Jesus paid it all

[MikeS.]

*A perfect Easter season story.......reminds*
us that there should be sacrifices in life...


*** There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a*
studious man who taught at a small college in the western United*
States.** Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in*
Christianity at this particular institution.* Every student was*
required to take this course his or her freshman year, regardless of*
his or her major.*
******
*** Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of*
the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon*
the course as nothing but required drudgery.* Despite his best efforts,*
most students refused to take Christianity seriously.*
******
*** This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve.***
Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going*
onto seminary for the ministry.* Steve was popular, he was well liked,*
and he was an imposing physical specimen.* He was now the starting*
center on the school football team, and was the best student in the*
professor's class.*
*** One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he*
could talk with him.*
******
*** "How many push-ups can you do?"*
******
*** Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."*
******
*** "200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said.* "Do you*
think you could do 300?"*
******
*** Steve replied, "I don't know...* I've never done 300 at a time."*
******
*** "Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.*
******
*** "Well, I can try," said Steve.*
******
*** "Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I*
need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work.* Can*
you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.*
******
*** Steve said, "Well...* I think I can...yeah, I can do it."*
******
*** Dr. Christianson said, "Good.* I need you to do this on Friday.**
Let me explain what I have in mind."*
******
*** Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of*
the room.* When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of*
donuts.* No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the*
extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.* Everyone*
was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they*
were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr.*
Christianson's class.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and*
asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"*
******
*** Cynthia said, "Yes."*
******
*** Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you*
do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"*
******
*** "Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.* Then*
Steve again sat in his desk.* Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's*
desk.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and*
asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"*
******
**** Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten*
push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"*
******
*** Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.* And so it went, down the*
first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got*
their donut.*
******
*** Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott.**
Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve.**
He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.*
******
*** When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"*
******
*** Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"*
******
*** Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."*
******
*** Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."*
******
*** Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and*
asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he*
doesn't want?" With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups.*
******
*** Scott said, "Hey, I said I didn't want one"*
*** Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my*
desks, and these are my donuts.* Just leave it on the desk if you don't*
want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.*
******
*** Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little.* He just*
stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be*
getting up and down.* You could start to see a little perspiration*
coming out around his brow.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson started down the third row.* Now the students were*
beginning to get a little angry.* Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny,*
do you want a donut?"*
******
*** Sternly, Jenny said, "No."*
******
*** Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more*
push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did*
ten....Jenny got a donut.*
******
*** By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room.* The*
students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten*
donuts on the desks.* Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra*
effort to get these pushups done for each donut.* There began to be a*
small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow*
were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in*
the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full*
ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's*
work for all of those uneaten donuts.* He sent Robert over to where*
Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.* During his class,*
however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down*
on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room.**
When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now*
there were 34 students in the room.* He started to worry if Steve would*
be able to make it.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the*
next.* Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time.**
He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.*
******
*** Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on*
each one?"*
******
*** Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your*
pushups.* You are in charge now.* You can do them any way that you*
want." And Dr. Christianson went on.*
******
*** A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the*
room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one*
voice, "NO, don't come in Stay out!"*
******
*** Jason didn't know what was going on.* Steve picked up his head and*
said, "No, let him come."*
******
*** Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in*
you will have to do ten pushups for him?"*
******
*** Steve said, "Yes, let him come in.* Give him a donut."*
******
*** Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out*
of the way right now.* Jason, do you want a donut?"*
******
*** Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on.* "Yes," he*
said, "give me a donut."*
******
*** "Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"*
Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort.* Jason,*
bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those*
visitors seated by the heaters.* Steve's arms were now shaking with*
each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of*
gravity.* By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face,*
there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye*
in the room.*
******
*** The very last two students in the room were two young women, both*
cheerleaders, and very popular.* Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the*
second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"*
******
*** Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."*
******
*** Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-
ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the*
effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.*
******
*** Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan.* "Susan, do*
you want a donut?"*
******
*** Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry.* "Dr.*
Christianson, why can't I help him?"*
******
*** Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do*
it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that*
everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.**
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked my*
grade book.* Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade.**
Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior*
work.* Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up*
he must do push-ups.* I told Steve that none of you could come to my*
party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups.* He and I made a*
deal for your sakes."*
******
*** "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As*
Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that*
he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350*
pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.*
******
*** Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said.* "And so it was, that*
our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into thy*
hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done*
everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life.* And like*
some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk,*
uneaten."*
******
*** Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat,*
physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.*
******
*** "Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor,*
adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."*
******
*** Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you*
might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy*
that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and*
Savior Jesus Christ.* He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him*
up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever.* Whether or not*
we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."*
******
*** "Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the*
desk?"*
******
******
*** Share this with someone.* It's bound to touch their heart and*
demonstrate salvation in a very special way. .

*

Happy Easter!

[keithdog]

Mike, I've got to admit I've got a couple tears in my eyes over this one. What a great way to explain what Christ did for us. Thankyou for sharing this great story for us to read. Happy Easter pal.

[MikeS.]

No problem.. We take so much fro granite. Happy Easter to you as well

[bamabassman]

mike........i have read this 3 times buddy. THK YOU FOR SHARING THIS WITH US. this is a VERY strong message and it is a FANTASTIC MESSAGE. oyu are correct, we DO take so much for granted in our daily lives. GOD BLESS YOU FOR THIS. THANK OYU.

AND I HOPE OYU HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER AS WELL MIKE.

[Bassboss]

Wow, that was fantastic. Glad I took the time to read it.

[MikeS.]

Thank you and you welcome. I read this to my Sunday school class today. Its amazing the reactions you will get.

[1/4 stick]

Amen.. All I got to say. Thank you for sharing.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

Very good story. Also, thanks for sharing it with us.