Christ is our Ransom

Matthew 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

I Timothy 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Matthew 20:20-28 – This issue of ransom came up because of a discussion about who would be privileged to sit on either side of Christ during his reign. 

Ransom defined: A covering or an atonement: the price or payment made for our redemption:  A price paid for freeing a captive:

• Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
• I Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1.      A ransom indicates an individual is in a situation he cannot get out of – an example – he is kidnapped, and his captors demand a ransom for his release. 

2.      There is no help from the official sources: police or government cannot help.  In the spiritual realm, the church, pastors, Sunday School teachers, or other church officials cannot help. 

3.      The individual cannot help himself, as he does not have whatever the captors demand. 

Sometimes the thought of having to be redeemed or ransomed is not considered today, just as there is little thought about repentance today.  People are continually taught they have no wrong from which to repent, or that their difficulties are the fault of someone else.  They continue to believe there will be another way out of their difficulties, without repenting. 

·        Years ago, the government helped railroads with their infrastructure, as it was thought the vast expenses of establishing a suitable infrastructure was not feasible for a single company. 

·        Years ago, the government bailed Chrysler out of debt.  There was much controversy over the decision, but it was decided it would be better to bail them out instead of letting them fail. 

·        As time passes, the principle of being “bailed out” is more and more common. 

1.      Years ago, in Bauxite High School (after I graduated from high school) a junior or senior refused to take a paddling from the principal, striking him instead.  The students dad came and balled out the principal for picking on his child. 

2.      There is Federal government relief for every community involved in any sort of major catastrophe: flood, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, so forth.  Relieving those in major catastrophes is good, but the Federal government was established to defend this nation, not provide relief for every catastrophe.  Today, there is much criticism for government officials who do not act quickly enough to send relief. 

3.      There are examples where CEO’s have destroyed their companies, losing millions of dollars because of inept management, yet “retired” with millions of dollars in benefits. 

4.      Now there is a $700 billion bailout, which some say will not be enough. 

·        What am I saying?  Does anybody consider saying, “I am sorry.  I messed up.  I will do whatever is necessary to fix what I have broken.” 

·        Repentance is a necessary ingredient of salvation, yet few want to accept personal responsibility (and consequences) for their own actions. 

·        Few believe that only Jesus Christ can take care of them and all their sins and bless. 

Folks today need to understand they are sinners and need to be ransomed by Christ. 

1.      Galatians 3:13 states, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 

2.      Galatians 4:1-7 speaks of the redemption Christ has done for us, who deserved none of his blessings. 

3.      The price or payment made for our redemption, as when it is said, as in our text that the Son of man “gave his life a ransom for many”.

·        Acts 20:28 states, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.   

The debt is represented not as cancelled but as fully paid.  Our sins are forgiven, but Christ paid the price for our redemption.  The slave or captive is not liberated by a mere gratuitous favour, but a ransom price has been paid, in consideration of which he is set free.  The original owner receives back his alienated and lost possession because he has bought it back "with a price." This price or ransom (Gr.  lutron) is always said to be Christ, his blood, his death. He secures our redemption by the payment of a ransom. 

Note the context of Romans 5:7, which states, For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 

It is not that Christ paid the demanded ransom from his great storehouse of wealth. 

Christ paid the ransom with his own life. 

I Timothy 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.