John Chrysostom was a presbyter and preacher in the fourth-century church at Antioch.  He eventually was made patriarch of Constantinople and was a revered preacher and teacher of God's word.  His sermons are famously Christ-centered and wonderfully direct.  These words today come from a homily on First Timothy:

"He gave Himself a ransom," he said, how then was He delivered up by the Father?  Because it was of His goodness.  And what does "ransom" mean?  God was about to punish them, but He did not do it.  They were about to perish, but in their stead He gave His own Son and sent us as heralds to proclaim the cross.  These things are sufficient to attract all and to demonstrate the love of Christ.  So truly, so inexpressibly great are the benefits that God has bestowed upon us.  He sacrificed Himself for His enemies, who hated and rejected Him.  What no one would do for friends, for brothers, for children, that the Lord has done for His servants; a Lord not Himself such a one as His servants, but God for men, for men not deserving.  For had they been deserving, had they done His pleasure, it would have been less wonderful.  But that He died for such ungrateful, such obstinate creatures, this is which strikes every mind with amazement.  For what men would not do for their fellow-men, that has God done for us!

Awesome stuff!  Our God in Christ is a "God for men, for men not deserving."  Amen.

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