Jump Start # 3595

Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had our daughter and her family visiting for a few days. She and her husband have three daughters. The oldest two, nine and seven, are busy. They swim in our popup pool, ride scooters, walk in the woods, go to the playground, and play zoo with all the stuffed animals. And, of course, I’m always right in the middle of those activities with them. We got the games out. I somehow come in last in Uno and Pass the Pigs every time. I introduced them to an old game called, “LIFE.” My daughter and son-in-law had never played this game. The game I have was the actual one I grew up with. It’s old. It looks old. It dated from the 60s and when we were cleaning out dad’s house, I took it. You’d think this was the best game ever. They laughed and played and played that game. It had been so long for me that we had to look at the instructions on the inside of the box lid to know what to do.

But what a fitting name for that game, LIFE. Choices. Go to college or go the trade route? Buy insurance or skip it? Play the stock market and take a gamble or be conservative and safe? Choices, choices, choices. The right spin on the spinner can bring great rewards. The wrong spin will cost you.

And, what is true in the game of LIFE, is true in real life. Life is made up of many choices. Consider:

First, it is hard for an eighteen-year-old to know what he wants to be after high school. Some do. Most don’t. So, they dabble in this college major and then switch to another one. This is why talking to others, and listening to  the experience of parents can help make the right choices.

Second, there are choices that can color our lives for a long, long time. Some choice become habits. And, some of those habits not only have serious consequences that follow them, they can be very hard to get out of. Surrounding yourself with people who are going the same direction you are is so helpful and beneficial. Believing one thing and being influenced in the opposite direction is going to cause an internal battle within your mind.

Third, the ultimate goal of the game LIFE is to end up in the Millionaire’s estate and not the poor house. Very similar to the game Monopoly, the one with the most wins. The materialistic drive behind these games is that more money means more happiness. It is thought by so many that winning in life or LIFE, is based upon how much you have. And, it seems many are playing this game in real life. Jesus warned what does it profit if a man gains the whole world and forfeits his soul. In the game LIFE, there is a church building. Everyone must stop there and get married. It’s the only time in the game LIFE that one goes to church. And, like that game, so it is for many today. Go when you are hatched, matched and dispatched, is an ole’ saying.

So, in the game LIFE, the choices are money driven. What will get me the most money? The game and our times see little value in being anything but rich. But there isn’t a price tag one can put on faith, peace, joy and walking with the Lord. There isn’t a price one can put on family times, smiles, laughter and good, clean fun. The thirst for getting rich can make one selfish and close his eyes to the needs around him. What if the good Samaritan walked by the injured man, thinking, “I don’t want to spend my money on a stranger. It’s not my problem.” But he didn’t. He had the heart of generosity and serving.

It is important to help our young people see that life is more than what you can hold in your hand or order from Amazon. Being content is a lesson that parents need to and ought to show their children. They won’t learn this from school. They won’t learn it from their friends. And, if it doesn’t come from you, where will they ever learn it?

Unlike the game LIFE, in real life one can adjust and change their choices. Those of us that walk with the Lord, have. We made changes. And, all along the way, as we grow, learn and get closer to the Lord, we modify our attitudes and make better choices. And, what we find is that winning life is not about how much money one has, but our love for the Lord and our choice to walk in righteousness.

I’ve known many believers who our culture would consider poor. But they found something that our culture just can’t find. They found joy, peace, contentment and hope. They found those things in Jesus. Some of the best people I’ve known have been just plain ordinary Christians who were the backbone of congregations. Their faith served them well. They brought up families that became godly servants. They lived, loved and showed others the kindness of our Lord.

At the end of the day, we put LIFE back in its old box and put it up on a shelf in a closet. And, there it will sit until the next time we pull it out to play. But the real life is lived every single day. Good days. Bad days. Ordinary days. Special days. Each day is a gift from the Lord and each day is to be lived doing all we can for the kingdom.

It is simply, Life.

Roger

Jump Start # 2944

Matthew 16:26 “For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Our verse today is familiar to so many of us. We’ve heard preachers use this passage over and over. It’s a good one. And, it does us well to take a look at some of the layers that are present in this verse.

First, the passage consists of two questions. Jesus doesn’t give the answer to those questions. It’s the type of question that has an obvious answer. It doesn’t need to be answered, because we all know the answer. So, what are the answers? What value is there if you got it all, but you lost your soul? Jesus is reminding us that our soul, created in the image of God is worth more than everything else. Everything. Put everything on one side of a balance scale and our soul on the other, and the scale would always tip to our soul.

