February 25, 2025 – Lent Text: Zechariah 11:7-13
Dear Friends in Christ,
What is it worth to you? Each day we make decisions on how much to pay for dinner out, a hotel room, a flight, laundry detergent or toilet paper. Should you go to the gym today or just wait until tomorrow? Do I really need to see a doctor, or can it wait? It is worth it?
Toni and I had this decision on our trip to Aruba. The trip was paid for by Toni’s work, so when we decided to have massages at the resort, it was easier to pay the higher prices. If we have paid for the trip, what would we have done? Just speaking for myself, the massage would have been a go. It would have been worth it.
In our text, Zechariah changes the question a bit. He doesn’t ask “what’s it worth to you?” Rather it is . . .
“WHAT’S HE WORTH TO YOU?”
The He in our title is obviously Jesus. What value do you put on Jesus?
In this week’s prophecy, Zechariah describes a shepherd (himself) who’s fed up with his job. He was called to pasture the flock (Israel), but the sheep were not kind. Their spiritual help had deteriorated under their religious leaders, who had been unfaithful in their duties. The Lord had lost confidence in the sham shepherds and the sheep were now “doomed to be slaughtered.” (v. 7).
In one month, Zechariah had gotten rid of three shepherds. Fired them. Surely the sheep would be happy about that? They weren’t. They detested Zechariah. Who could blame him for quitting? If the sheep were determined to die, he wouldn’t stop them. He didn’t even care if he got his severance paycheck – thirty pieces of silver. The Lord told him to throw it to the potter. He did. He threw it down in the temple.
Zechariah was actually prophesying about another prophet-shepherd far into the future. You know that shepherd. Cared for His people perfectly. Loved them. Had their best interests at heart. The people had no interest in that shepherd. They rejected Him with shouts of “crucify! crucify!” They didn’t think he was worth a single piece of silver, much less 30. And that fulfillment came with Judas. Who betrayed Jesus for those 30 silver coins. He also threw his coins back into the temple and ended up dying in a potter’s field. Can you hear Zechariah’s prophetic words?
This price paid for Jesus is insulting. Jesus went humbly to the cross where He would pay an infinitely greater price for the souls of sheep who didn’t want Him.
What is He worth to you, Christian? Would you betray him for four month’s wages? Would you pretend you don’t know him for a sack of silver? I can guess your answer. “I would never sell out the Savior.” Maybe not. Or maybe it would take much less.
Have you ever traded Jesus for the acceptance of your peers? Swapped time with the Teacher for extra hours of entertainment or sleep? Held so tightly to your 30 pieces of silver that you couldn’t even give him one? Does “me time” come before “He time?”
Jesus has reason to leave us. Dismiss us in disgust. Yet He stays on the job and shows us great favor. If Jesus were asked, “What is that sinner – the one in the pew over there – worth to you?” He would answer without hesitation, “That sinner is worth everything. That sinner is worth my life. That sinner is worth my divine blood.”
Our Savior wasn’t concerned about the value placed on Him by the ungrateful sheep and their unethical shepherds. He was more concerned about the value he placed on you. The holy Son of God was willing to be sold for 30 pieces of silver, willing to be betrayed with a kiss, willing to be handed over to his enemies, willing to be sentenced to death as a criminal. He bought in to a plan to be sold out by Judas so that he could buy you with his blood.
The Good Shepherd, though rejected by most of the sheep, paid for our ticket to heaven “not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.” (Luther’s Explanation to the second article)
What is He worth to you, Christian? Is He worth setting aside some time to serve in His House? Is He worth the risk to talk to someone about what He has done in your life? You show Jesus what He is worth to you by where He fits in your budget, your schedule, your heart.
Many consider Christ worth 30 pieces of silver or even much less. You know Him as your precious, priceless, irreplaceable Savior. He is worth everything you have and everything you are.
Amen.