By: Mike Kelly
Retired Pastor
Let me tell you a story of a real person. His name was George Wilson and he lived in the early 1800s. He had a pretty good business going. He robbed mail carriers. Guys who walked routes just like today.
In those days a lot of money went by mail. Not checks but actual cash so he could make a pretty good haul. He’d stop them, threaten them with beatings and guns. Basically scare the you know what out of them.
Finally, in 1830 he was caught, tried and sentenced to hang. Somehow, a friend convinced President Andrew Jackson to pardon George, so Jackson issued Wilson a full pardon, sparing him from the gallows. No prison term, nothing. Just completely free to walk out of jail and go about his life.
Some of you have been in prison. What would you have done the day that letter arrived? Now here’s the odd twist to this story: George Wilson refused the pardon. He didn’t want it. No one really understood why.
But he said he would not accept it. So he just sat there in his jail cell, refusing to leave. Now, as Paul Harvey would say, here’s the rest of the story: That left the government in a bind.
What do you do with a man who’s been pardoned, but won’t receive the pardon? He refused to leave the jail. So, the case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
Chief Justice John Marshall delivered the opinion of the court. He said this: “A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance.
It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and we have discovered no power in this court to force it upon him.”
In other words: a pardon, even from the President of the United States, is not valid unless the person receives it. Wilson chose not to receive it and no one could force him to, so he was hanged.
Speaking of criminals and hanging, that reminds me of Christ’s hanging on the cross. Let’s look at Luke 23:39-43: “One of the criminals hanging on the cross next to Jesus kept ridiculing him, saying, ‘What kind of Messiah are you? Save yourself and save us from this death!’
“The criminal hanging on the other cross rebuked the man, saying, ‘Don’t you fear God? You’re about to die! We deserve to be condemned. We’re just being repaid for what we’ve done. But this man—he’s done nothing wrong!’
“Then he said, ‘I beg of you, Jesus, show me grace (undeserved favor) and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom!’ Jesus responded, ‘I promise you—this very day you will enter paradise with me.’”
Do you think the author leaves out the part where the thief says, “Nah, it’s OK, I don’t deserve it. I didn’t really think you’d forgive me like that.
I’ll just go ahead and take my chances in hell.” That would have been about as dumb as George Wilson turning down the pardon.
But that’s what so many do who hear the Good News of Christ’s gift of grace, the undeserved pardon for all our sins. They say, “No, thanks! I’m not interested in being forgiven.”
That offer is on the table for you today. A full pardon from all your sins. What is your answer?
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Mike Kelly is the founding pastor of Bryan’s Grace Community Church (retired) and Board Chairman of Bryan’s Sanctuary Homeless Shelter and Williams County’s Compassion (free) Medical Clinic.