Second, what Jesus presents is really an impossibility. No one can gain it all. Oh, through the centuries many have lived and died as if they could have it all, but they can’t. No one can. No one can own all the land on the planet. It’s impossible. No one can have everything. Also, so much of the world isn’t for sale. It’s not ours to have. We sing, “This is my Father’s world.” The planet is God’s. He has cattle on a thousand hills, the Psalms tells us. You can’t own every book. You can’t have every action figure. You can’t get every movie. It’s just not possible.

Third, there is a divine perspective that brings us to reality. Gaining it all, but forfeiting the most valuable is a terrible exchange. This is not about quantity—one soul contrasted with the whole world. It’s about value. Losing your soul is the worst thing that can happen to any one. It’s worse than cancer. It’s worse than dying. It’s worse than being alone. It’s worse than never checking off your bucket list. It’s worse than never fulfilling your dreams.

The difference between priceless and worthless is perspective. Value is determined by how much it costs to produce, how rare something is and what it means to someone. A plain piece of paper with a stick figure drawn on it doesn’t hold much value. Try selling that on EBay. Try taking that to the art museum. However, if we say that Walt Disney drew that stick figure, suddenly the value changes. If we say that Michelangelo drew that stick figure picture, the value explodes. Or, if we say that your child or grandchild drew that picture, while it may not mean anything to anyone else, you wouldn’t take anything for that. Priceless or worthless? It’s a matter of perspective.

So, plugging that thought into our verse today, for many in the world gaining everything is it. They will define life by how many cars they own, how much square footage there house is, where they have vacationed and the labels that are on their clothes. From an earthly perspective, they have it all. They are on top of the mountain. The newest, the biggest, the most expensive—they have it. They love to flaunt what they have. They love it when others ooze with envy. They want others to wish that they were like them. But their whole world is about stuff. Their definitions are qualified by stuff. The more stuff the better, is how their minds work. We have it all, is what they want. But that hasn’t been thought out very well. It never is.

What happens when that person is too old to drive all those cars? Or, he can’t climb the stairs in his massive house? Or, all he wants to do is sleep all day and the size of that TV no longer matters? What happens when he dies? What happens when the Lord comes and all those things are destroyed? Such a person is living a perspective that is built upon now and has no room for later. It is built upon physical and has no room for the spiritual. It is built upon self and has no room for God. It is a perspective, but it’s not a divine perspective. If such a person could live decades and decades at the same age he is, he might be on to something. But he can’t. And, even at that, some day he’ll meet God, face to face.

I read a very sad commentary upon modern society a while back when the question was asked, “What would you do for a million dollars?” The responses were illegal, immoral and selfish. A percentage would sell their own children for a million dollars. A greater percentage would be unfaithful in their marriage for a million dollars. Some would even kill a stranger for a million dollars. I wonder what the answers would be if I could ask some questions? Would you give up drinking the rest of your life for a million dollars? Would you change your ways for a million dollars? Would you follow Christ the rest of your life for a million dollars?

Two words about the soul that comes out of our passage are: forfeiting and exchanging. To forfeit is to surrender or give over or give up. To exchange is to trade one thing for another. In both words, the soul is lost. The soul is given up. The value of the soul doesn’t mean anything.

What a contrast to the pearl merchant who sold everything he had when he found the pearl of great price. Or, the rich man, when in torments, was begging for a drop of water. The value of the soul. When financial analysists determine your net worth, the soul is never included. When people look at their 401’s, the soul is not considered.

The most precious thing you have is your soul. It will transcend your death. It is something that you did nothing to gain, but can be exchanged for the simplest of Satan’s charms. God gave you the soul that you have. Protect it. Guard it. Honor it. Keep it healthy. Feed it. Be thankful for it. Please the Lord with it.

What will a give…that is the question of the ages.

Roger

Jump Start # 749

Matthew 16:26 “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

This week we have been looking at questions found in the New Testament. One thing this study has shown is that there are dozens and dozens of questions. Some were asked of Jesus. Some, Jesus asked. It would be hard to rank them or list the “top 10 questions of the N.T.” Some have, but the list is their selection not God’s.

