"If the Son therefore shall make you free,
ye shall be free indeed." - John 8:36

I couldn't even look Him in the eyes.

As I sat at the defendant's table, I sobbed softly, my face buried in my damp hands.  My entire body trembled as the prosecutor began to build his case against me.  A sickening dread filled my stomach as I heard vivid details of my iniquities and transgressions.

I knew I didn't stand a chance.

The Prosecutor, the Accuser, Satan himself thundered away in the Courtroom bringing up things I hoped that no one knew and many things I had even forgotten I had ever done.  Sin by sin he blasted my character, my words, my deeds, my entire life.  He had carefully done his research and he didn't leave out a thing.

The dread grew stronger inside of me.  The sobbing began to turn to weeping.  And my body began to shake with the fear of a man condemned to hell.

I wanted to shout, "Lies, Lies, it's all a bunch of lies."  But, I knew that the Prosecutor was correct in everything he said.  I was guilty.  I did all of those horrible things.  I couldn't deny a thing.

It seemed to drag on for days, as evidence piled higher and higher against me.  It wasn't circumstantial evidence, it was cold hard facts.  There were no loopholes, no technicalities, no tricks to cause a mistrial.

"The prosecution rests," the Accuser announced with a snarl, after he had utterly destroyed me in the open court.

The Judge looked down with compassion in His eyes, but He knew the law had been broken.  He was a loving Judge, but He was also just and righteous and He couldn't overlook my sin.

"How do you plead?" the Judge asked

"He's guilty, He's guilty," the Prosecutor interrupted with a shout.  "A penalty must be given, Judge.  You've got to sentence him to hell."

"Silence!" He roared, and then turning to me He repeated the question "How do you plead?"

"I plead the blood of Jesus," I said, knowing it was my only defense.

"The wages of sin is death," the Accuser screamed in anger at the mention of my Lord.

"But the gift of God is eternal life," announced my Defender, my Advocate, the Lord Jesus Himself, who entered to stand by my side.

"Father, I have already paid this man's debt when I gave my life on Calvary.  He accepted my forgiveness and  now he stands before you cleansed from all that Prosecutor has charged him with."

"Enter into the joy of the Lord," was the Judge's final verdict that day, as the Accuser shrieked in rage at another one entering into everlasting life in Heaven.

You see, even though my sins had been as scarlet, Jesus had made them white as snow.  It was then I realized that when Jesus died on Calvary and said, "It is finished,"...

...what He really saying  was "the Defense rests."