The Ransom // Matthew 20:28

Jesus gave a great insight into His power and position when He talked about being a servant in today’s verse. It might very well be that the first thing that pops into mind is why a ransom? Generally, we think of paying a ransom to (hopefully) end a hostage situation. This is applicable in the context of Jesus’ statement, because of what sin does to us. Sin entraps, ensnares, and enslaves us. Jesus came to pay the ransom for that sin and set us free from it; unfortunately, all too often we take that liberty for granted and end up in deeper trouble. We read this in Galatians, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again…. For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:1&13, NLT). And this, my friends, is exactly what Jesus did for you and me. He came and gave of His life freely to set us free from the power of sin. That ransom was paid a long time ago, but His overcoming power is available for you today! So commit right now to what we read about in Philippians 1:12 and live a life worthy of the Good News of Jesus. He died for your forgiveness, lives for your freedom, and invites you to share in His resurrecting power. I can’t think of a better way to start today. Can you?