Authors Note: I don't own anything just the story.
Father forgive them...
Then the intensified scream which surrounded the entire room, and then silence. The lights on the stage blackened, and the actors moved from the stage, making room for the Pastor to stand behind the pulpit. Claire felt a tugging at her heart, with an already used tissue she dried her eyes. The lights came back on, only this time they were normal. The pastor was there, the elderly mans eyes were misty and it was evident that he himself had been crying.
"Can we give the drama troupe a hand?" He asked the congregation, which immediatly resulted in applause. He waited patiently for the room to silence again before he continued speaking. Claire glanced over at Sawyer who was sitting next to her in the pew. She wanted to see what his reaction to the play had been. He seemed, adgitated, distant, secluded. His emotionless gaze was fixated on the man on stage. She wondered what he was thinking. Claire returned her attention now to Pastor Bradley, the father of the two children who had invited her this evening. Bradley cleared his throat.
"What a powerfull reminder of the sacrafice that Christ made for us." He said as he flipped through several pages in his Bible. "I promise I'm not going to keep you much longer tonight, but I would like you now to turn to the gospel of Luke. I'll be reading from chapter thirteen starting with verse two." The sound of rustled pages could be heard. Claire found herself wishing that she owned a Bible.
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages
Teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem
Someone asked him:"Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said to them: "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door;
Because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."
Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door; you will
Stand outside knocking and pleading: "Sir open the door for us!"
But he will answer:I don't know you or where you come from."
"Then you will say," '"We ate and drank with you and you taught
In our streets.
But he will reply: "I don't know you or where you come from,
Away from me all you evildoers."
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom
Of God but you yourselves thrown out. People will come
From the east and west and north and south and will take their place
at the feast in the kingdom of God.
Indeed there are those who are last who will be first
And first who will be last.
He paused, looking up from the Bible, and took a moment as if reflecting on the words. He looked out in the audiance looking into the eyes, and almost hearts of the people sitting before him. What was he going to say? Somehow she knew she needed to hear it.
"I know most of you sitting in this room tonight. I was there the day that you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. I know that you're doing your best to serve Him with all of your hearts and might." He stopped, and took a brief sip of water, then continued. "For those of you who have already made this descision I look forward to the day where we will spend eternity with eachother praising God, singing, dancing before Him. Without conflict, without fear, without ceasing. But for those of you who have not yet made the choice to follow Jesus I want you to please pay attention to what I am about to say. If you have any doubts about wheather or not there is a heaven or hell I would like to assure you that there is. You can find all the evidance you need written in the pages of this book." He held up his Bible. "I believe that Jesus Christ is the owner of the house in this parable. I believe he is warning us that if you ignore his calling long enough that the door will be closed...but tonight I'm asking you to please before its too late make the choice to follow him. Lay your burdens at his feet, addmit your sins, because we all have sinned. We were all born sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. But when Jesus Christ died on the cross two thousand years ago he created a way for us to -to have a second chance. You want to know what is the most humbling thought for me?" He asked. " That I should have been the one to die on that cross. They should have been my nails! They should have been my scars, my crown of thorns...but no. Ladies and gentlemen, the play does not end there. For three days later Christ rose from the dead, rolled away the stone from the tomb that he had been barried in. He's alive today. He loves us.. all of us. And he's waiting for you to accept him as your personal Lord and savior. He's a father to the fatherless, a friend to the friendless..He's all sufficient. Everything you need. I would like to open the alter now, for those of you would like the chance to repent of your sins and take up your cross to follow Jesus. John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son that whosover believes in him shall not parish but have ever lasting life..." A pianist had moved to the keyboard and was now playing the melody to an unfamiliar song. Claire wanted to make the comitment. She didn't fully understand everything, but she knew, and was sure of the fact that she wanted a second chance. She wanted to make the choice to follow Christ. "The alter is open now for those who wish to come." He said, the final words. Claire turned to Sawyer.
"Here can you take him?" She asked, refurring to Aaron. Sawyer nodded mutely, and watched as Claire made her way up the isle. The pianist began to sing the words to the melody:
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are