In Matthew 20: 28, Jesus said, “…even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” One of the most troubling of crimes is that of kidnapping. Evil individuals will kidnap a person and then demand a sum of money or payment to be made in order to buy the release of the kidnapped person.

Jesus uses that image here in Matthew, to describe the situation that Jesus and we find ourselves in. We have been kidnapped by Satan. Our kidnaping began back in the garden when The Tempter came to Eve and said, “Come here little girl, I’ve got a sweet, delicious, juicy apple in the back of my van.” And just like that, Adam and Eve, and all their descendants, which includes you and me, are victims of being kidnapped.
 

The ransom note was sent. “If you ever want to see your children again, you must give me the life of one perfect person. If not, these children of your’s will be put to death.” You and I are being held for ransom.

In our confession of sin we say, “We were born slaves to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed.” So, now our Dad must decide if He will give up His perfect Son, a Son who never sinned in thought, word, or deed, for the likes of poor ornery sinners like you and like me.
 

If only it were mere money that would free us. But as Peter wrote, our freedom cost much more than “silver or gold.”
 

So, Dad weeps and says, “Do I give up the one, the one perfect Son for the sinful many, or do I write off the sinful many as a loss?” In the midst of our Father’s anguish, the perfect Son steps forward and says, “Father, I know the decision you are about to make is a no win situation. I will make the decision for you. A decision not made out of courage or heroism, but a decision make out of unconditional love. They have a loving Father, and now they need a big brother to pay the ransom for them. And before you tell me, ‘No,’ I am going. Going because we both love them and don’t want to lose one of them.”
 

Lent is all about Jesus paying the ransom, with something more precious than silver and gold, but with His body and blood. Freedom is never free. Our freedom cost the life of the best, most loving man who ever walked the earth.

Veritas - Curt