Check Mate

We enjoyed Rev. James Keck's sermon that was telecast from First Plymouth in Lincoln this evening. It included a story told by Rev. Billy Graham in 1995 in a sermon on the painting, "Check Mate"

The story of “The Chess Master and the Painting” 

“There is a picture of a chess game hanging in Paris. On one side of the painting is the Devil, and on the other side is a lad about sixteen years of age. They are playing chess. The Devil has a leering, triumphant expression on his face. He has just licked this boy at chess, and the boy is sitting there with his head bowed and big tears trickling down his cheeks. The Devil has just won in the game of life over this lad. He has no strength, he has no way out, and he has given up. 

The title of the picture is "Check Mate". 

He had him.

A famous chess player came through one day. He looked at the painting. He felt sorry for the boy and he hated the looks of the Devil.

He began to study the board where the men were placed, and all of a sudden he shouted: "Son, I have found a move, one move . . . if you will make that move you can lick the Devil." He forgot himself, he forgot it was a painting-he was so engrossed in it."

Rev. Keck went on to use the analogy just as Rev. Billy Graham did to say that when we may think the "Devil has us in Check Mate", we still have a move available.