Seipel posted a note on the Browns’ Reddit page a few weeks ago about his love for the Browns and his fatal condition.  His comments evoked the compassion of many Browns’ fans.  A GoFundMe account was set up in his name.  Seipel’s story caught the attention of Emily Mayfield, the wife of the Browns’ quarterback, Baker Mayfield.

Due to the generosity of many Browns’ fans, Seipel was invited to fly to Ohio from Georgia to watch the Browns’ final game of the 2020 regular season.  The opponent was the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Emily Mayfield also offered Seipel seats in her suite at FirstEnergy Stadium for him and his dad.

Baker Mayfield got involved.  He sent a video to Seipel through Instagram.  He said to Seipel: "You’re extremely inspirational, man; you’re a warrior.  Just want to say, keep fighting.  Appreciate your support and we’ll see what happens when we get into the playoffs.  We'll see if we make those dreams come true, bud.  We’ll be praying for you.  Hang in there.  Go Browns!” 

Seipel was able to attend the game.  The Browns won the game.  Seipel was able to greet and get a picture taken with Baker Mayfield.  It was, without a doubt, an experience that he will never forget.  And he knows and is extremely grateful that these gifts were due to the compassionate generosity of others.

On one occasion, Jesus was invited by a prominent Pharisee (a member of a strict Jewish sect) to a meal.  Jesus said to His host: "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.  Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:12-14).

God delights in people who do things for others when the people that are served cannot repay the benefactors for their gifts.

Recipients of these gifts learn the meaning of grace.

Someone has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.  Because of our sins, we have a great debt with God – a debt that is so high that we could never repay it through our own efforts (see “The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” in Matthew 18:21-35).

But God, because He loves us, gave His Son to pay the debt of our sin.  Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  He paid the price for our redemption (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).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Those who accept God’s offer can sing this song by Ellis J. Crum:

“He paid a debt He did not owe,
I owed a debt I could not pay.
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song, ‘Amazing Grace.’
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.”

Won’t YOU accept His offer on His terms?