Here’s a thought that many of us know deep inside, but don’t always think about: Nothing is free—nothing. Nothing we might hear about on TV or the radio. Not a BOGO sale. And certainly not anything the government tells us they are making available to us.

Nothing is free. It may be free to us, but someone, or some group, paid for it.

We usually like “free-to-us” things. And the greatest of those “free-to-us” things with the highest price tag attached is our salvation. At times of communion, we are called to “remember.” There are a lot of things to recall when we think of that last supper, but here are a few thoughts.

II Corinthians 5 says that Jesus was made sin for us. He was sinless and perfect, yet he was treated as if he were the worst sinner who ever lived. His body was beaten beyond what we can imagine, and his precious blood was shed.

Isaiah 53 sheds light on the price His body paid for us:

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

(Do you have griefs and sorrows? He paid the price for them.)

Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;

(We have a savior who paid in his body for our many iniquities.)

Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

(Do you need healing? Start by looking to the cross.)

Then there was the shedding of His precious blood.

I Peter 1 says that we were “ransomed from the futile ways inherited from our forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

We tend to keep precious things to ourselves, often hidden away for fear of theft. But Jesus didn’t keep this most precious element to Himself. He allowed it to be poured out physically and spiritually for us. To quote the hymn, “Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.”

One last thought related to what is free and what isn’t: Dd you ever save up for something for years, and were finally able to use it for what you wanted? It’s a great and satisfying feeling. But imagine scrimping, saving, and sacrificing for years, and then being forced it give all to someone else.

Jesus’ life was 30+ years of saving up in anticipation of the great “spending” of His life. There were years of internal sacrifice, years of learning and obeying. The Scriptures show us that by the age of 12, (Luke 2), He had some insight into who He was and what responsibilities that entailed.

By the age of 30, the devil saw what an incredible investment the Father had made in His Son, and (in essence), said to himself, “Wow, I want that under my jurisdiction.”

But Jesus (again in essence) wouldn’t give that to the devil, withstanding the temptations described in Luke 4. Our Lord was looking ahead, with the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12), quietly saving it up to willingly give it all away (John 10:18). What was saved up for 33 years was finally spent on the cross, for God’s glory and for our benefit.

We remember you, Jesus, and we’re grateful. Amen.