Monday, February 19, 2007
When you live and work on a remote Indian reservation, as our sons have the past twelve years, you get good at shopping without going anywhere. Because anywhere is so far away! Our sons have gotten to be very skilled Internet shoppers. They've found gifts there that I didn't even know existed, and they've found bargains I was jealous of. Sometimes, I've been able to watch over their shoulder as they bid on an item that's being auctioned on the Internet. They've gotten pretty good at knowing what it's going to take to own what's being auctioned. For all the little tricks of the trade, there's one decisive bottom line. Everyone knows that it belongs to the one who bids the most.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Highest Bid You've Ever Had."
Years ago, Bob Dylan had a hit single with a simple message. He said, "You gotta serve somebody. It may be the devil, it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody." Consciously or unconsciously, we all make choices about what or who we're going to give ourselves to. We pour ourselves into a relationship, into a family, a business, a church, a hobby, into making money, or into pleasing our friends. It's almost as if they're all bidding for your time, your energy, and your commitment.
But really you should belong to the highest bidder - the one who paid the most for you. That would be Jesus. He announced His personal mission in our word for today from the Word of God in Mark 10:45. Referring to Himself with the title "Son of Man," Jesus said: "The Son of Man came ... to give His life as a ransom for many." Ransom: that's the price you pay to get someone back. Jesus spells out here the price He paid to get you back - His life.
In another place, the Bible says: "You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price" ( 1 Corinthians 6:20). Yeah, a very high price - the life of His one and only Son. Which raises a question. Why did Jesus go through the torture and humiliation and brutal death by crucifixion? Honestly, my sin is so bad, that's what it took to pay for it. All of us have repeatedly said, in essence, "No, God, I won't do it Your way. I'll do what I want." We have openly and repeatedly defied the God who made us. And that spiritual hijacking of our life carries a death penalty: eternal separation from the God who is the source of everything good.
But the Bible makes this stunning little statement: "Christ died for our sins" ( Romans 5:8). I did the sinning. Jesus did the dying for it. Then He rose again from the dead to offer you and me what we could never deserve - an eternity in heaven.
But the price for you was very high. Jesus was beaten until His back was ripped apart. He carried a cross on that bloody back, a crown of thorns was jammed on his head, spikes were driven into His hands and feet, and worst of all, His Father turned His back on Him because He was carrying your sin so He'd never have to turn His back on you. The Bible says Jesus was "so disfigured one would scarcely know He was a person" ( Isaiah 52:14). All that was for you - to pay for you.
Is it any wonder then that God bases your entire eternity on what you do with His Son? It's possible that you've believed about Jesus for a long time, but you don't belong to Jesus, because there's never been a time when you've totally given yourself to Jesus as your only hope of being forgiven from your sin - your only hope of going to heaven.
Has there ever been a time when you did that? If you're not sure you belong to Him, I encourage you to make sure today. The greatest tragedy of your life would be that Jesus went through hell to save you and you never grabbed your Rescuer. You can do that today. Right where you are, talk to Him. Tell Him you're ready to turn from your sin and hold onto Him like He's your only hope. That's a step we'd love to help you take. In fact, we've set up our website to help you be sure you belong to Him. I hope you'll check it out today. It's yoursforlife.net. Or I'll send you my little booklet about this called "Yours For Life" if you'll just call and ask for it. The number is 877-741-1200.
Everything Jesus did on that cross He did because He loves you. Isn't it time you started to live for the One who loves you the most?