Cinderella (From Max Lucado)

Now I want to turn things to an illustration as we transition to our final point. It is a true story that takes place at Disney World. Cinderella’s castle. It was packed with kids and parents. Suddenly all the children rushed to one side. Had it been a boat, the castle would have tipped over. Cinderella had entered.

Cinderella. The pristine princess. She was perfectly typecast. A gorgeous young girl with each hair in place, flawless skin, and a beaming smile. She stood waist-deep in a garden of kids, each wanting to touch and be touched.

The other side of the cast was now vacant except for a boy maybe seven or eight years old. His age was hard to determine because of the disfigurement of his body. Dwarfed in height, face deformed, he stood watching quietly and wistfully, holding the hand of an older brother.

Don’t you know what he wanted? He wanted to be with the children. He longed to be in the middle of the kids reaching for Cinderella, calling her name. But can’t you feel his fear, fear of yet another rejection? Fear of being taunted again, mocked again?

Don’t you wish Cinderella would go to him? Guess what? She did!

She noticed the little boy. She immediately began walking in his direction. Politely but firmly inching through the crowd of children, she finally broke free. She walked quickly across the floor, knelt at eye level with the stunned little boy, and placed a kiss on his face.

However… Cinderella couldn’t do anything more than give a kiss. When she stood to leave, she took her beauty with her. The boy was still deformed.

Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV

Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Christ takes up our infirmities.

Jesus gave more than a kiss – he gave his beauty.

He paid more than a visit – he paid for our mistakes.

He took more than a minute – he took away our sin.

So here is the point of Easter that I don’t want anyone to miss. (Healing in Christ).

From a sermon by Spencer Homan, The Week After Easter - Jesus as Healer, 11/19/2009