Articles
Taking a Whipping for Us
Taking a Whipping for Us
In 1872 in the town of Caruthersville, Missouri, there was a school with a class of students that no teacher had been able to handle. Two or three teachers had been run off from this school in one year by the unruly students. A young man, just out of college, heard about the class and applied to the school. The principal asked the young man, "Do you know what you are asking for? No one else has been able to handle these students." The young man looked at the principal and said, "Sir, with your consent I accept the challenge. Just give me a trial basis."
The next morning the young man stood before the class. He said to the class, "Young people, I came here today to conduct school. But I realize I can't do it by myself. I must have your help." One big boy, they called Big Tom, in the back of the room whispered to his buddies, "I won't need any help. I can lick that little bird all by myself." The young teacher told the class that if they were to have school, there would have to be some rules to go by. But he also added that he would allow the students to make up the rules and that he would list them on the blackboard.
This was certainly different, the students thought! One young man suggested "NO STEALING." Another one shouted "BE ON TIME FOR CLASS." Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the board. The teacher then asked the class what the punishment should be for breaking these rules. "Rules are no good unless they are enforced," he said.
Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off. The teacher thought that this was pretty harsh, so he asked the class if they would stand by this punishment. The class agreed.
Everything went along pretty good for two or three days. Then Big Tom came in one day very upset. He declared that someone had stolen his lunch. After talking with the students, they came to the conclusion that little Timmy had stolen Big Tom's lunch. Someone had seen little Timmy with Big Tom's lunch! The teacher called little Timmy up to the front of the room. Little Timmy admitted he had taken Big Tom's lunch. So the teacher asked him, "Do you know the punishment?" Little Timmy nodded that he did. "You must remove your coat," the teacher instructed. The little fellow had come with a great big coat on.
Little Timmy said to the teacher, "I am guilty and I am willing to take my punishment, but please don't make me take off my coat." The teacher reminded little Timmy of the rules and punishments and again told him he must remove his coat and take his punishment like a man.
The little fellow started to unbutton that old coat. As he did so, the teacher saw he did not have a shirt on under the coat. And even worse, he saw a frail and bony frame hidden beneath that coat. The teacher asked little Timmy why he had come to school without a shirt on.
Little Timmy replied, "My daddy's dead and my mother is very poor. I don't have but one shirt, and my mother is washing it today. I wore my big brother's coat so that I could keep warm." That young teacher stood and looked at the frail back with the spine protruding against the skin, and his ribs sticking out. He wondered how he could lay a rod on that little back and without even a shirt on. Still, he knew he must enforce the punishment or the children would not obey the rules. So he drew back to strike little Timmy.
Just then Big Tom stood up and came down the aisle. He asked, "Is there anything in the rules that says that I can't take little Timmy's whipping for him?" The teacher thought about it and agreed. With that Big Tom took his coat off and stooped and stood over little Timmy at the desk. The teacher began to lay the rod on Tom’s big back. After the whipping, he heard a commotion and looked up to find not even one dry eye in the room. Little Timmy had turned and grabbed Big Tom around the neck apologizing to him for stealing his lunch, begging Big Tom to forgive him, and promising that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him.
Aren't you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us? “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:6-9). (Author unknown to me)
A Moments Wisdom
- There are two ways to glide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both will save one from having to think.
- Children are more likely to follow the way we lead rather than the way we point.
- If there is no wind, row!
- The question should never be who is right, but rather what is right.
- There are not enough crutches in this world to prop up all of the lame excuses.
- The best counsel is only as good as the use we make of it.
- Too often folks who stand up strongly for their rights, fall down on their responsibilities.
- There is a great difference between being interested and being committed. When we are interested in doing something, we do it when circumstances are favorable. When we are committed to something, we refuse to use circumstances as an excuse.
- Obstacles are the frightening things we see when we take our eyes off of the goal.
- It is sad that in our world the supply of truth is greater than the demand for it.
Test Your Bible Knowledge of the Psalms
1. I am often called the Psalm of the Shepherd __________.
2. I am the Psalm of the crucified Christ __________.
3. I am the Psalm of David’s repentance and confession __________.
4. I am the longest Psalm __________.
5. I am the shortest Psalm __________.
6. What are the Psalms? __________
Upcoming Sermons
2/23/20 AM - How to Enjoy Our Salvation
PM - What Does the Bible Teach about Christians and Self Defense? Part One
3/1/20 AM - Barnabas’ Edifying Expositions
PM - Singing Service: Congregational Choice
3/8/20 AM - Wasting Precious Ointment?
PM - What Does the Bible Teach about Christians and Self Defense? Conclusion
3/15/20 AM - “If I Do Not Wash You…”
PM - Seven Scriptural Crowns
3/22/20 AM - A Godly Man’s Resolve
PM - Stand Still and Be Quiet
3/29/20 AM - The Bible’s Big Words
PM - Moment by Moment
