The Hope of Easter for You
Scott Maze
Ephesians 1:3-14
Welcome to all those watching online as well as those worshipping with us in person. If you are a first time guest with us this morning, I want to welcome you home. This is a great place for you to be today.
Alfredo Harp is worth around $1.2 billion. He made his fortunes in finance and banking in Mexico. He also owns two Mexican baseball teams. But Alfredo is noteworthy for another reason other than his substantial monies. In 1994, he was kidnapped by a gang that demanded a initially ransom in the neighborhood of $100 million. His family went on local TV on June 25 only minutes before the deadline to tell the kidnappers they would agree to pay the negotiated ransom to free Alfredo. Because of the prevalence of this kind of thing in central America in recent days, his company actually had kidnapping insurance. So Alfredo was released when K and R Insurance paid around $30 million for his release after 106 days in captivity. His ransom was on the largest in the world at the time.
In sad twist to the story, Alfredo would later attend the funeral for young 14 year old boy named Fernando around a decade after he was released. Fernando was on his way to school in an armored BMW with a bodyguard. The car was stopped by officers wearing the uniforms of Mexico's version of the FBI. It turns out the police themselves were in on the crime. Even though the family paid the ransom, the kidnapped boy's body was found in the trunk of a vehicle. His father spoke at the boy's memorial service and in the midst of wiping his eyes from tears, said, ''...no more Fernandos!'' Sadly, ransom is a part of life from Jesus' day even to our own.
And one of the central elements to Christianity and a relationship with Christ is this: you've been ransomed much like Alfredo And Fernando. SomeOne has been paid for your release. Spiritually, I want to show you how the cross of Jesus also says, ''...no more Fernandos!''
Find ...
Scott Maze
Ephesians 1:3-14
Welcome to all those watching online as well as those worshipping with us in person. If you are a first time guest with us this morning, I want to welcome you home. This is a great place for you to be today.
Alfredo Harp is worth around $1.2 billion. He made his fortunes in finance and banking in Mexico. He also owns two Mexican baseball teams. But Alfredo is noteworthy for another reason other than his substantial monies. In 1994, he was kidnapped by a gang that demanded a initially ransom in the neighborhood of $100 million. His family went on local TV on June 25 only minutes before the deadline to tell the kidnappers they would agree to pay the negotiated ransom to free Alfredo. Because of the prevalence of this kind of thing in central America in recent days, his company actually had kidnapping insurance. So Alfredo was released when K and R Insurance paid around $30 million for his release after 106 days in captivity. His ransom was on the largest in the world at the time.
In sad twist to the story, Alfredo would later attend the funeral for young 14 year old boy named Fernando around a decade after he was released. Fernando was on his way to school in an armored BMW with a bodyguard. The car was stopped by officers wearing the uniforms of Mexico's version of the FBI. It turns out the police themselves were in on the crime. Even though the family paid the ransom, the kidnapped boy's body was found in the trunk of a vehicle. His father spoke at the boy's memorial service and in the midst of wiping his eyes from tears, said, ''...no more Fernandos!'' Sadly, ransom is a part of life from Jesus' day even to our own.
And one of the central elements to Christianity and a relationship with Christ is this: you've been ransomed much like Alfredo And Fernando. SomeOne has been paid for your release. Spiritually, I want to show you how the cross of Jesus also says, ''...no more Fernandos!''
Find ...
There are 18539 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
