One Ring, Two Stories  
Thursday, July 29, 2010, 07:07 AM
Posted by Administrator
I have in my hand a 1974 Patrick Henry High School class ring that belongs to me. I am holding it because I am not the same size I was in high school, and because it reminds me of a great story, in fact, two great stories. See, this ring that my parents bought for me over 36 years ago is mine; I chose the style and had my named engraved on the inside. It was purchased and paid for, and I became its owner. Yet one day at Balboa Park, not wanting my hand to get cut when making a catch, I took off my ring to play flag football. When I went to retrieve it, the ring was gone and, as far as I knew, forever, until, one fateful day when I received a call from a San Diego pawnshop. They had a Patrick Henry High School class ring with my name engraved in it and wanted to know if I would like to buy it back. I went downtown, re-purchased the ring that had been mine, and owned it once again.
Jesus does the same thing for us. He made us, created us and formed us in our mother’s womb, and yet through sin and its penalty, we were lost. Jesus, with His own blood, purchased us back again and redeemed us. Now as I said in the beginning, this ring holds two stories, not just one.
About a month ago I looked for my class ring because several people in our church were giving their jewelry as a donation for our “Lids 4 Kids” offering. And then, out of the blue, I received a phone call from the person I sold my house to fourteen years ago in Yucaipa. While digging in the backyard, he had come across a class ring with my name engraved in it. Three days later, he mailed my 1974 high school class ring back to me. My ring was once lost, but now it’s found. It was mine once, twice, and now three times. This Sunday, I will be preaching about how we can have peace with God, how the lost can be found, and how we can be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. I hope to see you there as we celebrate in song and sermon with the Lords’ Supper, and I might even show you my class ring!
In Christ,
Pastor Mark

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