SELLING A KEEPSAKE
I want to sell some things that may mean a lot to my family members so that I can do some things. I want to buy things, go places, feel good, and look good. My sister-in-law gave my wife her mother’s wedding rings, but I want to sell them. I’ve got my dad’s Bible and a 4/10 shot gun that he gave me when I was 13yrs old. They are for sale. My twin brothers tools that my sister-in-law gave me after he was killed. There is some living I want to do.
Do I have a buyer? Come on, this is some good stuff. I know these things mean a lot to my family members, but hey, they’ll get over it.
How would you feel about me if I were to really do that?
People do it all the time and it really creates a lot of hurt, but how do you think God feels when people sell the most precious gift that He gave them,
Mark 8:37
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
keepsake -Something given or kept; a memento.
John 3:16
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.
God gave Jesus. What a keepsake. Judas sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, and many have sold out for far less than that.
We have a world that could care less about the gift of salvation, much less having it and then selling out.
prostitute -One who sells one’s abilities, talent, name (or gift, given as an expression of great love) for an unworthy purpose.
Let’s look at some things that God has given to you and I, and I’m talking about real keepsakes.
Gal 1:4
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world,
Eph 4:8-12
gave gifts unto men.
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, (for your perfection)
Rom 5:5
the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Eph 4:7
unto every one of us is given grace
2 Thess 2:16
given us everlasting consolation and good hope
2 Tim 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Peter 1:4
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
1 John 5:11
given to us eternal life,
What would you take for these keepsakes?
A little money?
One little fling?
Fame?
Material things?
1 Kings 21:17-26
17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26 And he did very abominably
He sold out for grapes? What a shame.
Heb 12:16-17
Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
sold -Past tense and past participle of sell.
To give up or surrender in exchange for a price or reward:
What do you do with a keepsake? You cherish it. You bask in the memories that it brings to mind. You are grateful for the benefit that it has brought to your life.
Let’s consider some keepsakes:
Salvation
Deliverance
The baptism in the Holy Ghost
Healings
Peace, joy, love,
Are there other examples of those whom have sold their keepsakes? Sure there is.
We all have friends who have sold out, but they didn’t have to.
Ananias and Sapphira
Demas
Judas
Samson
Joseph didn’t
The three Hebrew children didn’t
Daniel didn’t
Paul and Silas didn’t
We have former pastors and friends who didn’t and neither do we have to.
To sell a keepsake is to tell the original owner that it doesn’t mean anything to you.
Matt 19:17
if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
2 Tim 1:12-14
I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
We are Jesus’ keepsakes.
1 Cor 6:20
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
bought -To acquire by sacrifice, exchange, or trade:
purchased-He obtained the power to redeem us, forgive us, deliver us, in exchange for His life.
Redeemed-He recovered ownership of by paying the specified price
