THE VALUE OF A SOUL
Mark 8: 31-38
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
What is important to you? Is what is important to you eternal? Is it, him, or her eternal? What do you treasure above all else? If I were to go to any high school or college in this country and ask each student what they wanted out of life, overwhelmingly, the response would be to have money or possessions. In other words, they would want the world. They would want the temporal and not the eternal. It is what parents, grandparents, and society has taught them. TO be successful, you must strive to have the world. Either consciously or subconsciously, we teach our children and grandchildren that possessions and money are what living in this world is all about. We even model that behavior before them. Your children see through the façade that you try to create for everyone else. Your children and grandchildren know whether or not you value the eternal. Jesus asks a simple question. What good will it do if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? What good would that do? What can you possibly give in exchange or pay for your soul? Today, I want to make two points.
(1) The world is not yours to gain.
(2) Your soul is valuable.
(1) THE WORLD IS NOT YOURS TO GAIN
Have you known someone, or are you that person that works two or three jobs to make the ends meet? Can I tell you a little secret? The ends are never going to meet until you turn your finances over to God. The reason a person has to work two or three jobs is his or her wants outpace his or her needs. Do you know what God says about your finances?
Malachi 3: 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
God says to try Him and see. The ends never meet because people try to gain the whole world, and their finances are definitely off-limits to God, but God wants to be Lord of your everything. Try as you may, you are never going to gain the whole world. It is an attempt in futility to try. The world is never going to belong to you. When God created the earth, He gave it to Adam. Adam was given the whole world.
Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
Dominion means that it belonged to Adam. How do I know the whole world and everything in it was given to Adam? God told Adam to name everything. If I name something, it is mine. The world belonged to Adam because God gave him dominion, and because it belonged to Adam, Adam could name it. (Genesis 2: 20 BTW) God in the very beginning established a principle that many miss. What is the principle? What we get or have, we receive from God. How many jobs did Adam work to gain the world? None. Could Adam have ever purchased the world? No. God gave it to him. If it were not for God, you and I would have nothing. Adam had the whole world It was his until he sinned. When he sinned, do you know who gained the world?
Satan. How do I know that? Look at what the Bible says.
Ephesians 2: 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Who is the prince of the power of the air? It certainly is not Adam, and it is not Jesus Christ. It is Satan.
2 Corinthians 4: 3-4
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Who is the god of this age? Satan. As the little god of this world, Satan owns the world for the time being, but Satan, even though he is in possession, has lost the world too. He lost it to Jesus. The world belongs to Jesus even though Satan has temporary possession of it. Why does it belong to Jesus?
A. HE CREATED IT.
Colossians 1: 15-17 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is God, and He created all things on earth including those invisible powers that engage in spiritual warfare on earth, including Satan. Jesus created the earth and everything for Himself, and He holds it all together. When Christ created, He gave dominion, control, of His creation to Adam. When Adam sinned, he legally handed the planet over to Satan. Even though it belonged to Christ through creation, Satan gained possession of it legally. Adam gave it to him by sinning. It was a legal transaction, so how was Jesus to reclaim His creation?
B. HE WAS CRUCIFIED FOR IT.
John 12: 30-32
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
To gain possession of His creation, to throw the ruler of this world out, Jesus had to be crucified. It is an incredible price to pay, but Jesus was willing to pay it. It had to be the Creator that redeemed His Creation. There was not other way. When you want something or you purchase something, you have to pay for it. Christ wanted His creation back, so He had to pay for it. There was no amount of money that could redeem it.
1 Peter 1: 18-19
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Silver and gold could not reclaim the Creation. To reclaim the Creation, the medium of exchange would have to be the blood of the Son of God. It was the blood of Jesus that had to be the medium of exchange. That is what you must understand. Christ created and gave the Creation to Adam. Adam gave it away for a minute of pleasure. To reclaim it from who Adam handed it to legally, Christ, the Creator, would have to pay the purchase price, and that purchase price could only be paid with His blood. Now, if it took the blood of Christ to reclaim the planet from Satan, how could Jesus regain possession if He were dead? Seriously, have you ever known of a dead person that owned something?
C. HE CONQUERED IT.
Romans 5: 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Christ died to buy back the planet. That purchase reconciled me to God. His Resurrection insured His ownership. Even though Satan is the god of this age and the prince of the air, Christ is the rightful owner of this planet. He has not officially reclaimed it yet because Satan is still having a field day, but His reclamation is nigh. When does that reclamation take place? HALLELUJAH!!!
Revelation 5: 6-7(Immediately after the Rapture)
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It shows the culmination of the struggle that began in the Garden. Jesus Christ stands, walks to the Father, and takes the title deed to this planet because it belongs to Him. Because He owns and has possession of it, Christ can judge it, and that is what happens during the Tribulation. Christ created it, He was crucified for it, and He conquered it. It belongs to Him, and I do not care how hard you work, you are never going to gain the world from Him. I think that is what Jesus is hinting at in Mark 8:36.
What good is it going to do you if you try to gain the whole world? It belongs to Him. What good is it going to do you to work your whole life for what Christ already owns. At any time, what you hold dear can be taken from you. Do you want some examples?
