How Valuable is Your Soul?
Romans 5:6-8
Mark 8:34-38
The longest running game show in TV history is The Price is Right, which actually began in 1956, and was revamped in 1972. There have been 8,000 plus episodes in 42 seasons. People are genuinely interested in the price of things.
Did you know that the average cost of a car in this country is now over $31,000? The Census Bureau tells us that the median sales price of new houses sold in December 2013 was $270,200. The average sales price was $311,400. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2013–2014 school year was $30,094 at private colleges, $8,893 for state residents at public colleges, and $22,203 for out-of-state residents. Gold is presently selling above $1,200 per ounce.
Did you know that the 2013 U.S. median household income was around $52,250? And the entire gross national income of the United States in 2013 was about 16.9 trillion dollars. China’s income totaled 16.08 trillion and India’s was 6.7 trillion. Russia’s was 3.3 trillion. Our world is a pretty expensive place to live. Life isn’t cheap. And as anyone in business will tell you that many of its motives are based upon profit.
Many people’s ears perk up when you mention money. People will consider all manner of money management principles and business opportunities because of the promise of their monetary benefits. So if you talk to folks about income and taxes or the economic situation in their lives, they will usually listen. But if you talk to people about their souls and their salvation – fewer will be interested in that topic. Talking to people about Jesus Christ and the difference He makes in life – doesn’t usually grab and hold everyone’s attention. And for money-focused people, church simply feels like another way to lose a dollar.
Talking about giving up your will for the will of God doesn’t usually engender immediate dedication. Jesus must have understood the desire for profit and things very well. For He posed a question 2,000 years ago that is as relevant today as when it was first asked. He wanted to know of the multitudes and of His closest disciples, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Jesus asks how valuable is your life? And more importantly, how valuable is your soul? “How Valuable is Your Soul?” Please pray with me… (Click on the title for the rest of the message)