The Ransom of the Cross

 For 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)

For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. (1 Timothy 2:5,6)

A ransom usually is used to rescue someone from captivity by a price paid.  The clear meaning of this is that the cross- the death of Jesus- rescues us.  

Jesus also associated ransoming us with serving us.  He served us by giving Himself on the cross.  Service to others is a way we can follow Jesus' example of ransom.  

For many, the ransom idea brings to mind C.S. Lewis' The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe's idea of Aslan rescuing us from the witch and thus brining in the true kingdom.  

The question may come from what or who does Christ rescue us?  
He clearly rescues us from slavery to sin (Romans is full of this message).  
He clearly rescues us from death and destruction and hell.  
In that sense He clearly rescues us from the dominion of the devil and its influences- the power of hell (2 Cor. 4:4).  
Perhaps a better word is we know the evil we are under no matter what you call it or label it.  Things are not as they should be.  There is hate, war and rumors of war, broken relationships, violence, self-destruction, the devaluing of life and the image of God, do we have to go on?  Jesus' death on the cross is the price paid to rescue us from ALL of that.  
The who is more complicated.  Some have said (Gospel Coalition) that Jesus rescues us from the judgment of God.  But the ransom idea, I believe, has more implications of rescuing us from evil- namely the evil triumvirate- the world, the flesh, and the devil.  In other words temptation, our own selfishness, and spiritual evil- the evil outside of ourselves.  

 Years ago I met Benjamin Weir, a presbyterian minister, who worked with Muslim Charities for 26 years.  He was kidnapped in Lebanon and was released a year and a half later.  But others were also kidnapped in Lebanon. Terry Waite, was an envoy from the Church of England, who negotiated the release of several hostages.  Later he purposefully risked his safety to visit some captives, and was taken hostage - giving himself as a ransom for another.  He said (both before and after his captivity) he would gladly give himself for the others.  

To give yourself for others who can do nothing for you in return.  That is part of the message and meaning of the cross.  It inspires us to love our neighbor as ourselves- to go the extra mile, to not seek to save our lives but to lose them for the glory of God.  

The price of the ransom is as high as it can be.  Who can measure the infinite worth of the life of the Son of God- the infinite giving Himself for the finite (that we might become infinite).  His infinite value is something we can never begin to repay.  It would be like a person sacrificing themselves for their pet.

Application: Ask yourself is there anything you can do for someone else today.  How can you give yourself- your time, your money, you effort to help another this week?  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for ransoming my soul.  Thank you for serving me who should serve you.  Clearly I do not deserve your great gift of suffering and shame.  Clearly the cost is too high for my worth.  I give you thanks for the cross.