This illustration I'm about to give you is the best illustration of this. It's called the gospel. The best illustration of the gospel I've ever heard.
Once upon a time in a far-off country, there was an ancient king who was known to be simultaneously the most loving and just king who had ever existed. Eventually, it was discovered that somebody was stealing from the king's treasury. And because the king was just, he issued a decree.
He said that when when it was discovered who was stealing from his treasury that a sentence of 10 lashes in front of the entire kingdom would be visited upon that person for their as the penalty for their disobedience. The theft continued and eventually he issued a final decree. 40 lashes would be visited upon the person who was stealing from the king's treasury.
But watch this. 40 lashes was a death sentence. So he issued a death sentence.
As weeks went went by, it was eventually discovered that none other than the daughter of the king was the one who was stealing from his treasury. When that was discovered, a question began to ripple through the kingdom. How could the most loving king who's ever existed kill his own daughter?
Some people thought that he would pardon her, but then how would he be just? Some people thought that he would punish her, but then how would he be loving? Well, eventually the king examined it and he he said, "Hey, the law is clear.
Sin has taken place. Justice must fall. the sentence must be passed.
And the king's own daughter was brought in front of the entire kingdom. And when she got to the front, she was laid over an executioner's table. She was tied to the table.
The executioner ripped open the back of her shirt and stepped back. But just as the executioner lifted his whip to issue the first lash, the king stood up from his throne and he yelled, "Stop! " Everyone was in dismay.
Silently, the king walked forward, bent over his daughter, wrapped his body around his daughter on the stump, ripped the shirt off of his own back, looked back at the executioner, and said, "Now hit her. " The executioner objected, "King, I can't hit her without hitting you. Now hit her.
" 40 lashes fell upon the back of the king over the back of his daughter and the king died and the girl went free. That was done for you. Because God is just, punishment for sin had to be paid.
But because God is love, he chose to make that payment himself. And here's the good news. What you must understand is that when Jesus hung on that bloody cross and he pushed up on his nail-pierced hands, choking to death on his own blood, his final words through his choking breath were the words, "It is finished.
" He did not cry out, "I am finished. " His words were, "It is finished.
