Becoming more Valuable
1 Cor 6:20 KJV
What is our Value?
A Body: Only a few dollars in chemicals.
A Soul: Our soul is the most valuable possession one has.
What could equal its value?
In a chapel in Southern France, the great Emperor Charlemagne is buried. In that chapel is a large dome and in the center of that dome is where the body of Charlemagne is placed. It is not unusual that his body is buried in a prominent place. However, the manner of his burial is. He’s seated on a marble chair and wrapped in his emperor’s robes. In his lap is a copy of the N.T., and his finger is pointing to a verse. It is Matt. 16:26.
Mt 16:26 - "For 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?"
WHY IS ONE’S SOUL VALUABLE?
1. Because it is made in the image of God. Gen. 1:26-27
2. The soul is eternal, its existence is not terminated when the body is laid to rest.
3. The soul is valuable because of the cost it took to redeem it.
1 Cor 6:20 KJV
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
4. God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us.
I. God loves you because you are his creation!
II. God loves you because he wants you to know him!
III. God loves you because you need him!
God loves us the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way.
God’s gift is free
In the world in which we live we always think of the price of things.
We look at a car, and we admire its features, but the price stands in the way of having it as our own.
We look at a new home, and we would love to live in it, but again, it is beyond our reach if the price is too high. We go into a jewelry store and see the exhibited diamonds and we would like an expensive one to show our love to a special person, but again, the price stands in the way.
The amazing thing about God is that He places the greatest fulfillment of our need at no price at all. However, we are likely to not appreciate the greatness of the gift, just because it is free.
What do we Value?
Jeremiah 9:23–24
23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
That All Depends
A young couple in California remodeled their home, installed a swimming pool, and settled in to enjoy their $70,000 investment. A few weeks later that same couple stared in disbelief at the big white sign posted on a porch pillar of their house: “Notice, this building has been inspected and … is hereby declared unfit for human occupancy.”
The house stood erect. It had no holes in the walls or in the foundations. It looked neat and attractive; yet the lack of running water had reduced the desirable property to a condemned wreck. One Thanksgiving Day the well supplying the development went dry and faucets in the area sputtered only air and sand into sinks.
How conditions change—and change values along with them. In this case, a lifetime investment was threatened because a well failed. What we possess may now have value because circumstances permit or favor it.
But will it have value if circumstances change?
Can the loss of health imperil it?
Or a financial reverse?
Or a natural catastrophe?
Or death?
God wants to give us values that remain unshaken, whatever circumstances we face. He chooses to grant possessions that no cold, warmth, stock market crash, business failure, personal crisis, or death can disrupt or devalue. He will give them if we seek them in Christ.
Christ declares that where one’s treasure is there the heart will be also. We cannot at the same time serve God and Mammon. Many times, without intending it, the Christian loses the sweetest treasure of his spiritual life by being drawn away by the things of the world.
A young lady in Kansas City lost the gold ring which had been given to her by her husband at the time they became engaged. She advertised for the trinket, and offered rewards greatly in excess of its value, but with no result. Some time after another lady went into a store and commenced to try on kid gloves. Her surprise may be imagined when, in removing a glove from her hand, she found a strange gold ring upon one of her fingers. The ring was engraved "From Willis to Emma," and was at once recognized as the one lost by her friend, who had been trying on gloves in the same store, and left the ring in the glove when withdrawing her hand.
Thanks for what is a greater value
There is a story of a young man who proposed marriage to a young woman. He gave her an expensive, beautiful diamond ring enclosed in an attractive blue velvet box. The following day after their engagement, the young woman said, "How can I ever thank you enough for the beautiful blue velvet box? I love it and will always cherish it!" How do you think her beloved felt?
A ludicrous story? Yes, except that it aptly illustrates the care and attention we humans give in this life to our body and physical well beings--which is like the blue velvet box. We spend about 99 percent of our resources and time on something that will return to dust. And we neglect the gift of the diamond, which is our living, eternal soul.
We fail to thank God for such a priceless gift, purchased for us by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
How to increase in value.
A man’s worth is determined by Association
An American tourist in Paris who purchased an inexpensive amber necklace in a trinket shop was shocked when he had to pay quite a high duty on it to clear customs in New York. This aroused his curiosity, so he had it appraised. After looking at the object under a powerful magnifying glass, the jeweler said, "I’ll give you $25,000 for it." Greatly surprised, the man decided to have another expert examine it. When he did, he was offered $10,000 more!
"What do you see that’s so valuable about this old necklace," asked the astonished man.
"Look through this glass," replied the jeweler. There before his eyes was an inscription: "From Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine." The value of the necklace came from its identification with a famous person.
As Christians, we are in union with one who is far more important than any human being. It is from this union that the Christian finds his true identity and worth.
So in an age when man is searching for his past and discovering his potentials, the Christian can rejoice that his true worth comes from God and his identity is found in Jesus Christ.
A man’s worth is determined by Gifts received
Never forget you have been entrusted with a great treasure (2 Cor 4:7).
2 Cor 4:7 KJV
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
A man’s worth is determined by his calling
2 Cor 5:20 KJV
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
A mans worth is determined by his Vocation
Eph 4:1-3 KJV
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
A man’s worth is determined by what we Know
1 Cor 2:16 KJV
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
A man’s worth is determined by the fruit produced by his life
Gal 5:22-25 KJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
A man’s worth is determined by the love (Agap’e) shown
A man is only as good as what he loves.
John 13:34 KJV
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
A mans’ worth is determined by his Identity
1 Peter 2:9 KJV
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
A man’s worth is determined by who abides within.
John 15:4-7 KJV
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Don’t lose sight of the treasure
William Randolph Hearst was a very wealthy newspaper publisher who had an incredible collection of art. The Hearst mansion in northern California is a testament to his insatiable desire for artistic treasures. On one occasion he learned of some artwork he was determined to obtain. He sent his agent abroad to search for the treasure. After months of investigating, the agent reported that the treasure had been found. To further sweeten the find, Hearst learned that the relic wouldn’t cost him a dime. He already owned it. The rediscovered piece was in Hearst’s warehouse with many other treasures that had likewise never been uncrated. The desire for acquiring more can sometimes blind us from what we already possess.
We, as Christians, ought to become more valuable as time passes.
Experience ought to make us more valuable workers.
Wisdom ought to make us more valuable teachers.
Maturity ought to make us more valuable leaders.
Our Worship experience ought to become more valuable, too.
Our Labor ought to make us more valuable Workers.
The Value of One
An elderly man was out walking along the beach early one morning when he noticed a teenager ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Catching up with the youth, he asked him what he was doing. The student responded by saying that the stranded starfish would die if they were left in the morning sun.
The man chuckled a bit and said, “But the beach goes on for miles and miles, and there are millions of starfish. You can’t save all of them! How can your effort make any difference?”
The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it safely into the water. He then turned, looked at the older man and said, “It makes a difference to that one.”
