Questions Jesus Asked: Is Anything Worth More?

Questions Jesus Asked – 8 – Is Anything Worth More? * This is our 8th week, and we are winding down in the series. The longer we go, the more serious the questions get, and today’s question is deep.  It is a question that we all have to contemplate, and it is a question that we should contemplate often.  It’s not just a matter of people who have not prophesied faith in Christ that need to contemplate this, but this is a matter answering this question especially if you are of those who are already following Christ. * “A question opens the mind, and a statement closes it.” I hope and pray that you allow God to open your mind today as you answer this question. * Is anything worth more than your soul? Scripture: Matthew 16:24-27                           Jesus Predicting His Death 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.   Point: * What do you want? * You have to come to a point in your life when you are completely honest and transparent about the things that you want! If you haven’t sat down and come up with a list of things in your life that you want, you really need to do that!  And I’m not talking about a Christmas list or cheap items.  I mean like, what do you want your life to culminate to? * Not stuff, but big things that you have an impact on, but you also know that you need something more than yourself to accomplish them. You need God! * Marriage * Children * Good parent * Great job * Millionaire * Famous * World changer * Happiness * Health * Peace * Joy * Fulfillment * Confidence * Stability * Passion * Meaning * Hope * There are a lot of things that people want. There are a lot of things that we want.  But we eventually have to come to the point where we have to decide if we want Jesus or not.  We have to decide if we want the world, or we want Jesus Christ. * Many of us have been lied to for a long time. We have been told that salvation is free and that all we have to do is accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and we will have eternal life.  Just pray a prayer.  Well, it’s a half truth.  Yes, Jesus did die for you.  Jesus paid the penalty for your sins.  He made it possible for you to have eternal life.  He paid the price that you couldn’t pay.  But you still have a cost. * And you say oh James, please be careful, you are tiptoeing on heresy. * Well let’s see what scripture has to say about that… * Luke 14:28-29 Cost of being a disciple 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. * Some may say, well now that’s being a disciple, that’s not being saved. Let me tell you something.  Jesus looked at his disciples and said if you don’t give up your life for me, you will lose it.  They were already disciples!  They were already followers and yet he was still calling them to more than they had given at the moment. * Don’t think for one second that God doesn’t want more from you than what you have given in this moment!