Admonition Podcast

Good morning.

Take your Bibles, if you will, and open them to the book of Matthew.

Matthew chapter 16.

We're going to begin in this text.

Many of you were present just a few weeks ago as Fr.

Keno Schrum came and did some continuing work with us on our evangelism efforts.

This morning I wanted to spend some time following up on one of the things that we
discussed during that period of time, and that is the value of a soul.

In Matthew chapter 16, we will read in verse 26, what profit is it to a man if he gains
the whole world and loses his own soul?

Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Jesus asked the question,

after already pronouncing to the people, to His disciples, to those who were present, if
anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself.

Take up his cross and follow Me.

Jesus will help us to realize, as He helped His disciples to realize, that the soul

has value.

That who a person is has value.

Now we should be clear what we mean by a soul.

For not everyone in the world, not everyone in culture today, not everyone around us
understands the biblical concept of a soul.

It means that you, particularly, are a person made in the image of God.

That you have within you a soul that is not like your flesh, for it is

eternal, it is everlasting in nature, having been created, it will not die.

That when this life is over, when you see the end of this life, and when your flesh goes
to the grave, when your flesh sees corruption, as the New Testament tells us, that your

soul will go into eternity.

Job will tell us.

that the soul returns to God who made it.

And the Hebrew writer tells us in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 that it is appointed unto men
once to die and after this the judgment.

That means that the soul is the part of you that will go to the judgment.

Therefore it is a part of you that is intelligent.

the person, the mind of the person, it is that which can be judged.

Now sometimes, a few of you who have pets will get after your pets for not doing what they
ought to do.

But when their life is over, they're not going to God to be judged.

at the end of our lives.

We will.

Which is why Jesus asked the question, what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

For if you gain the whole world, it all stays here when your soul departs.

If you gain everything that you could desire or ask for,

You're going to lose it.

You may not lose it while you're alive, but the moment you die, it's gone.

Matthew chapter 16, Jesus says, verse 25, for whoever desires to save his life will lose
it.

Even this very life you will lose.

You've probably known a few people in your life, you may have been one of them at one
point in your life, that was fastidious about everything they ate, about the amount of

exercise that they get every day, about the amount of sleep that they get every day, about
the longevity of their life trying to extend their lives.

All of that is good stewardship in moderation.

but it will not change the reality.

He who seeks to save his life will lose it.

But he goes on to say, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Verse 27, for the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, then he
will reward each one according to his works.

Point number one, the value of a soul to yourself.

is such that it is worth more than everything else you will ever have combined.

and it doesn't matter how much you have.

It doesn't matter how much you accumulate or how much you lose in this life, your soul is
still worth more than everything you could ever accumulate in this life.

Matthew chapter 10, Jesus will send out his disciples to teach and to preach.

throughout the Judean cities and in Matthew chapter 10 beginning in verse 29 he will say,
not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?

And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will, but the very hairs
of your head are all numbered.

Do not fear therefore you are of more value than many sparrows.

Sometimes people look at themselves and they critique themselves and they overly criticize
themselves and they think, am not worth anything.

I am worthless.

Sparrows were the Old Testament sacrifice equivalent of, am poor, destitute, and have
nothing.

A sparrow is, a bird is the lowest cost item you could offer as a sacrifice when you could
not afford a lamb.

And yet, Jesus says, the sparrows?

God cares about them.

God knows them.

God knows how many there are.

God makes sure to provide for them.

How much more so you?

You say, I'm not worth much.

Or you might say, I'm worth a lot, Aaron.

Well, God knows how much you're worth.

And God's even bothered to number the hairs on your head, something you haven't done, in
spite of the fact that for many of us it's much easier now than it's ever been.

We still have other to do it, but God did.

He knows and He cares.

The value of a soul is such that to the person's own self it is worth more than they will
ever achieve in this life.

So for the person here this morning who might consider themselves unimportant, not
significant, unvaluable, you are.

It is your soul that is of great, immeasurable, everlasting value.

But then consider as well the value of a soul to God.

If you turn back to the book of Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 18,

Ezekiel will write concerning the righteous judgment of God how that God does not judge
those who are not worthy of the judgment.

He does not hold the wicked son uh accountable for the righteous father nor the righteous
son accountable for the wicked father.

He judges each one according to their own works.

In Ezekiel chapter 18, in we read, The soul whose sins shall die.

The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.

The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be upon him."

But if a wicked man turns from all his sins, which he has committed, keeps all my
statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live and not die.

None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him.

Because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.

Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?

says the Lord God, and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Consider that Ezekiel points out that God desires individuals to turn from wickedness so
that they might live because his soul has no pleasure in meeting out judgment.

