By: Tom Jordan

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” (Hebrews 9:28).

An elderly man had two perfectly smooth silver discs that he always carried in his pocket. A friend asked him what they were. It turned out that they were two worn silver dollars. You see, when the man was a young boy, his mother caught him taking two silver dollars out of her pocketbook. His punishment was to carry those two coins in his pocket as long as she lived. He had carried them so long that all of the inscriptions had worn off. He could not count the pockets he had worn out; she lived to be 103 years old.

Nearly all his life he had carried those reminders of what he had done. He said, “Every time I look at them I know I am not suppose to steal.” He became a fine, upstanding citizen in his community.

Jesus carried our coins for us. He took the punishment of our sin, and forgiveness is readily available for each one of us. No need to for us to carry even two dollars worth of punishment when He says, “Be of good cheer; your sins be forgiven thee.” (Matthew 9:2). Do not carry your sin; take it to Christ. He will bear it for us.

The Rev. Dr. Tom Jordon is the retired pastor of the First Baptist Church of Epworth.