Family and Friends,

Isaiah 61:1

 

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me;

because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;

he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

During the years when slavery was legal in the United States, a gentleman happened upon a slave-bidding in a crowded

street. The man paused to observe the activities. As he watched from the edge of the crowd, he saw one slave after another

led to a platform, their arms and legs shackled with ropes as if they were animals. Displayed before the jeering crowd, they

were auctioned off, one by one.

 

 

 

 

Some onlookers would inspect the ‘merchandise,’ grabbing disrespectfully at the women, examining the muscular arms of

the men. The gentleman studied the group of slaves waiting nearby. He paused when he saw a young girl standing at the

back. Her eyes were filled with fear. She looked so frightened. He hesitated for a moment and then disappeared briefly.

When he returned, the auctioneer was about to start the bidding for the young girl he had noticed beforehand.

 

 

 

 

As the auctioneer opened the bidding, the gentleman shouted out a bid that was twice the amount of any other selling

price offered that day. There was silence for an instance, and then the gavel fell as ‘sold to the gentleman’ was heard. The

gentleman stepped forward, and waited at the bottom of the steps as the young girl was led down to her new owner. The

rope which bound her was handed to the man, who accepted it without saying anything. The young girl stared at the

ground. Suddenly she looked up and spat in his face. Silently, he reached for a handkerchief and wiped the spittle from his

face. He smiled gently at the young girl and said, ‘Follow me.’ She followed him reluctantly. As they reached the edge of the

crowd, he continued to a nearby area where each deal was closed legally.

 

 

 

 

When a slave was set free, legal documents, called manumission papers, were necessary. The gentleman paid the purchase

price and signed the necessary documents. When the transaction was complete, he turned to the young girl and presented

the documents to her. Startled, she looked at him with uncertainty. Her narrowed eyes asked, ‘What are you doing?’ The

gentlemen responded to her questioning look. He said, ‘Here, take these papers. I bought you to make you free. As long as

you have these papers in your possession, no man can ever make you a slave again.’

 

 

 

The girl looked into his face. What was happening? There was silence. Slowly, she said, ‘You bought me to make me free? You

bought me to make me free?’ As she repeated this phrase over and over, the significance of what had just happened became

more and more real to her. ‘You bought me to make me free?’ Was it possible that a stranger had just granted her freedom

and never again could she be held in bondage and servitude to any man? As she began to grasp the significance of the

documents which she now held in her hand, she fell to her knees and wept at the gentleman’s feet. Through her tears of joy

and gratitude, she said

,

‘You bought me to make me free. I’ll serve you forever!

 

 

 

 

And, Dear Reader, this is exactly what Jesus Christ did for you and me. He died on the cross in your place and mine to pay

the ransom price for our sins so we could be fully forgiven by God and set free from the slavery of sin and its eternal

consequences.

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John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free,

ye shall be free indeed.

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