What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

Sermon notes from Sunday 3 February 2019 pm

Mark 8 verse 34 – 38

One of the greatest statements that every came from the lips of Jesus Christ “for what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul.”  What is the Lord saying about the soul?  He is not willing that any should perish.  He can save a precious soul.  He sent his only son into the world just for you.  What more could he do that he would take the form of a servant and on the cross outside Jerusalem he would die for that soul of yours.  God is so concerned for your soul.  The compassion he has for your soul.

The reality of the soul.  This is none other than Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.  This is the one who left heaven’s glory to come down into this world to die on a cross for your soul.  A soul that one day will leave your body and where will it go?  Tomorrow is just eternity hidden from our view.  We don’t know what another day will bring forth.  There is a soul in your body tonight.  There is one thing that is certain tonight – the reality of the soul.  It can be lost.  There is but one of 2 places for that soul when our eyes close in death.  Heaven has been prepared for those who know and love him.  “I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also.” (John 14 verses 2 and 3)  Luke 16 speaks of an awful place to end up in when this life is finished.  That is the difference between man and the animals.  Man has a soul that shall live for ever.  Many of the religious groupings tonight do not believe that you have anything more than this life.  Paul said “if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15 verse 19)  He knew that when he died he would go into the presence of God for all eternity where there are pleasures for evermore.  The Lord said to his own disciples “do not fear those who can destroy the body, fear him who can destroy both soul and body.” (Matthew 10 verse 28)  Remember when we go back into Genesis 1 and 2 how the Bible tells us the Lord formed man out of the dust of the ground and it becomes a living being.  One day this body of mine will go to the ground and will decay there but that which God breathed in will live for ever and ever.  One day I will leave this body and go into the presence of God for all eternity.  Jesus left heaven to die on the cross.  That soul needs to be saved.  The farmer in Luke 12 spoke to his own soul about the days ahead.  He had much goods laid up for many years and he would enjoy himself.  James speaks of the engrafted word that is able to save your soul.  Lydia realised that – she realised she had a soul and on the day she heard Paul preaching God reached down and Lydia received the word of God.  She “attended” to what Paul was saying.  She was under no doubt that Paul was telling them that their souls would leave their bodies and go out into eternity.  Have you ever attended to the word of God? 

The reasoning of the soul.  Jesus is telling us of the pursuits of the world, the riches and wealth of this world then putting your soul on the other side.  What would be the benefit if you gained all on one side and on the other lost everything?  The rich young ruler came with all his wealth, he bowed at the feet of the Lord and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  He came with sincerity.  We can come with all that sincerity but it will never save us.  You can be sincere, read your bible, do plenty for the church but what is it worth in the end?  The young man was sincere, he came to the feet of the Lord and asked “what must I do?”  He was prepared to do anything.  The Lord looked at him and told him to give all his wealth away.  He couldn’t go through with that.  He looked at his wealth and riches and turned away sorrowful.  If the Lord is drawing you with all your heart and soul, you know you need to be saved but somehow you say no then there is bound to be sorrow in your heart.  He put his value in his soul to the pursuit of worldly pleasure.  The devil took the Lord up into the mountainside and told him to turn stones into bread.  He showed him every kingdom in a moment of time and said “all these I will give you if you come and worship me.” (Matthew 4 verse 9)  The devil today is taking young and old to one side, he is offering them all the pursuits and enjoyment of this world, all they could want and telling them “I will give them to you if you come to me.”  Moses made this same reasoning.  He was a man who sat down and thought of the things of eternal issue – Hebrews 11 verse 25.  “He chose rather to suffer affliction.”  He began to count the cost.  The devil is holding you back from coming to Christ, he is perhaps showing you something so visible you are saying “I could never give that up.”  Is he holding you back from coming to Christ?  Moses was realising the pleasures he was enjoying were but for a season.  Is there something that he is holding over you, that you are not prepared to get saved because of it?  People listening to the message in Peter’s day said “what shall we do then?”  How many times have you sat in gospel meetings and said “I would love to know how to get saved?”  This meeting is about the reality of the soul.  Have you turned from your sin?  Have you trusted the Lord as Saviour?  Have you invited him into your heart and life yet?

The risk of the soul.  What is Jesus saying?  The one who left heaven’s glory to come down into this world is saying that there is a possibility you could lose your soul.  Perhaps you are going through life and all is well.  One day God will say “come up hither.”  Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not.  Jesus speaks of the risk that soul within your body could be lost.  Picture Calvary, Christ hanging there on the middle cross, the 2 thieves on either side of him at the same time, the opportunity they had, the opportunity to taunt him, criticise him.  Then as darkness drew on one of the thieves saw the Lord in a different light.  He began to reason in his soul.  Here was one who could save him and he said to the Lord “remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  Jesus turned to him and said “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  One thief went out into a lost sinners hell, the other was saved and in God’s presence that same day.  There are things we can lose – friendship and family for instance or our health but the loss of our soul can never be regained.

The ransom of the soul.  Verse 37 “or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  In Luke 16 we read of a man who died was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes.  He could see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom and he asked for someone to give him a drink of water because he was in torment.  In this world he had everything he could ever want.  A lovely home, clothes in his wardrobe, food on his table every day.  At his gate lay a beggar to whom he never gave a moments thought.  Christ died to redeem your soul.  This world holds nothing for our eternity.  When we lift up our voices to the Lord he will answer.  Will you come tonight if you are not saved.  If you are backslidden will you not come?  God has given you an opportunity to come to him.  Maybe God is inviting you to come to Christ, the one who died, gave his life and he is not willing that any should perish.  You have got to come and trust him, got to be saved tonight.