Lowly Day 11 Sin’s Price Tag
December 23, 2024
Ephesians 2:1-10
Hebrews 12:18-29
Romans 5:6-11
Matthew 2:1-18
Joshua 7
People fear me. As well they should. I hold the power of life and death in a single command. I fingered the royal robe between my fingers, admiring the sun glinting off my jeweled fingers. None was as beautiful or magnificent as I.
A shadow fell across the window, blocking the sunbeams. One shadow and my heart instantly pounded. I leapt from my throne, scepter in hand. Who? Who dared threaten me?
Crows cawed at my fearful folly as a flock flew serenely through the azure skies.
I shouted at the black birds, scowling sharply, then spun hurriedly. Had someone snuck into my throne room? What if my guards proved disloyal? Yes! They were disloyal and with one bellowing summon for my executioner, their heads would be left hanging for those crows to plunder.
I howled in guttural glee for the image pleased me. Yes, they were a threat! I needed new guards! “Executioner!”
Herod was a crazed, egotistical Gentile, or, at best, a mixed Jew, who tragically bore the title “King of the Jews” imparted to him by Roman decree to keep the Jews in line with Roman rule.
He paraded his power and revealed his incessant insecurities with every command. He saw threats in shadows and covered his kingship with blood as he slaughtered anyone who dared look at him athwart. He trusted none, murdered many, and loved himself endlessly.
When word traveled through Jerusalem, his royal city, that one was to be born “king of the Jews”, his blood boiled. Master of deceit, he crafted a cunning plan to procure the whereabouts of said king, inviting the traveling magi who searched for the “newborn king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:7) to meet with him. He passionately insisted he too wanted to “worship Him” (Matthew 2:8), all while plotting the little king’s death.
By the time toddler Jesus was taking His first teetering steps, belly-laughing with Joseph’s silly voices, and putting everything in His mouth, Herod was scouring Judean countryside to slaughter Him.
An estimated 144,000 baby and toddler boys would be extinguished at Herod’s manic decree when the magi didn’t return. (Matthew 2:12) (Getty Museum Collection)
The price of Herod’s sin was death.
So, about that surprise Christmas character, Joshua.
If you’ve never read Joshua 7, you should do that now.
Achan’s snippet of a story portrays the price tag of sin just as clearly as Herod’s.
The Lord’s hand had effortlessly knocked down the self-reliant walls of Jericho with trumpet blasts and victory shouts. (Joshua 6:20) Israel’s morale soared, and their fame spread like wildfire. (Joshua 6:27)
Next up was the city of Ai, considerably less protected and much smaller than Jericho. The scouts suggested Joshua only send a small portion of Israelites to defeat this little town. (Joshua 7:3)
Empowered by the Lord and fresh on the heels of a mighty victory, Joshua confidently sent 3,000 fighting men but they returned fleeing in terror.
Thirty-six men died and the remaining 2,964 “lost heart”.
Like preschoolers somehow defeating a mob of teenage boys, the loss was not only an embarrassment, but it sent Joshua to his knees in fear and despair. (Joshua 7:6-9)
What had gone wrong? Why hadn’t they won? Was it their tactic? Their ability?
Sin.
One man’s sin, in fact, just one.
Achan just couldn’t help himself at Jericho’s conquest when his eye caught sight of a beautiful Babylonian coat, 5 pounds of silver, and a 1.25 pound bar of gold. He grabbed them for himself, though the Lord had specifically warned Israel, “If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.” (Joshua 6:18)
God warned, but Achan loved his sin more than he feared the Lord.
The price tag? Again, Death.
Achan, his children, his animals, and his stolen delights were all brought to the Valley of Achor to be stoned to death.
Really? His whole family? Stoned?
Was sin that expensive?
We look at the feeding trough turned cradle where the King of the Universe chose to lay, because saving us from the depths of our sin was unfathomably worth even this position of disdain.
We look at the cross to see the executed Savior, naked and beaten by the ones He died to save, and we begin to understand, yes, sin is that expensive.
Lastly, we glimpse the reflection of our own humanity.
The lies we told just hours ago.
The angry words we didn’t mean but still said.
The little glances at pornography, the Amazon cart list that just keeps growing from our need for more, sin is expensive.
Sin costs death.
Death of relationship between us and the Holy God.
Just as He warned Achan, just as the Magi walked straight into Herod’s palace, dined at his table and told him the good news of the Messiah’s arrival, just as the Lord gave you this story to read today, so too have each of us been warned.
The price tag for every rebellious act against God is sin, every time.
But the majesty of our God is so grand and His love so lavish, He decided the price tag of death for the innocent, Jesus, was worth every bit of agony.
The tiny babe in the manger chose helplessness in order to save those who thought they could save themselves, the ones who didn’t even realize they needed a Savior. That is, until we understood that the price tag of our sin equals death. (Romans 5:12)
He came for us.
He came to buy us back from the grip of sin and death.
He came to pay the death debt we each owe.
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
Peer over the manger, see the cross, and take in the Lowly One who took the curse for us, so we can stand free of all sin debt once and for all! (Romans 5:10-11)
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