Daniel 4: 30-31 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” 31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!
Luke 16: 22-23 So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 12: 19-20 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
What good is it going to do you if you have a fortune beyond your wildest dreams? It can be taken from you as easy as snapping your fingers. Think about it like this. The only thing you really own is what death cannot take and money cannot buy. The only thing of worth that you have is your soul.
(2) YOUR SOUL IS VALUABLE.
How valuable is your soul?
A. YOUR SOUL IS ETERNAL
God created man to have a soul that lives forever. The breath of life that God breathed into the nostrils of Adam was Adam’s eternal soul. As descendants of Adam, we have an eternal soul too, and your soul will either exist forever in eternal life or forever in eternal death. Your soul will never die. If you have placed your faith and trust in the One who created, in the One who was crucified, and in the One who conquered, physical death is just a steppingstone into eternal life.
Take the thief who was crucified with Jesus as an example.
Luke 23: 39-43 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
That thief knew he was guilty, he knew he was getting what he deserved, but he had heard Jesus just say, “Father, forgive them.” When that thief heard what Jesus said, the Holy Spirit went to work on him, and the thief called on Jesus to remember him. Yes!! He was going to die. But Jesus assured the thief that he would be with Jesus in Paradise that very day, and even though the thief’s physical body has been dead almost 2,000 years, his soul has been with Jesus in glory.
Your soul is more valuable than the world because it is eternal, but if you continue chasing the world, physical death is not the end of your existence. If you keep trying to get what you are never going to get, your soul is going to live forever in eternal death.
Luke 16: 22b-25 The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
This is not a parable. Jesus is telling what happened to this rich man when his body physically died. This man had chased the world. He thought he had it all, but he did not have what Lazarus and the thief on the cross had, and when he died without Jesus, his soul went to Hades awaiting the final judgement of the dead, and while he is waiting on that final judgement, his soul is existing in eternal death, agony, and torment.
The world is temporary. Your soul is eternal.
(B) YOUR SOUL HAS ENDLESS POTENTIAL.
There are many factors that determine the value of something other than cost. For example, value is also determined by the object’s potential. When I was coaching baseball, I never cut a freshman from the team because I did not know his future potential. Now, by the time he was a junior, I had a pretty good idea about the kind of baseball player he was going to be, and at that moment, I might cut him from the team. In my eyes as a baseball coach, a freshman had endless potential.
Your soul is not only eternal, but your soul possesses endless potential. Do you know how much potential your soul has?
Romans 8: 28-30 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
You talk about endless potential. Your soul has the potential to become Christlike. As a matter of fact, if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, it is set in stone that you are going to be like Christ. You are going to reach your potential. Paul says it has been determined, predestined, that you are conformed to the image of Christ. I call that potential.
Do you want some good news about the potential of your soul? Your soul’s potentiality is a reality. Your potentiality is a reality. God sees you, if you are in Jesus Christ, conformed to the image of Christ now. AMEN!!!! I am justified through Jesus Christ, and because I am justified, God sees me glorified in the image of Jesus.
Your soul is eternal. Your soul has endless potential. Now, let us tie a bow around the package.
Why would you pursue the world when it is never going to be yours? The world is never going to belong to you. Some people are so tight with money that they squeak when they walk. What good does it do you? If you live long enough, you will be put in a nursing home, and the government will take your money and your house to pay for your healthcare. You will have worked your entire life pursuing something that can be taken from you just like that.
But, dear friend, Jesus cannot be taken away. He is in it with you for the long-haul if you have confessed Him as Lord. If you have not confessed Him as Lord, you are like a dog chasing its tail. You are never going to catch what you are chasing, and if you did, you would not know what to do with it.
Will you come to Jesus?
Matthew 4: 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repent just simply means to change directions in your life. Stop chasing the world and follow Jesus. Remember, there are little ones watching you. They know what is important to you, and those little ones want to be just like daddy, mama, granddaddy, and grandma. Did you know if you pursue Jesus instead of the world and seek the Kingdom of God that your whole family could be saved from eternal death?
Acts 16: 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Would you rather lead your family to eternal life and Jesus or keep chasing the world and lead them to eternal death? Listen. I watch some of you week after week, and you are under so much conviction that I almost feel sorry for you. You are really wanting to go full-speed ahead with Jesus leading the way. You want to seek the Kingdom of God. You might be saved, but you are trying to serve two masters, and because you are trying to serve two masters, you are not serving either one of them very well.
You cannot go full-speed ahead with Jesus until you give those things to Him that are holding you back, and that could include your job, recreation, entertainment, habits, addictions, spouse, children, or grandchildren. Those things can keep you from reaching your potential. Will you give it all to Jesus today?
Is the eternal destiny of your children or grandchildren worth you giving up pursuing the world? Are they?
What is the eternal destination of your soul? Are you going to have eternal life with Jesus in Heaven? Have you placed your faith in the One who created, the One who was crucified, and the One who conquered? He is the way to eternal life, but if you reject Him as the way, your soul will live forever in Hell in eternal judgement. Would you not rather experience eternal life?
If you have any questions regarding salvation, you can ask in the comments section, or you can send them to me on Messenger. If I cannot answer your question, I will find someone who can.