Saturday, April 2, 2016

April 3, 2016

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" Matthew 16:26

Jesus was very clear and urgent about the value of a soul.

In the verse above you can see that He believed your soul is the most valuable commodity you possess. It is so valuable you are hard pressed to place a value on it.

This will help you fix a value on your soul - Jesus died to save it! So you can calculate the value God places on the worth of your soul!

Here's a couple of stories Jesus told to illustrate how God values a soul:

"Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:3-10

All of heaven rejoiced for you when you trusted Christ!

The folks who attended the local church where you trusted Christ or where you settled in to grow and develop in your faith also rejoiced over your soul.

Those people in that local church valued your soul enough that they sacrificially gave their money and invested their times in order for you to have a place to find Christ and a place to grow in Him.

So what should your attitude be toward the souls of others in your community, where you work, where you workout, shop or where you worship?

What value should you place on their souls?

How do you calculate that value? Then, how do you express that value?

Does leading a lost soul to a discovery of Jesus hold a high value to you?

Is reaching a lost soul for Christ worth your money? Is it worth investing your time? Is it worth some discomfort and inconvenience?

I once heard Elmer Towns express the passion of his heart in these terms, "As long as there is one person in my city who doesn't know Jesus my church is not big enough."

So, what's my point? Why am I sharing this thought?

Because this is the value judgment you will be confronted with on numerous occasions in the coming months at FredWes as the prospect of raising money for relocation and building becomes a reality.

What would I give in exchange for a soul?