The skeptic and the agnostic and the atheist will accuse God of being a hateful God.

They will accuse God of being a vengeful God.

They will accuse God of being a judging God who just simply wants to torment people
forever and ever.

Ezekiel sets the record straight.

God does not take pleasure in judging.

He takes pleasure in forgiving.

and yet it is the individual who will have to choose which scenario they find themselves
in.

But God values the soul.

Turn to 2 Peter chapter 3.

In the very last chapter of Peter's second letter, as he writes to the Christians about
some who had argued that God wasn't going to return, that there was no end coming, there

was no final day that was going to arrive, because everything had continued the way it
always had.

Peter will point out that they don't know their scriptures very well, and they need to go
back and look at Genesis chapter 6 through 8 and the flood.

to the that God made it clear things have not always continued the way they always had.

But he will write in 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 9, the Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any

should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The value of a soul is such that God will prolong judgment and extend long-suffering for
the individual who's willing to repent.

because God desires that everyone is willing to repent.

And therefore He will extend His long-suffering and hold back His judgment in that effort.

But then consider John chapter 3 in verse 16.

Consider that the value of a soul to God is clearly demonstrated by what Jesus says in
John chapter 3 and in verse 16.

For he says, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever
believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The value of a soul to God is seen that he was willing to send Christ.

He was willing to give his only begotten son that we might be saved.

value of a soul to God is clearly demonstrated.

But then consider as well we have not only the value of a soul to the individual, the
value of the soul to God, but the value of the soul to Christ.

In Luke chapter 19

as Luke, sorry, as Luke records, Jesus's interactions with Zacchaeus and his household.

We read beginning in verse 9, Jesus said to him, today salvation has come to this house
because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that

which was lost.

The value of a soul to Christ is such that Jesus came to this earth to seek and to save
souls.

Jesus didn't come to this earth so he could set up a physical kingdom.

Jesus didn't come to this earth so he could set up a throne to rule on.

Jesus didn't come to this earth so that he could live in the pleasures of the world for a
thousand years, reigning on a throne.

Jesus came to live, to die, to pay the price for a lost soul to be saved and to build His
church, His assembly of those who are saved.

so that one day they might return to be with Him and dwell with the Father.

The value of the soul is such that Jesus was willing to purchase it.

Turn back to 1 Peter.

In 1 Peter chapter 1,

Peter writes in verse 18, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like
silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers.

Peter says, you realize the price of your soul was not purchasable by a measurement of
gold?

If someone came to you with a truckload of gold, they showed up, they pulled into your
driveway in the morning, they knocked on your door, it was bright and early, they said, we

have great news, we have a truckload of gold for you.

All you have to give us is your soul in return.

It's a bad deal.

because Christ did not redeem us with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but,
verse 19, with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without

spot.

The value of a soul to Christ is such that he was willing to shed his blood to purchase
it.

Hebrews chapter two.

The Hebrew writer.

will write concerning Christ, you have put all things, verse 8, in subjection under His
feet, for in that He put all things in subjection under Him, He left nothing that was not

put under Him.

But now we do not yet see all things put under Him, but we see Jesus, who was made a
little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor,

that He by the grace of God should taste death for everyone.

for it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing
many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrew writer tells us.

You have been bought.

by the death of Christ.

You have been bought by the sacrifice and the suffering of your Lord.

in John chapter 10.

Jesus will say,

I am the Good Shepherd.

and I give my life for the sheep.

The value of the soul to the individual, it's worth more than the combined amount of
everything they'll ever possess.

The value of the soul to God is that He cares about it so much He will prolong judgment
and extend long-suffering if there's a soul to be saved by doing so.

and that He knows and cares for every soul and every individual and has no pleasure in
bringing wrath and judgment upon them, rather desires them to repent and be saved.

So much so that He sent His Son to die for us and He cared so much that He desired to come
to die for us that His blood might pay our

Pardon.

but then consider the value of the soul to heaven.

In Luke chapter 15, as Jesus speaks concerning the value of the soul, as he speaks
concerning a soul that is lost, and as he teaches his disciples about the importance of a

single soul.

We read in Luke chapter 15, beginning in verse seven, I say to you that likewise there
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need

no repentance

or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin does not light a lamp, sweep
the house and search carefully till she finds it.

And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice
with me, for I have found the peace which I lost.

Likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
who repents.

The Bible is clear, Jesus is clear, the one who actually experienced heaven could actually
testify concerning the fact that heaven itself values a soul!

that the angels in heaven rejoice.

