1. Many years ago schools were small and rural. People lived in rough conditions. There was a new teacher who took a very difficult assignment.

2. He took a job in a school where many teachers had resigned because they were unable to handle the terrible behavior of the students.

3. The new teacher asked the students to suggest rules for the classroom and write them on the board.

4. “You need to give us a whippin’ if you want us to obey the rules” said the boys. So the punishment for breaking a rule was set at 10 lashes with a whip on the bare back.

5. Some time passed without any trouble. Nobody stole, swore, fought, cheated or broke any other rule.

6. One day at lunch there was a problem. “Big Tom” couldn’t find his lunch.

7. The bag was discovered in the desk of a small boy “Little Jim”.

8. Little Jim was a poor boy who stole the lunch because he was hungry. How could the teacher maintain the law? The sin would have to be punished. Little Jim was brought to the front of the class to be punished.

9. Before the teacher could begin, Big Tom spoke up. “Teacher, if the sin must be punished, then let me take it.” The students agreed that this was allowable. After a few hits on the back, the teacher stopped and thought “How can it finish this terrible job?"

10. Just then he looked back to the boy and saw that Little Jim had embrased Big Tom and was crying, “Thank you for taking my whipping. I will love you forever!”

11. About this story This story is a legend, something like a parable. It doesn’t claim to be true but represents a truth about the gospel. Can you see who the actors represent? Teacher - > God the righteous judge. Big John - > Jesus on the cross Little Jim - > You, the sinner. You can download this presentation and hundreds of other Sunday school lessons at www.GospelHall.org/sundayschool www.GospelHall.org/sundayschool