11th March, 2004
GRAHAM LEWIS recalls part of a recent sermon which amazed him. Here is a paraphrased version of the story as told by Pastor Andrew Merry of the Ocean Grove Baptist Church in Victoria, Australia...

One day a wealthy young king was riding through the countryside when he came to a village nestled at the foot of a large mountain. As he rode through the main street of the village he noticed the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. His heart was won at once. It was literally love at first sight. Upon returning to his castle the young king could not get the beautiful young woman out of his mind, and he set about making plans to make her fall in love with him and become his wife.

His first plan was to ride straight back to the village and command her to come back to his castle and live in absolute luxury, with as many servants as she liked. Her every wish would be met. However, the young king was also very wise and he realised that the beautiful young woman would not be happy having to leave her family and friends in order to come and live with him in his tall, but isolated castle. She would become resentful and would never truly fall in love with him.

His mind then turned to a second plan. He decided that he would go and live in the village himself. He would build, and live in, a wonderful big house. He would provide her with great treasures and beautiful jewels. Surely, she would have no way of resisting his affection. She could still have her family and friends nearby. She would be queen and he would be king of the village. What a wonderful idea! However, once again his wisdom revealed to him that the young woman may still not fall in love with him, She may simply fall in love with his treasures, whilst other members of the village became jealous of her position and great wealth. This would cause her to become an outcast from her family and cause her great pain. This was the last thing he wanted to happen.

Finally the young king decided on a plan that would he felt would truly work. He would resign his kingship. Leaving everything behind him, he would go and live in the village like any other man. He would work like any other villager, perhaps as a carpenter, and build houses for a living. In this way the beautiful young woman would truly get to know him. She would then hopefully fall in love with him just as he was. She could still live with her family and friends, and there would be no cause for jealousy. The young King acted upon this plan, and it succeeded. The beautiful young woman fell in love with him and they became married. They lived happily in the village and had many children.

Graham notes: "This is just what Jesus did for us. He came down from Heaven and became one of us. Jesus wants us to love Him just as we are. We have the choice, not the command, to love Him."

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