Sometimes.

We get busy in life.

We get busy and we get to doing things and sometimes in the midst of doing things, in the
midst of being busy, we will hear from someone else exceedingly good news.

News that would just thrill our hearts and overjoy us, but because we're busy at times we
don't stop to rejoice.

Other things on our mind diminish the value of the news that we heard.

Jesus is giving us a picture so as to say heaven doesn't do that.

as if to imagine in our hearts and minds that the news were to come that one soul, one
sinner has repented and be saved and everything the angels were doing at that moment gets

laid aside for them to take time to rejoice.

because of the value of the soul.

value of the soul to the individual, value of the soul to God, the value of the soul to
Christ, the value of the soul to heaven.

But what about the value of the soul to those who are saved?

By that I mean to those who are already saved.

In Matthew chapter 28.

Verse Jesus came to them, the disciples, and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been
given unto me in heaven and on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have

commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

The value of the soul to the saved is such that it is their mission.

If you had a background in the military and in the active part of the military, you would
know that mission comes first.

The mission gets priority over life.

Limb.

It is that which comes first.

And for Jesus' disciples, Jesus left them with the parting instruction, souls come first.

But then consider that all souls in all nations come first.

Turn to Luke chapter 24.

In Luke chapter 24,

Jesus will say as Luke records the event beginning in verse 46, He said to them, thus it
is written and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer and arise from the dead the

third day and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in His name to all
nations beginning at Jerusalem.

And you are witnesses to these things.

Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until
you are endued with power from on high." Notice that Jesus points out that God is

righteous.

God is not one who prefers one nation over another.

but rather sent His Son that in accordance with the Old Testament prophecies He might pay
the purchase price for all sinners from all nations.

in 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

Paul will point out that while there are many things that we can do in this world to
demonstrate to people oh

that God loves them, that God cares about them, that God was willing to pay for their
salvation if they are willing to obey His commandment.

All of those things are true.

Many things can be done, and yes, it is certainly true that our example and our lifestyle
is a great way to communicate.

Paul was very insistent.

that God intended a singular way of carrying out the mission.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 20 he says, where is the wise?

Where is the scribe?

Where is the disputer of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God
through the foolishness

of the message preached to save those who believe.

The value of the soul is such that we must follow God's method of saving it.

And that begins with a message that goes forth in the form of the Gospel.

If we will not preach the Gospel, if we will not declare the message, all we have declared
is that we do not value the soul.

But it should also be understood that as has been pointed out when Jesus sent them, He
sent them with a message to teach, to baptize, to teach, to proclaim repentance and

remission of sins throughout every nation under heaven.

Because that is how a person can be saved.

And Paul said, I won't preach anything else.

In Romans chapter 1,

Paul would point out.

that he was a debtor.

Verse 14, both to Greeks, to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise, so as much as is in
me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also, for I am not ashamed of

the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for the Jew first and also
for the Greek.

Paul says, God's no respecter of persons, and God made me a debtor to preach the gospel.

So I'm going to preach the gospel in Rome.

Paul didn't know how he was going to get there, but he was firmly convinced he was going
to preach the gospel in Rome.

And he did.

Handcuffed, chained, imprisoned, under house arrest, he preached the gospel in Rome.

but then let us be reminded that the value of the soul is such that not only should we
preach the gospel and reach those who are lost, but that we must be committed to restoring

those who have become wayward.

In 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, Paul will write to the church at Thessalonica and he will
write verse 14, if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle,

Note that person and do not keep company with him that he may be ashamed.

Yet, not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

The value of a soul is such that we never stop admonishing the wayward.

We never stop encouraging the lost to repent.

We never stop preaching the message.

For is the power of God to salvation.

The value of a soul.

It doesn't matter how much money this world creates.

It doesn't matter how much money it spends.

It will never equal one soul, let alone all of them.

If you're here this morning and you're outside the body of Christ, Jesus would have you
examine the value of a soul, and He would have you begin with yours.

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself.

take up His cross and follow me.

If you have need of the invitation of our Lord to be saved, to have your sins washed away,
to be in a right relationship with God and to value your soul appropriately, meaning you

will give everything in this life that you have to to reach heaven when this life is over,
then we encourage you to come forward if you will.

to talk with us and study to make sure that you know what you must do.

That's the question asked throughout all the New Testament.

What must I do?

If you're wayward, if you've departed from the Lord, if you've no longer valued your soul
appropriately and no longer acted in accordance with that value, why not repent?

Why not be restored back to a right relationship with God?

If you have need of the invitation this morning,

Why not come now as we stand and as we