Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - The Chief and the Thief - #8247

Friday, April 10, 2009

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He was known as one of the most respected Indian chiefs of his time; he had this unblemished reputation for being totally loving toward his people, but also totally just when it came to judging those who did wrong. He was troubled that someone from their village had been stealing pelts from his people. He let it be known that the thief would be tied to a stake in the middle of the village when the sun was high and beaten with twenty lashes of the whip. And then he set a trap to catch the thief.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and the chief called some braves to leave pelts outside a tepee, and then to keep it under surveillance all night. One of them woke him in middle of night, looking very grim-faced, and he said, “We caught the thief.” They brought in the thief. It was his mother.

The next day, when sun was high, the whole village gathered around that stake in the center of the village. Which would prevail, the chief’s love or the chief’s justice? His love wouldn’t want to punish his own mother. His justice, though, demanded the penalty be paid. At high sun, his mother was tied to the stake with her back to her people. The brave reluctantly raised the whip to carry out the punishment. Then there came this shout: “Wait!” And the chief emerged from his tent. And the people said, “His love is greater than his justice. He’ll let her go.” He did let her go and he stripped off shirt and ordered that he be tied to stake. And he said, “Begin!” And so began a scene no one would ever forget: the chief took the place of the one he loved–took the punishment she deserved.

That is what Good Friday is all about. In the Bible’s words, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24 ). Our sins had to be paid for. He sent His Son to do it. If you’ve never put your life in His hands, could there be a better day to do it? Our website is there to help you make that connection…ALifeThatMatters.org.

This radio program references: 1 Peter 2:24