Brian and his sister Patty lived on a farm in the western Canadian prairies. They had a little lamb that was given to their dad by a neighbor, Allan, who also lived on a farm. Allan had many sheep and lambs, and during the month of May, Allan would take all his baby lambs to market.
Brian and Patty’s dad was given one of the baby lambs to take home instead of being shipped off to market with the rest of the lambs. This little lamb was not only saved from the market, but he was also given a new home where he would be loved and cared for!
Brian and Patty named their lamb Bucky. They loved this little lamb. It wasn’t long until he learned to come up to the house every morning and every evening to be fed. During the summer months, Brian and Patty played with the lamb every day.
About a year later, Brian and Patty’s dad decided to take the lamb to market to be sold.
Both children were very sad to lose their pet that they loved. Bucky did not know when he was loaded onto the truck that he was going to market and would no longer see his playmates. Patty and Brian started to cry as Bucky was driven away in the back of the truck.
Down the road and not very far away from the farm, their dad stopped the truck. He was feeling rather sad, knowing how much the children loved Bucky and that the lamb’s life would not be saved. He changed his mind. He got out and let Bucky out of the back of the truck.
Now Brian and Patty did not know that their father had changed his mind. You can imagine the yelps of surprise and joy from the children when Bucky ran back into the farmyard and into the open arms of his playmates!
Most of you boys and girls have probably learned that each one of us is a sinner, because we were born from sinful parents. We have told lies, disobeyed our parents and taken things that don’t belong to us. All of these, and other selfish things, are sin. And maybe you already know that we deserve punishment from God for all our sins. He tells us in Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23), “The wages of sin is death.” Our sins will keep us out of heaven and send us to that awful place called hell, if they aren’t forgiven. But do you know that God loves us so much that He made a way for us to have our sins forgiven? He sent His Son Jesus down here to live a perfect life and then die on Calvary’s cross where He took the punishment for the sins of every boy and girl and grown-up who will come to Him for forgiveness. If your sins are forgiven, the Lord Jesus will take you to His home in heaven when your life here is over. It’s just like Bucky being let out of the back of the truck so that he could run back to his happy home with Brian and Patty, instead of going to market.
Do you remember how happy Brian and Patty were when their lamb came home? The Bible tells us, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that [repents]” (Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10)).
ML-11/10/2013