Back in the days when horse-drawn wagons were the only way to travel, horses were as valuable as cars are today. Because they were valuable, robbers made a practice of stealing horses.
Big John was the leader of a band of robbers who roamed the roads and stole not only the horses, but also the goods of farmers going to town. Everyone was afraid of Big John and his cruel band of robbers.
One afternoon, Big John ambushed a logger on his way to market to sell his logs. Big John was pleased with the large load of logs he was about to steal along with the man’s horses. He was very rough in removing the logger from his wagon, and the poor logger was terribly upset.
“Please, please, have mercy!” the man begged. “Please leave me just one of my horses!”
Big John refused. “Silence!” he ordered.
“Please, mister, just one horse. In the name of Jesus, let me keep one horse!”
The name of Jesus! This grabbed Big John’s attention, and he stood still for a moment . . . but what do I care about that name! he quickly decided. And without looking back, he jumped onto the wagon, snapped the reins and took off - taking every last horse with him.
That night Big John could not sleep. The name of Jesus . . . the name of Jesus . . . the name . . . who is Jesus? He must be very powerful if His name was used to stop me! These thoughts ran through Big John’s head all that night until he dropped into a restless sleep.
In the morning, Big John felt no better. He knew that the occupation of stealing horses and wagons was a bad thing. And his thoughts were right, that it was Jesus who was trying to talk to him about it. He did not know how to find out about Jesus, but he did know what he should do about his stealing.
It was a very surprised sheriff who greeted Big John that morning. Big John was a known and feared robber, and no one ever expected to catch him.
“I’m coming to turn myself in,” Big John announced gruffly. “I’ve been stealing, and I’m sorry.”
Even though he turned himself in, that did not change the law that Big John had to pay the penalty for his wrongdoing. After his trial, he was sentenced to die and was taken back to his cell.
In that jail, it was usual for a preacher to visit each prisoner who was sentenced to die. Big John had never spoken to a preacher before, but now he was anxious to see one.
“Can you tell me who Jesus is?” Big John asked the visiting preacher.
The preacher was only too happy to tell Big John all he wanted to know about Jesus.
“All men are sinners,” the preacher began, “and they face eternal punishment for their sins. But God, who loves every sinner, provided a way for sinners to escape that punishment in hell. He sent His Son Jesus into the world as a man, and He lived a perfect, sinless life. But the people hated Jesus, and in their hatred they nailed Him to a cross to die. While on the cross, God punished His sinless Son for the sins of those who will come to Him for forgiveness. He was punished for every one of my sins, because I came to Him for the forgiveness He offers to anyone who will accept it.” The preacher paused and then asked the prisoner, “Would you like to come to Jesus and have Him forgive your sins, Big John?”
Big John decided to do just that. Right there in his prison cell he prayed, believing that Jesus had died on the cross to save him from his sins. No sin was too great to be forgiven.
Shortly after, Big John was put to death for his crimes. But he is now in heaven with Jesus, the One who promises forgiveness of sins to any sinner, big or small, who will come to Him.
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The name of Jesus is the greatest name on earth. Does it mean anything to you?
ML-05/05/2002