Life’s Ransom Prov. 13:8 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Spiritually speaking, the ransom of a man’s life is Jesus, 2 Cor 8:9; 1 Pet 1:18-19; 1 Tim 2:4-6; Ps 49:6-9

Practically speaking, the ransom of a man’s life is money.  Riches will get a man out of almost every [but nor every] jam: ransom for a kidnapper, bribe for a prison guard (like Auschwitz), payoff to a judge for the release of a son, and Job 2:4.  A rich man can afford the best doctors, the best hospital rooms (2 adjoining in MethodistHospital in Houston – the room for the patient and the suite for the spouse), the private insurance, the comfortable home, the car that works all the time and the second car if the first one doesn’t work, and the right lawyers.  With enough money, a man can buy business clientele and politicians.  BUT Rudyard Kipling said to college students, “Someday you will meet a man who cares for none of these things, and then you will know how poor you are.” “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Because the poor see how the rich live they think that the answer to all of their problems is money.  They think, “If I could just get my hands on some money then I would be all right.”  They come around here looking for money and not for the Lord and they won’t hear a rebuke.  What they need more than anything is a right relationship with the Lord.  But they won’t hear it.  They just want the provision they see the Lord giving to his children.

Listen, money does not solve all the problems [God’s people have ways of solving problems that rich men know nothing about – the widow who gave her last two mites could trust God to take care of her necessities].  You can’t but your way out of death and money cannot get you past the judgment [shed blood which does not cost a dime].  A poor man that understands this is light years ahead of a rich man who doesn’t.  Rich men need to read and believe 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19.