“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NKJV)
When there are two or more who have a serious difficulty, with at least one of them incapable of reaching a resolution, a mediator is required to bring a satisfactory outcome for them to be agreed and at peace with one another.
This is especially challenging when only one side is completely in the wrong but doesn’t know it and/or doesn’t care.
The Man Jesus Christ cares very much. He loves us. He knows that He alone can produce a genuine, everlasting reconciliation between us and Him.
The Lord uses an illustration to help us understand that producing something which is not only worthwhile, but also precious, will require an investment.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.” (Luke 14:28-30)
If the project is truly worthwhile, it’s worth the focus, planning, investment, and work to make it happen! If a person truly cares about it, he will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Jesus would do more than talk about how much He cares about us. He would demonstrate His care and love by His willingness to give Himself. Wait, how much? More than what can be found in any bank account, even more than all the investments on Wall Street. He gave Himself!
“For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)
When the enemies of Jesus came to arrest Him in Gethsemane, His disciples were willing to fight to defend Him. Jesus asked them this powerful question. “Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” (Matthew 26:53-54 NKJV)
There was no ransom note produced by a person. All that was needed for sinners like you and me to be saved was ordained by God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, Who was willing to do what needed to be done.
Jesus did not come into the world because He needed us to do something for Him. He came because He loved us, and we were in great need.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
The Old Testament foretold the coming of the Messiah. Believers in Old Testament times pondered those words and trusted the promises of God. When Jesus came in person, there were those who despised Him and spoke against Him, but none of that stopped Him.
In every era, at exactly the right times, God testified through His prophets and apostles about His Son, Whom He sent to be the Savior of all.
Jesus would do more than talk about how much He cares about us. He would demonstrate His care and love by His willingness to give Himself.
is pastor of Gift of God Lutheran Church in Mapleton, North Dakota, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ponsford, Minnesota.