The Unanswerable Question

THE UN-ANSWERABLE QUESTION

MARK8:36

((6631 Tan)) Napoleon's Impossible Story

Napoleon often told this story: Once, while visiting a province he came on an old soldier with one arm severed, dressed in full uniform. On his uniform and proud fighter displayed the coveted Legion of Honor. "Where did you lose your arm?" Napoleon asked. "At Austerlitz. sire," came the soldier's brisk reply. "And for that you received the Legion of Honor?" "Yes, sire, It is but a small token to pay for the decoration." "You must be," the emperor said, "the kind of man who regrets he did not lost both arms for his country." "What then would have been my reward?" asked the one-armed man. "Then," Napoleon replied, "I would have awarded you a double Legion of Honor." With that the proud old fighter drew his sword and immediately cut off his other arm.

Often we accept without question what people tell us, never stopping to think things through.

People often hear but do not hear.... they hear the words but do not engage their brains to think about what they hear. they just accept what someone else tells them.

This story was circulated for years. One day someone asked. "How?"

This is true ... at school

at work

at church........ especially at church

listen for 30 min. and not accept Christ... not change

At church people don't want to think

to think would be to apply

to apply would be to see flaws in self, chink in armor, SIN

You can get in trouble by thinking…

You can get in more trouble by not thinking.....Sick Lion, ((Tan, #6633))

Just this once I want you to think about what you hear in church because I am going to ask a very difficult question.

Actually I am going to read a tough question that Jesus asked.

It has been called the un-answerable question

not chicken or egg

not rock he can't pick up

not do you still beat your wife

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

What is profit...

take the gross income; subtract the costs, what is left is profit.

The Parable of the Kool-Aid Stand

Jason wanted to buy Tubby's old bike. Tubby got a new one for his birthday and would sell Jason his old one for $10. It was a great deal. The problem was that Jason didn't have any money. His cousin, Scott, in another town, was making good money with his Kool-Aid stand. So, Jason decided to do the same. First he needed a stand. He went into his Dad's shop and got a piece of ply wood, a saw, some nails and a hammer. With the stand built, Jason now needed a sign. He went to his brother's room and got some poster board. He painted a fine sign and nailed it on the front. One problem... NO KOOL-AID..... and NO MONEY to buy Kool-Aid!!!!! So, he went to his sister. She lent him 55 cents.... 50 cents for the Kool-Aid, and 5 cents interest. Jason thought, I'll make that much and more... lots more. Business was great. Tubby bought three cups. Dad bought one after work. Jason even had to add water to make the Kool-Aid go farther. He would shake the box every few minutes and listen to the coins ring... and Jason would sing.... "I'm in the money." That night Jason counted his money. He was so excited.... $13.00... enough to buy the bike and some comic books to boot. He ran to tell his Dad the news. And then he learned a hard lesson. The wood was for a special project Dad had planned, it cost $12. Jason's heart broke as he gave his Dad the $12. All that work for $1. No, said his brother... you owe me 50 cents for the poster board because I need it for school. Jason stood there looking at 50 cents. What a raw deal... all that work, all that time, all that excitement... and all he had was 50 cents. “No!” said his sister.... “you owe me 55 cents.” Jason handed her the 50 cents and said, "I'll have to owe you the nickel."

Jason walked away, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped. "I didn't even get a cup of Kool-Aid."

What was Jason's mistake?

He did not count the costs...

he didn't think

Think about this question by Jesus

What would it profit YOU... if YOU were to acquire or gain everything you ever dreamed of.... if, in the process, or as a result, you lost your soul?

Let's look at it...

"...IF HE GAIN THE WORLD...."

Take the things that you could gain and add them on the plus side of the ledger...

MONEY What if you could win the lottery, 20 million dollars