Our question today was asked by Jesus. It follows His invitation for all who are weary to come to Him and He will give them rest. Jesus asks, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Then comes our question today, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Jesus is stressing the value of the soul. Value is determined a number of ways. There are many shows on TV where folks will bring in old or odd things and an offer is made for them. Sometimes the offer seems off the charts. Other times, it seems that they are not getting a fair deal.

• Value is often based upon how rare something is. This is why original artwork is so expensive.
• Value is based upon how much something cost to make it. The manufacture or seller is going to charge more than the cost so they can have a profit.

• Value is determined by sentimental meaning. Mothers would not sell those pictures that her children drew when they were in kindergartner. They are priceless to a mother. Try to take them to an art gallery and she’ll be shown the door out. Try to sell them on Ebay and she will get no bids. But in her heart, her precious children drew them out of love and there is nothing she’d take for them.

• Value is determined by what someone else is willing to pay. The market drives the price. If things are too expensive, people will not buy them.

Our souls are the most valuable things we possess. It is more expensive than our homes, our net worth or our nest eggs. When we die, we leave everything and only our soul lives on. Our souls are more valuable than our eyes, our teeth, our health, our fulfillment, or, our happiness.

Some can struggle with poor health but be rich in their soul. Some can be surrounded with dysfunctional people that are demanding and troublesome, but their souls can be at peace. A poor man can go to Heaven. A man with a simple education can go to Heaven. A person who lived a long time ago and never experienced anything like we have today, could have a soul that pleased God and will spend forever in Heaven. The body can be killed, but not the soul.

Once a person starts getting all of that, Jesus’ question makes a lot of sense. What would a person give in exchange for the most valuable thing they have? Nothing you have will equal your soul. Nothing! Nothing compares to your soul! Nothing. Your soul is you. It is marked by your personality. It is stained with your sins. It can be washed by the blood of Jesus. It is the part of us that outlives our bodies. It is the part of us that lives on in eternity. Nothing is like our soul. Nothing we have can come close to our souls in value or importance.

Getting that thought makes a person realize that taking care of my soul is more important than taking care of my health. Eating right and exercising is great, but I’ll still die. My soul lives on. Taking care of my soul is more important the the upkeep of my house. It’s more important than my investments. Nothing trumps the value of the soul.

If those thoughts are true, then it seems we ought to pay attention to the wellbeing of our soul. What is the condition of our soul? Do we even know? Many go to a doctor for an annual checkup. How about a spiritual checkup?

Jesus seems to be trying to get the disciples to see how out of balance our thinking is. We pay so much attention to the exterior that we forget there is an interior. We want to look good, dress good, smell good, eat good, and have a good time. The pursuit of happiness has passed the pursuit of holiness. Legalizing pot, approving of homosexual relationships are examples of how our culture is not even aware that there is a soul. We as a nation have become so material, so physical, so external, that the thought of the soul never crosses the radar for most people. Like the days of the Judges, everyone does what is right in their own eyes.

The rich man in Luke 16 is an example of one who lived without giving much thought to his soul. He was rich. He ate well. He had a gated home. He also ignored the sickly Lazarus who was dumped by his gate. The rich man died and for the first time in a long time, or even ever, he realized that he had a soul. His wealth, position and power could not help his tormented soul after death. He ignored the most valuable thing he had. He would love to make one final exchange to help his soul. But he couldn’t. He had nothing that would equal the value of that soul. Thousands have found themselves beside that rich man, too late to do anything and unable to do anything about a soul that they ignored, starved and neglected all those years. A soul that was twisted with wickedness and fed selfishness. A soul that was filled with worry and stress. A soul that longed to know Jesus. A soul that needed to be forgiven by Jesus. A soul that was wasted.

What does all of this tell us? Our soul needs to be taken care of. It’s precious. Don’t feed it junk and hurtful things and sinful things. Your soul wants to soar with goodness and righteousness, that’s what it was made for. It longs to know the Lord. It wants to do right. Feed it daily by spending time with the Bible. Go every week to church services and praise God. Watch what you read, listen to or watch. Choose friends wisely. Surround yourself with godly people.

Take care of that soul, it’s the only one you have. You can’t wear it out and then get another one. You can’t abuse it and then exchange it for a new one. You have one and that’s all you get. Our soul is what makes us different from everything else. Without a soul we live like the animal. Our soul has God’s thumbprint upon it. Our soul is the image of God, sacred, special and a divine gift.

What will you give for it? Great question…great responsibility…great gift.

Thank you, Lord!

Roger