INTRODUCTION: A young teacher came to teach in one of the most unruly schools in the area. Tom, the class bully, bragged that he would run off the your schoolmaster by himself. But the schoolmaster took a different approach to the students than had ever been tried. He told them,"you boys make the rules." one boy yelled,"no stealin!" Another shouted,"no cheat- in!" Eventually ten rules were placed on the blackboard. Then the students agreed that ten stripes across the back was to be the punishment. Although the teacher thought that to be little severe he agreed because the
boys had suggested it.

In a day or so "big Tom" discovered that his dinner had been stolen. Upon inquiry it was discovered that it had been stolen by a hungry child about ten. Sadly the teacher announced, "we have found the thief and he must be punished according to your rules-ten stripes! Jim, come up here." As the child bent over the teacher thought to himself, "how can I whip this child? But I must do something if I keep this school." Just as the schoolmaster raised his rod "Big Tom" jumped to his feet and said, "Teacher, if you don't object, I will take Jim's whipping for him."

We are all like that little boy that faced a whipping. All us by law and it's demands deserve punishment for our sins. But Paul in Titus 2:14 tells us that we had someone who was willing to stand in for us and take our punishment.

BODY

I. THE GREAT PRICE THAT OUR LORD PAID- "WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US."

A. The majesty of the Lord.

1. Philippians 2:6- "who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,"

2. Matthew 1:23- ""Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us.""

3. John 20:28- "And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!""

B. This same Lord was made a Sin offering for us.

1. 2 Corinthians 5:21- "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

2. 1 Corinthians 5:7- "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us."

3. Isaiah 53:3-6- "He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. {4} Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. {5} But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

II. THE EXTENT OF OUR LORD'S REDEMPTION-"FROM EVERY LAWLESS DEED."

A. The depth of our Iniquity

1. Romans 3:9-18

2. Ephesians 2:12- "that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."

B. All sinners who turn in obedience will be redeemed by the Lord.

1. Matthew 11:28-29

2. John 6:37- ""All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."

3. Romans 10:12- "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him."

C. No sinner is so tainted that he cannot be reached by the Lord's redemption.

1. I Corinthians 6:9-11

2. Paul was a murderer and blasphemer.

3. Peter denied the Lord three times.

III. THE EXTENT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST-" TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF HIS OWN SPECIALPEOPLE."

A. We are God's special people.

1. 2 Corinthians 6:16- "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.""

2. 1 Corinthians 6:15-16- "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! {16} Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh.""

3. 1 Peter 2:9-10- "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; {10} who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

B. This shows a need for Christians to be different.

1. There has always been a need for God's people to be separate.

a. Ezra 6:21- "Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the LORD God of Israel."

2. 2 Corinthians 6:17- "Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.""

3. Ephesians 5:11- "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them."

IV. THE NATURE OF OUR CHRISTIAN SERVICE- "ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS"

A. Our purpose as Christians is to engage in good works.

1. Ephesians 2:10- "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

B. Christianity is not just a "sit down" religion.

1. 1 Corinthians 15:58- "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

2. Galatians 6:9-10

3. Hebrews 13:16- "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

4. James 4:17- "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."

CONCLUSION: As "Big Tom" was being spanked for Jim the entire class broke forth in tears. After the deed was finished Jim reached up and caught Tom with both arms around the neck. "Tom, I was so hungry. Tom, I'll love you
till I die for taking my licking for me! yes, I'll love you forever!" Will you love the one who was "Took the licking" for us enough to obey and serve him all your life?

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.