DO NOT LOSE YOUR SOUL SEEKING WORLDLY THINGS

PROCLAMATION

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  Mark 8:36-37 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  After He left Gennesaret with His disciples, Jesus went to an area in the vicinity of Tyre.  While He was there, a woman approached Him and fell at His feet saying that her daughter was possessed by a demon.  The woman was Greek, and Jesus responded to her that it was not right to take food from the children of God and toss it to the dogs. (Mark 7:24-27)  She responded to Him, Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.  Jesus liked her reply and immediately healed her daughter. (Mark 7:28-30)  Then Jesus left Tyre and went to Decapolis where some people brought a deaf man who could barely talk to Him and He healed him. (Mark 7:31-37)  Again large crowds followed Him, and He had compassion on them because they had not eaten.  In a remote area, He fed four thousand men and their families with seven barley loaves of bread and several small fish. (Mark 8:1-9)  Jesus left there and went to Dalmanutha, then crossed the lake and went to Bethsaida where He healed a blind man. (Mark 8:10-26)  From there He went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi where He again predicted His own death. (Mark 8:27-33)  Then He addressed the crowd and told them to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him.  Then He asked the crowd, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”  If you deny Him before man, He will deny you before God in heaven. (Mark 8:38)

APPLICATION

Nothing on earth is worth selling your soul to obtain it.  Nothing is worth spending eternity in hell.  Only foolish people will purchase worldly pleasures with the loss of eternal life.  All of the riches in the world are not a sufficient ransom for one’s soul.  Don’t be shortsighted and sell your soul to the devil in exchange for anything. 

As We Sow So Shall We Reap

"Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please The Spirit, from The Spirit will reap eternal life."  Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

When he wrote to the believers in Galatia, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the Apostle Paul told them that The Lord God is not to be played with.  He said that a man will receive the same thing as he gives out to others.  He who lives to please his sinful fleshly desires, will be destroyed by them.  However, he who lives to please The Holy Spirit of God which is within him, will receive eternal life.

God sees all that man does. (Job 34:21)  He can judge the heart of man and his intentions. (1 Samuel 16:7)  We need to understand that we will reap only if we sow.  He who does nothing, will receive nothing. (James 2:26)  We also need to understand that what we sow is what we will receive.  We will get back the same thing that we give out. (Matthew 7:17-18 and Luke 6:43-44)  We will reap more than the amount which we sow.  A seed will produce more than just one seed, it will produce a ten, twenty, forty, or a hundred fold increase.  That which we receive will be a multiple of that which we gave out. (Luke 6:38)  If we live to please our sinful flesh nature, we condemn ourselves. (Romans 8:1 and 8::4-5)

Life Here Is Short Heaven Is Forever

"For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from The Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."  1 John 2:16-17 (NIV)

The Apostle John told the Christians that all of the things of this world are coming to an end, but he that obeys the will of God will abide with God forever.  All of the worldly things are temporary and will vanish.  All that which is of God will continue eternally. 

When the fullness of time has come, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, for the current ones will have passed away.  (Revelation 21:1)  The soul of man will still be around and will continue to exist, in one place or another, because the soul comes from God.  (Genesis 2:7 & Ezekiel 18:4)  Only those who believe in Jesus, The Christ, will spend eternity with God.  (John 14:6)  Where will your soul spend eternity?

Keep Working For The Lord Do Not Become Complacent

"Woe to you who are complacent ... and to you who feel secure ... You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches.  You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.  You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.  You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions ... Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end."  Amos 6:1-7 (NIV)

The prophet Amos told the people that God was not pleased with those who are complacent, not concerned, and feel secure.  Those who are just enjoying life and its worldly pleasures, and not concerned regarding their sins, they would find that their good times would be replaced with suffering.

No matter what our station in life is, we should never stop working for The Lord.  We should continually seek to be more Christ-like, to help others, to study His Word, and to walk in His way.  If we only focus on enjoying worldly riches, pleasures, and retirement, and lose our focus on Christ, then we are heading towards loss and suffering.  Remember, the Bible states that "All unrighteousness is sin." (1 John 5:17 & Romans 6:13)  Let us always be thankful for what we have, continue to read and study The Word of God, and never lose focus on our kingdom building efforts.  If we are not doing things to give God glory, then we are wasting our time.