The Six Saddest Words in the Bible
Psalm 142:4 “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”
The word “soul” appears 458 times in the bible and the word “spirit” appears 505 times. These words are often used interchangeably and in to understand them, you have to examine the context. The biblical study of the “soul” and “spirit” is called “Theological Anthropology.”
Man was created in God’s image (Gen 1:26). Because of “the fall” all men are recognized as “alive” and “dead” concurrently. To understand this you have to comprehend the nature of fallen man.
• Our flesh is alive. It moves, grows, embraces and responds to pleasure and pain. Every corporal body is unique (Ps 139:13-16).
• Our soul is alive. It reasons, learns, loves, hates, has emotions, etc…
• Our spirit is dead. It is that part of man that, prior to the fall, was connected intimately to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God says the Soul of Man is priceless.
Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Because man’s spirit is dead, his soul needs…
• Light
John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. [3:19] “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
• To be set free.
John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
The Six Saddest Words in the Bible are – “no man cared for my soul.” These six words cause me to wonder, are we really concerned about the souls of others? Do we care if the unsaved perish? Do we care that when the lost die lost they are lost forever?
#1. Why Should We Care About The Souls of The Lost? Because…
• God cares. Jesus speaking to Nicodemus said…
John 3:14-17 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
• Jesus cares. Paul speaking of our redemption…
Romans 5:6-9 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
• The Holy Spirit cares. John writing at Christ command…
Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
• The Angels in Heaven care. The parable of the lost sheep…
Luke 15:4-7, 10 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,… 10…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
• The Rich Man in Hell cares.
Luke 16:27-28 The rich man said, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
• Someone cared for you!
Now if the Godhead cares and those in heaven care and at least one in hell cares about the eternal destiny of the souls of mankind – why are we so uncaring, indifferent and unconcerned?
#2. Why Don’t We Care About The Souls of The Lost? Please listen carefully to each scripture we will now consider and try to walk in the light, allowing God’s Spirit to speak to you. In answering the question at hand, we may find an unpleasant truth about our self.
• Because we’re MISTAKEN. In the parable of the talents…
Matthew 25:24-27 “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine..”
Every man that receives the gospel but does not pass it on to others is a poor steward of the Saviors love. We owe it to our Saviour and fellow man to pass on the message of salvation!
Romans 1:14-16 “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
• Because we’re DISOBEDIENT. The great commission…
Mark 16:15 “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)
In the “Great Commission” Jesus plainly enlist every Christian to win the souls of lost men. If you have ever wondered what the will of God is for your life, it’s simple – He wants you to win souls.
• Because we’re not LOVING Jesus as we should.
John 14:15, 23 “If ye love me, keep my commandments…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
What are His Commandments? Matthew 22:36-40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great command-ment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
• Because we’re not FOLLOWING Jesus.
Mark 1:17 “Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
The best way to learn to be a soul winner is to follow Jesus.
• Because we’re not ABIDING in Christ.
John 15:4-5 “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. 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.”
There are nine fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) and the purpose of these is to equip us to bare more fruit. The fruit of a tree is there to produce life. As we abide in Christ, we bring forth fruit that in turn produces life.
• Because we’re SHORT SIGHTED.
Daniel 12:2-3 “they that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
1 John 2:16-17 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Why do we work so hard for that which won’t last? Jim Elliot, Missionary to the Indians of the Amazon wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
CONCLUSION:
Romans 10:14-15 “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, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
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Pastor Kevin W. Burden
CARTER CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH
Greenville, Kentucky
www.revkevscorner.blogspot.com
