Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Matthew 20:28
A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act. - Gandhi
Ransom.
The word has both a dark and wonderful meaning ... dark because something is being held captive ... wonderful, because someone precious and dear is about to be set free. Can you imagine finding your child missing, being informed that your spouse or your parent is gone and receiving a ransom note? After the initial shock, pain and anger, a plan of deliverance would be set in motion, whatever it takes to see your loved one home.
So Maximus ransoms Rome with his life.
Wallace ransoms Scotland with his life.
Aslan ransoms Edmund and all of Narnia with his life.
Jesus RANSOMS us and all of creation with His Life!
What was being held in oppressive captivity is now delivered into the sacrificial arms of freedom ... for a price. Someone is passionately and aggressively wanting and willing to pay.
I cannot hear or read this passage in Matthew 20 and not think of Ebay. If Ebay has taught us anything it is that the value of anything is what someone is willing to pay for it.
All our lives we long to be valuable to someone. What if one of our deepest heart desires the hope of being seen and wanted… valuable to someone is actually met in Jesus? What if his payment through the ransom of the cross was a declaration of your and my worth to the one who loves us most? What someone is willing to pay.
What would you do with such validation? With your new freedom?
What would you do with the one who not only died to declare your worth, but lives and longs to be with you?
All "secret admirers" long to one day be known.
We are invited, everyday-all day, to be loved, be enjoyed, be healed and be trained by the one whom, for the joy set before him, endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2) that we would be ransomed, redeemed, and turned lose ... set free to experience the life He afforded us to live with Him.
It was a perfect act.
All other voices and all other characters have been “outbid" to a lavish degree, because God believes, with all His heart and all His life, that you and I are worth it.
That is special ... we are special ... precious and valuable to Him.
Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free]. - Matthew 20:28 (AMP)
The Daily Prayer - Paragraph 4
Jesus, thank you for coming for me, for ransoming me with your own life.[15 ] I honor you as my Lord, I love you, worship you, trust you. I embrace[16] you as my redemption, and I receive all the work and triumph of your Crucifixion, whereby I am cleansed from all my sin through your shed blood,[17] my old nature is removed,[18] my heart is circumcised unto God,[19] and every claim being made against me is disarmed. [20] I take my place in your cross and death, whereby I have died with you to sin and to my flesh,[21] to the world,[22] and to the evil one.[23] I take up my cross and crucify my flesh with all its pride, unbelief, and idolatry. I put off the old man.[24] I now bring the cross of Christ between me and all people, all spirits, and all things. Holy Spirit, apply to me the fullness of the work of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ for me. I receive it with thanks and give it total claim to my life.
An excerpt from The Daily Prayer Memory Verse Cards.
