“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.”
(Matthew 16:25-26)
A true Christian is one that does follow Jesus Christ. He denies himself. He follows the saying “no cross, no crown.”
I – Saving is Losing and Losing Is Finding– “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25). It is hard for us to follow God if we will not leave our old sinful ways, if we love our vices, money and possessions more than God. We lose our soul if we save on temporal things. We find our soul if we let go and sell our possessions and seek for eternal things. Temporary things in the world deceives us. These things blind us with eternal benefits of God.
In Mark 10:17, 21 and 22, a rich young ruler lost his soul when he asked God, “Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Jesus said: “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and come take up the cross, and follow me.” But the rich young ruler upon hearing this was sad and went away grieved for he had great possessions (Mark 10:22).
Jesus said it twice clearly in the Bible that it is hard for a man to enter the kingdom of heaven if he stays in sinful ways. Matthew 19:24 tells us that “it is better for a camel to go through the eye of the needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:25 also tells us the same way.
II – Profit Is Loss - For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul”(Matthew 16:26). The world is so alluring. The world looks so inviting that Christians wish they could trade places. Earthly goals keep us away from Christ. “We always see the world but cannot see the soul.” The nails, the thorns, the pain, the blood...these were all for our souls.
The rich and the poor has one in common when they die. They leave all they own on earth. Reality speaks that our days are dangerous because earthquakes strike at unexpected time. The heavens shall pass away with great noise, the elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth will be burned up. Earthquakes will dissolve us. The question is..how shall we live then?
In Mark 10:17, 21 and 22, a rich young ruler lost his soul when he asked God, “Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Jesus said: “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and come take up the cross, and follow me.” But the rich young ruler upon hearing this was sad and went away grieved for he had great possessions (Mark 10:22).
Jesus said it twice clearly in the Bible that it is hard for a man to enter the kingdom of heaven if he stays in sinful ways. Matthew 19:24 tells us that “it is better for a camel to go through the eye of the needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:25 also tells us the same way.
II – Profit Is Loss - For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul”(Matthew 16:26). The world is so alluring. The world looks so inviting that Christians wish they could trade places. Earthly goals keep us away from Christ. “We always see the world but cannot see the soul.” The nails, the thorns, the pain, the blood...these were all for our souls.
The rich and the poor has one in common when they die. They leave all they own on earth. Reality speaks that our days are dangerous because earthquakes strike at unexpected time. The heavens shall pass away with great noise, the elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth will be burned up. Earthquakes will dissolve us. The question is..how shall we live then?
(From Rev. Pastor Teofilito A. Rufon’s Sunday Messages)
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