Gifted with the Ransom

Everyone loves a good romance. The idea of star crossed lovers, of undying love, of wicked villains and heroic sacrifice—these are the stuff of legend and great movies. They are also the hidden truths of your story. The Lord’s rescue of us has all the elements of a great romance. What could turn the bride-to-be’s heart better than that sight of her Beloved risking His all to ransom her from the grip of pure evil?

"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.

Our Fragile Sense of Self-Worth

What do you think you are worth? Many people struggle to find some sane and stable sense of self-worth. We don’t want to overvalue ourselves—that’s obvious conceit and pride. But it is very hard not to undervalue ourselves whenever we get honest about our moral failure. The truth of the matter is we are so morally bankrupt that we can’t begin to work our way out of our genuine debt to God. We owe Him everything, especially our steadfast love and obedience. How are you measuring up on that one?

Even Jesus has a low opinion of our potential contribution. He once said emphatically, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”[1] That’s not intended to bolster our flagging self-esteem! Then there is Paul, who set the highest possible standard for Christian faithfulness under outrageously adverse circumstances, who nevertheless lamented that “In me dwells no good thing.”[2] This description of human failure apart from Christ applies to us too, leaving us nothing to boast about, and much to shrink from. Where can we go to get our sense of self-worth restored?

Your True Value to Jesus

To the marketplace! It turns out that our true worth can be valued by what someone is willing to pay for us! (Who ever said that the free market was heartless?) Jesus was willing to lay down His life as a Ransom for our own.[3] Nothing less would do; and He was willing to do all it took. Like the love-stricken man in the story He told, He saw a treasure hidden in the field, then went off to sell all that He had to gain what His heart desired.[4] You are the treasure He saw. You have been “bought with a price”—the price of His own Blood.[5]

The Ransom tells us that we have a Hero, One who is totally, even recklessly, devoted to us. Our sense of self-worth is founded upon the solid Rock of His love for us. Period. Add exclamation point! But the Ransom also tells us that some cruel captor held us in bondage and, like Pharaoh of old, wasn’t about to let us go. We have an implacable enemy and it is good to be reminded to stay on guard against his incursions.

Next Free Gift to Open

Gifted with Reconciliation  Have you ever had someone so upset with you that no matter what you did, you couldn’t help them get over it? It feels terrible when one of our relationships is out of whack—and so peaceful and life-giving when it is restored. Our relationship with God was in desperate need of reconciliation, even if we didn’t know it. Have you noticed, though, how much more peaceful you feel now that you believe in Jesus and have Him living inside of you? That peace—the peace of Christ—is the peace of reconciliation!

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Ransom Scriptures

Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit. Psalm 49:7-9

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35:10

I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your destruction? "Compassion will be hidden from my eyes." Hosea 13:14 WEB

"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. Romans 7:14-15

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. 1 Corinthians 7:23-24

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:5-7

Endnotes