The Parable of the Speeding Tickets

If Jesus was here today teaching a parable, it might go something like this.

1. There was a 19-year old girl from a good family who drove a nice sports car

2. She often drove fast while talking and texting on her phone

3. She had two unpaid speeding tickets she just ignored

4. One night a police officer pulls her over for doing 80 in a 60 on the freeway plus talking on her phone while driving

5. He checks his data base and sees a bench warrant for her arrest for two unpaid tickets

6. He asks her to step out of the car; she appears under the influence. She fails the field sobriety test

7. The officer reads her Miranda Rights as he cuffs her and takes her to city jail. Her car is impounded

8. At the jail, the girl is booked, finger-printed, required to change into an orange jump suit, and then allowed to make her one phone call

9. The girl calls her father and tells him she is in jail expecting him to immediately come bail her out

10. The father says he will see her in the morning

11. The next morning, the girl is taken before the judge in her orange jump suit and handcuffs

12. The judge says: “Young lady, you are charged with three counts of speeding, DUI, talking on a mobile device while driving. You have unpaid citations plus a failure to appear as summoned. Taken all together, this is very serious set of charges. How do you plead?”

13. Reluctantly, the girl replies: “Guilty, your Honor.” She begins to weep deeply.

14. The judge takes a moment to be objective and refer to his sentencing guidelines before rendering his decision for her punishment: “The fine is either $20,000 or 4 months in jail which will include 200 hours of supervised community service in the orange jump suit. Which do you choose, the fine or jail?”

15. Now sobbing hysterically, the girl chokes out: “I cannot pay the fine; my only option is jail.”

16. The judge orders the courtroom cleared and declares a 1-hour recess.

17. The judge stands up, takes off his robe and comes down the steps to the level of the guilty sobbing girl. He stoops down and hugs his daughter.

18. The girl says: “Daddy, I am so sorry I have broken the laws and disgraced you. Please don’t hate me! You know I don’t have the money and will have to go to jail. It’s just not fair! My life will be ruined forever.”

19. The father says: “Yes, it is fair and justice must be served. That is my role as judge. You are accountable for the decisions you make, either good or bad. Even though you have broken a lot of laws, I am still your father and will always love you no matter what you have done.”

20. The father reaches into his back pocket, takes out his checkbook and writes out a $20,000 check in her name and gives it to her to pay the fine. He knows he will have to dig deep and rob his savings account for retirement to make this payment.

21. The father says: “Your penalty has been paid; you are free to leave. Let’s put this behind us and I will never mention it again. Please don’t continue to break the laws or the consequences might only get worse.”

22. The girl is stunned by her father’s demonstration of his love for her.

23. The forgiven girl says: “Thank you, Daddy. Until now, I have taken your love and all my blessings for granted. From his point forward in my life, I will try my best to be a better person. I will do better to appreciate and return your love. I am glad you are my father.”

24. Her dad replied: “That’s all a father could ever ask for.”

Symbolism and Lessons

Symbolism:

1. The judge: Represents God (the Creator, author of justice and loving Father)

2. The guilty girl: Represents you and me as sinners guilty of breaking God’s laws

3. The judge without his robe at the bar:

Represents Jesus (the savior) who came from heaven to earth to meet us where we are to save us by pre-paying our sin-debt. He extends forgiveness, grace and mercy to the guilty child (us).

4. Jail: Represents Hell, total separation from God for eternity

5. Big fine paid: Represents the atoning sacrificial payment made by Jesus for us

6. Freedom to go: Represents forgiveness of our sins (but not freedom to keep on doing same sin)

7. The forgiven girl: Represents a born-again believer who tries their best to love and follow Jesus because He first loved them and demonstrated it through His atoning sacrifice

Lessons:

1. God created us in his image and loves us unconditionally, but He is also a “just” God (a God of justice)

2. We have free will to make choices, either good or bad

3. We are born with a sin-nature and regularly violate God’s laws through the poor choices we make

4. There are outcomes (good or bad) for each of our decisions

5. There are adverse consequences for breaking laws (whether they be man’s laws or God’s physical and spiritual laws)

6. Satan likes to let our sins pile up with no consequences, for a while, and then close his trap when the consequences are significant (Remember: Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy per John 10:10)

7. Father God loves us so much sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as our Savior to pre-pay the penalties for all our sins (past, present, and future) no matter their magnitude for all who would receive Him. John 3:16

8. Jesus extends His grace, mercy and blessings to His children (believers)

9. Grace is receiving God’s favor that we do not deserve

10. Mercy is escaping the punishments (justice) we do deserve

11. Blessings from God are a combination of His grace and mercy.

12. We should love Jesus because He first loved us and endured a horrible death as an atoning blood sacrifice so we could be forgiven to be in right-standing with God and go to heaven

13. Jesus’ blood also broke the Adamic curses of death, sickness, poverty and oppression of the devil

14. Forgiveness and salvation are free gifts only for those who would believe and receive them

15. Not only can our sins be forgiven (confession and repentance required), they are forgotten by God

16. Salvation is conditional, and not automatic for everyone.

17. Requirements for salvation: Believe in your heart Jesus is the resurrected Christ and confess it with your mouth.

18. Just being a “good person” does not get you into heaven (like many people think and believe).

19. Hell (eternal separation from God) is the consequence of rejecting God’s free gift of Jesus as Savior

Important to Remember: I owe a debt I cannot pay; He paid my debt He did not owe.