What Are You Worth?
I am not talking about your net worth. I am talking about the value of your life. What are you really worth?
In capitalism, the value is usually determined by the price someone is willing to pay for the goods or the services rendered. This type of valuation method has a profound implication for you because Christ, the eternal God, has paid the price for you with His own life.
In the garden of Gethsemane, He groaned out, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death." (Matt 26:38). Translation: "My soul is dying!" But the only place where soul can die is in the fires of hell (Matt 10:28). Yes, He went to hell for you! His life was getting squeezed out because of your sins. His soul was melting away because of your guilt. Actions speak louder than words. And this is what He was saying out loud: "I'd rather burn in hell to save you, than to be in heaven without you!"
"Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God." (Desire of Ages 753).
In effect, Jesus was saying that your life is more important to Him than His own eternal existence! He wasn't merely saying it; He demonstrated it on the cross of Calvary.
But that's not all! Not only did He give up everything for you, He did it gladly. Bible tells us that He endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him (Heb 12:2). What was this joy? It wasn't His glorious second coming. Remember, He couldn't see through the portals of the tomb? The joy was YOU! Yes! The joy was saving you! Not only did He pay the price with His own life, He did it with joy!!
So what are you worth? The value of your life is not determined by anything that you did in the past, that you are doing now, or that you might do in the future. It is solely determined by the infinite price paid for you on the cross of Calvary.
Remember your worth.
Eric Chung attends Westchester Korean SDA Church with his wife, Jane, and their four children. He leads out a weekly small group in Wall Street.