This is the love of God among us – pt10

The atonement of Jesus: Ransomed and Redeemed

1 Peter 1:17-21

Imagine a little girl in ancient Rome, no more than 5 years old, her feet shackled, and a list of her features, her health record, her country of origin, and a starting bid price in bold, on a piece of paper pinned to her rough garment. She is standing in a puddle of her own urine, her soul and her eyes filled with fear. She’s in a line of girls standing on a wood podium, One by one they are auctioned off to various bidders, mostly administrative slaves themselves, serving their own masters. She is sold, coin and papers of ownership are exchanged, firm hands grab her and march her off to some hovel and a pile of dirty straw to sleep on at the back of some rich person’s house. She is given the name “five” by the head slave who bought her for her master, because she’s the 5th girl the house has purchased for hard labor, and as she’ll discover a few years later, “other services”. Over the years she is used to service the needs of her master and family. She is worked hard, to the bone, 7 days a week, 16 hours a day. Over time she becomes hardened and cruel herself.  She comes to be a trusted slave who helps buy and manipulatively train other young girls. She finds sinister pleasure in seeing them dehumanized and abused and used as she is. It’s a stupid pleasure, but this is her life. This is the way of the world. This is how it is and always will be. She is a slave and encultured to be a slave. She knows that she’ll never be able to save enough coin to purchase her freedom. She is debased.

But then one day a man shows up at the house. He points at her and pays the master a shocking price for her. Coin and papers are exchanged and she is gently led away by this strange and oddly kind man. They get to his house and he takes her before his family and does two things. First he takes her papers of ownership and burns them in front of her shocked eyes. Then he hands her another piece of paper and on it is written the words, “Adopted into my family.” Child, you are redeemed and ransomed from your cruel master, set free and you are now a privileged daughter. I have set my affection and favor on you, and this is now your family, you have a name! I am very rich and one day you will receive a great inheritance. Welcome home dear!