The Greatest Ransom

| Sermon Thought by Racheeta Nayak |

Have you ever been punished for someone else’s fault? I have been a few times and I did not understand why. When we suffer because of someone else’s mistakes, that leads us to harbour hatred and bitterness in our hearts.

Jesus, being blameless, suffered and died for our sins, yet pleaded with his father in heaven to forgive us. Why would anyone suffer for such ungrateful people like us? Was he foolish like how this generation describes it ? What made him do such an act? It was LOVE.

Love is selfless as is written in 1 Corinthians 13 . 2 Corinthians 5 :21 says, For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus shed his blood as a ransom for many. He died so that we might live. Such is his love towards us.

John 15 :13 says Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. I believe most of us know the story of John Griffith the railway bridge operator and his 8 year old son Greg. My eyes well up every time I read their story. The work is finished by our Lord Jesus Christ, the ransom has been paid but are we grateful or taking this privilege for granted is a question we should ask ourselves.

Isaac Watts wrote a hymn called When I survey the wondrous cross in 1707, and here is how beautifully he has put together words to describe THE GREATEST RANSOM.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ, my Lord;

All the vain things that charm me most

I sacrifice them to his blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down;

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.