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Kidnapped
Legend
has it that Frank Sinatra was buried in a blue suit
with a roll of ten dimes –
a gift from his daughter, Tina.
Why the dimes?
The ten dimes signified a bizarre incident in
the life of Sinatra and his son, Frank Sinatra, Jr.
At
the age of 19, Frank Sinatra, Jr. was kidnapped on
December 8, 1963.
The kidnappers demanded payment of a large
ransom from his father.
They also demanded that Sinatra contact them
only by pay phone.
Thus Sinatra carried a roll of dimes with him
throughout the ordeal.
Carrying a roll of dimes became a lifelong
habit for him.
In
order to secure his son’s freedom, Sinatra paid the
kidnappers' $240,000 ransom demand.
His son was released unharmed, two days after
he had been kidnapped, on December 10.
The kidnappers were later captured, prosecuted,
convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms. *
The
Sinatra’s distressing experience pictures an even
GREATER ordeal…
Because
of OUR wrong choices, you and I have become trapped in
our SIN.
James describes the progression of our demise
with these words: “But each one is tempted when he
is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then,
when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and
sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death”
(James 1:14-15).
By
seeking to satisfy our own selfish desires, we have
placed ourselves in the captive hands of Satan.
The only way we can be released from this
terrible trap is through the payment of a ransom.
But the ransom price is so astronomical, that
none of us can pay the price from our own resources.
The good
news (the Gospel) is that "the Son of
Man (Jesus Christ) did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life a ransom for many"
(Matthew 20:28). He
died on the cross for our sins to pay the ransom so
that you and I can be set free from the bondage of sin
(see 1 Peter 1:18-19).
“In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of
His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
To
receive the benefits of His redemptive sacrifice, we
must accept HIS offer on HIS terms: believing
in Him (Acts
16:30-31), turning from our sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confessing
Him before men
(Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized
(immersed) in His
name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
To continue to enjoy the freedom from sin’s
bondage that Christ has provided, we must continue to
strive to follow Him faithfully (1 John 1:7), lest we
become entangled again in sin’s trap (2 Peter
2:20-22).
“Kidnapped”
by our own desires, we don’t have to remain
trapped in this torturous, deadly captivity.
Because of the great love of the Heavenly
Father, the ransom has been paid through the death of
His Son, Jesus. And,
if we accept His offer of grace, we can be set free!
Will
you accept His offer?
David
A. Sargent,
Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
"Many thanks to
Gary Hampton, Director of East Tennessee School of Preaching and
Missions, for sharing this story with us!"
*
Information gleaned from Answers.com and Wikipedia.com
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