pulled into town there was a fanfare to greet him, and applause...
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