Do you know what a bundle is, my little friends?
“Oh! yes,” you say; “it is a parcel―perhaps a large one or perhaps a small one.” Well, there are, as you know, several kinds of bundles―such as bundles of wood and bundles of clothes―but now I want to speak about a bundle which, perhaps, you carry about with you.
Some of you will remember hearing a story of a poor man climbing a hill, with a large bundle upon his back, and how he felt it a very great burden, because he had carried it a long way and could not get rid of it, although he tried very hard to do so; and you will remember, too, how at last he, came to a place where suddenly his burden dropped off, rolled away, and was never seen any more.
Now, what sort of bundle do you think it was which the man was carrying?
The man is a picture of a poor sinner, and he carries the bundle of his sins. He may try very hard to get rid of his sins by good works or prayers, but he cannot do so―there the burden remains until he turns his eye away from himself altogether, and looks to the Lord Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the cross to save sinners (John 3:1414And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (John 3:14)); and directly he does this, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is saved, and the bundle of sins suddenly disappears, and never comes back again. Not only are his sins all forgiven, but they are forgotten too. Col. 2:1313And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13); Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).
Do you know what it is to be bearing this bundle about with you every day? The great God who knows everything says that in one way all are alike in His sight ―that “all have sinned,” and “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Rom. 3:12, 2312They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12)
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). So you, my little friend, are a sinner, whether you feel the burden of it or not; and, as you well know, there will be no sin of any kind in heaven. So, if you really wish to be in that bright home where the Lord Jesus is, you must have all your sins put away, the bundle must be gone before you can enter in.
Let me tell you of a dear little maiden of about thirteen years of age, who felt what a burden sin was. When she was only a little mite of five, her nurse dropped her when putting her into a bath, and her poor little back was hurt so much that ever since she has had to lie down, and has suffered a great deal of pain, and has never run about at play, or been for nice walks like you have. But it was not the pain or weariness she felt such a burden―no, it was her sins. She said to me one day when I spoke to her about the Lord Jesus: “Sometimes I am naughty and cross, and I do not think I am fit for heaven.” I told her Jesus, the Son of God, did not come down to save the good boys and girls, but the bad ones, and He had died upon the cross that sinners who looked away from themselves to Jesus, and believed on Him, might be happy and able to say, “He bore my sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24). Dear little Annie then said, “They are so heavy,” meaning her sins were a great load upon her, for although she believed Jesus had died for her the burden was not yet gone, but when I went on to speak more of Jesus and His love in dying for the naughty ones, she saw that if Jesus had died instead of her and had borne her sins upon the cross she would never have to bear them or the punishment at all—and she said she could thank the Lord Jesus for bearing them all away. When I next saw little Annie she was so bright and happy, and told me she knew now she was washed and made whiter than snow in the precious blood of Jesus―because, “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). Yes, now the bundle of Annie’s sins was gone, for she saw that the heavy burden was laid upon the Lord Jesus when He was on the cross, and that He carried it away into the land of forgetfulness, and that her sins will never be remembered any more. Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).
Now, my dear little friend, have you lost YOUR burden yet? Can you go about brightly and happily, trusting in the Lord Jesus as your own dear Saviour, able to thank Him for what He has done, and trying to live for Him who died for you.
The Lord Jesus has been lifted up from the earth, and now says to the poor heavy-laden sinner—whether young or old―rich or poor, “Look unto me, and be ye saved.” Isa. 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22). “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).
Look, then, just as you are to the Lord Jesus Christ, like little Annie did, and “think of His love when He gave up His life” for the naughty ones, and then, like little Annie, you will be able to say your heavy load is gone; and then I know that if I never meet you on earth, I shall see you at that large meeting when all those whose sins have been washed away in His precious blood rise to meet the Lord Jesus in the air, to go home with Him to be with Him forever. I. F.