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Mark 8:34-38 HOW TO BE SAVED
34 When He had called the people to [Himself], with
His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul?
37 "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous
and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when
He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
What Can You Give In Exchange?
I am sure you all know about the American basketball great, Magic Johnson.
Number one draft pick of his year, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to
five national championships during the 80's. Here was a man at the top
of his game. His popularity with the fans only rivaled by Chicago Bulls
player Michael Jordan. He had fame, multi-million dollar contracts,
multi-million dollar advertising contracts and then out of the blue
he tested positive for HIV the virus that causes AIDS. He still had
fame, he still was worth millions, but could he trade any of that for
health? Everything he tries now is too late, too little.
Jesus said, "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Like health, there is no way to buy back your soul. You can donate millions to the church, but your soul will still be lost. "You can gain the whole world", Jesus says, and still it can't save your soul. But if you would save your soul, then be prepared to lose your life.
What is Salvation?
Today I want you to know what salvation is. What does it mean to save your soul? Let's start out first with what your soul is. My son Keita and I were going through a door yesterday and I said to him, "You have to turn the knob, son" But he didn't turn the knob, so I said it again, "Turn the knob, turn the knob." And yet he was still trying to pull the door open. In frustration I yelled "The knob, turn the knob!" And then he looked up at me and asked, "Daddy, what's a knob?" So before I tell you how to save your soul, I want to answer that question, "what's a soul?".
What is a Soul?
A very simple answer for the way Jesus uses this word, is the part of the human being that is left over even though the body is destroyed. It is that part that continues on after you die. It is that part of you that is most like God, because God is spirit, and can get to know God.
Two Parts of Salvation
So what does it mean to save your soul? Salvation has two very important parts. The best way to look at it is through Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to give you salvation. He died so that our sins, which separate us from God could be wiped away, forgotten, cleansed, forgiven. Salvation means that you are no longer a slave to sin, no longer an enemy of God.
The second remarkable thing that Jesus did was to rise again. And the Bible says that if we died with Him we shall surely rise with him. The second part of salvation is victory over death. Eternal life. We rise again with Christ to a whole life in sweet fellowship with God.
Forgiveness for sins and eternal life, sounds great! What do I have to do to get it? Jesus says some very puzzling things. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. It sounds like the popular girl in my highschool. Every boy wanted to date her, she had ten guys falling at her feet, each one trying to show her how much he wanted her. But she wouldn't look twice at them. Instead she had her eye on the guy who didn't even like her. Is Jesus playing hard to get? Is He trying to make it so only the smart and clever can get in? No, but Jesus wants us to be sure what we are doing. He wants us to know what salvation is not. It is not a way to be a better person. It is not self-help, adding on to what we already have. If you are only interested in a new addition to the old you, you have come to the wrong place. Jesus says, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me! The old you will die, nailed to the cross. But you will have salvation; forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.
How Can I Be Saved?
So we come to the big question. What must I do to be saved?
Lets look at Romans 10:10
Romans 10
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth
and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in
your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be
put to shame."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord
over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
It is very simple. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. It is very simple, very easy, Yes! Because Jesus has done the hard part, dying on the cross, for you. I know that most of you are Christians, you have made this confession, but what about the rest of the people around us here? How will they call on Jesus Christ. Read on in Romans, verse 14,
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have
not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not
heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
Lets pray that this church will be able to send many to preach the gospel of peace. Let us pray.
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