In a country village one cold winter’s night some children made their way to a little hall where a children’s meeting was held every week. At the entrance of the hall was a small shop and restaurant.
As the children came running into the hall many of them were munching apples. They stopped for a moment at a table near the door to see their names marked in the attendance register, and then settled in their places.
The group leader, who was a favorite with the children, was rather surprised to see so many eating apples; then suddenly a thought occurred to him. Leaving the boys and girls in the care of some of the helpers, he slipped out, and going to the shopkeeper he asked, “Have you any apples for sale?”
“Yes,” she replied; “I just had some delivered today. But I haven’t had time to sort and put them out yet.”
“Well,” he said, “I’m afraid the children who have come to the meeting tonight have taken quite a lot of them, and I would like to pay for them.”
The shopkeeper was quite taken aback, but was glad to accept his offer.
Going back to the hall he told the children what he had done. He told them he realized they had stolen the apples, and deserved to be punished, but no one could punish them now because the apples were all paid for. He explained that even if the shopkeeper forgave them for stealing her apples, she would have lost what they cost-somebody had to pay. But now he had paid the price himself and so everything was justly settled.
Then he went on to tell how all of us deserved to be punished for our sins, the many wrong things which we have done, but the Lord Jesus bore the punishment for us when He died on the cross, so we can be forgiven freely and justly.
Because Jesus paid the full penalty for all who trust in Him, they are safe forever. And this is how God puts it in His Word: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His strives we are healed.” (Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5).)
ML-04/23/1978