2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Leviticus 25:47-27:13 ESV, Mark 10:32-52 ESV, Psalm 45:1-17 ESV, Proverbs 10:22 ESV
Daily Verse: “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 ESV)
LUTRON (3083): “Something to loosen with, i.e., a redemption price. In the NT, it occurs in MT. 20:26 and Mk 10:45, where it is used of Christ’s gift of Himself as “a ransom for many.’ Christ paid the ransom to God, to satisfy violated holiness and righteousness. He did not pay the ransom to Satan or to some impersonal power such as death, or evil. That Christ gave up His life in expiatory sacrifice under God’s judgment upon sin and thus provided a “ransom” whereby those who receive Him on this ground obtain deliverance from the penalty due to sin, is what Scripture teaches. Christ died for all men, yet it is actually for those only who accept God’s conditions and who are described in the Gospel statements as “the many.”[i]
Ransom for many.
Jesus’ lack of selfishness puts us all to shame. Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus served all He met. In His final moments on earth, Jesus ransomed himself for many, paying the price we neither want to pay nor can. However, if we don’t accept the gift Jesus offers, we can’t receive the prize.
Rejecting Jesus means missing the ransom. When people choose to follow a different path than God’s, they don’t receive the gift. Not only does Jesus’ actions on the cross give us eternal life, but He also gives us peace that surpasses all understanding and love that never ends now.
Accept the ransom.
“Lay it down at the foot of the cross and leave it there.” I texted a friend struggling with anger towards God over a life situation. Focusing on the offense only ignited the flame further inside of her. If we don’t find ways to release the negative emotions, they will consume us. Jesus offers a solution; give it to Him.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)
Jesus ransomed Himself not only so we could enjoy eternal life but also whole life now. Placing your trust in the Savior means gaining access to His peace. Accept the ransom Jesus offers. Embrace Him completely, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you from within your heart. Become transformed as you live fully in Jesus’s gift.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (pp. 153-4) Thomas Nelson
