Matthew 16:25, 26 - TRUE TREASURE.
Matthew 16:25, 26 (ESV) For whoever would
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his
life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will
it profit a man if he gains the whole world and
forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return
for his soul?
INTRODUCTION
When we don't know Christ, we make choices
as though this life were all we have. In
reality, this life is just the introduction to
eternity. How we live this brief span, however,
determines our eternal state. [Life Application SB]
When we don't have a relationship with
Christ, our choices are focused on the here and now,
as though there were no existence after death.
In reality, our lives here are the beginning of
eternity. Our lives and choices here have an impact on
our eternal existence. Similarly, the reality of
eternity can have influence on our lives and choices
here.
The cars we drive or the clothes we wear
may be very fashionable today, but in light of
eternity, how important should they be? The movies we
watch and the music we listen to may keep us
culturally relevant, but do they have value in an
eternal world? How does eternity shape our
aspirations for social status or civic honors? These are
all important questions to ask ourselves and
answer as God's Word gives us insight. Evaluate
your lifestyle from an eternal perspective, and
you may find yourself prioritizing and choosing
differently. [One Year NLT SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
"If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me." The yoke and the cross are symbols
representing the same thing, - the giving up of the will
to God. Wearing the yoke unites finite man in
companionship with the dearly beloved Son of God. Lifting
the cross cuts away self from the soul, and
places man where he learns how to bear Christ's
burdens. We cannot follow Christ without wearing His
yoke, without lifting the cross and bearing it
after Him. If our will is not in accord with the
divine requirements, we are to deny our
inclinations, give up our darling desires, and step in
Christ's footsteps....
It is a terribly hard struggle to give up
your own will and your own way. But this lesson
learned, you will find rest and peace. Pride,
selfishness, and ambition must be overcome; your will
must be swallowed up in the will of Christ. The
whole life may become one constant love sacrifice,
every action a manifestation, and every word an
utterance of love. As the life of the vine circulates
through stem and cluster, descends into the lower
fibers, and reaches to the topmost leaf, so will the
grace and love of Christ burn and abound in the
soul, sending its virtues to every part of the
being, and pervading every exercise of body and
mind. 5BC1090-2
COMMENTARY
Endless Profit
Jesus was an expert at asking questions -
especially the sort of questions that made people stop
in their tracks and pay attention. When we are
confronted with Jesus' questions, as the disciples were
here, we must be careful not to sidestep their
intended effect.
At first glance, Jesus' question
regarding material gain at the expense of our souls
might be understood primarily as a warning of
impending punishment on the selfish individual. We're
tempted to read Jesus' question in a way that likens
Him to a mother who says to her child, "Now, if
you don't share with your sister, you know
what'll happen!" But this particular question is
more along the lines of an observation. Jesus is
pointing out what happens when we orient our lives
and decisions around our own sinful longings -
around our possessions, our accomplishments, our
desired identity. To live in such a way, He says, is
to forfeit your very life.
The loss of life of which Jesus is
speaking here is therefore both immediate and
eternal. If we regard life as nothing more than what
we can get out of it for ourselves, we actually
miss out on its greatest joys; we end up merely
existing, not actually living. Furthermore, when we
place ourselves on the throne of our life, we
remove Jesus from His rightful place and affirm the
reality that by nature we prefer to pursue the world
rather than to forsake our desires in pursuit of
Christ. If we continue in this way, we will forfeit
the gift of eternal life that He loves to give
to His subjects.
So how are we to combat worldly desires
in the here and now? First, we must recognize
that, as the 17th-century mathematician and
theologian Blaise Pascal put it, we have a God-shaped
hole at the deepest level of our being, and
nothing can fill this void save God Himself. We
exist not to pursue fleeting pleasures but to
enjoy relationship with the living God. Then
second, we must continually reflect on the value of
our souls as evidenced in the cruel scene
outside Jerusalem where the sinless Christ hung on a
cross - despised, rejected, pierced, scarred, and
scorned - so that we might be brought into right
relationship with God and freely receive eternal life.
Jesus' sacrifice reveals how much the eternal
destiny of our souls matters to God.
Following Jesus as your rescuer and your
King and acknowledging His worth above any
earthly treasure is not a momentary decision; it is
a lifetime commitment that is lived out each
day. If you are prepared to come to His cross
daily, humbly confess who He is, and give up your
life - your preferences, your comfort, your
wealth - then your profit will know no end, now and
for all of eternity. We could do far worse than
asking ourselves the question at the start of each
day that Jesus asked His disciples on the road
that day: What will it profit me if I gain the
whole world and forfeit my soul? [Truth for Life
by Alistair Begg]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Matthew 16:24 - Deny Self, Pick Up Your
Cross and Follow Jesus.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210818-1019.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
