Scripture

“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? Is anything more valuable than your soul?”

Observation

Jesus begins to speak openly about His coming death in the cross. He will be killed, but on the third day He will rise from the dead.

Peter rebukes Him for saying these things. Jesus says to him, “Get away from me satan!”

Jesus warns His disciples that anyone who wants to follow Him must first take up their cross. To save our lives we must die. There is no benefit in gaining the whole world if we lose our soul.

Application

If we were to gain the whole world, but lose our soul in the process, it would be a loss not a win.

Many people pursue success as defined by the culture rather than God’s kind of success. They pursue career, wealth, relationships, prestige. They satisfy a worldly, fleshly life, but neglect their souls.

Many christians do this, paying lip service to seeking God’s kingdom while being really motivated by the things of the world.

Jesus is warning us that we must not forget to invest in spiritual growth in order to gain worldly satisfaction.

The most important thing we can do is to seek God. In John 15, Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and its branches. To bear fruit, even to just stay alive, we must stay connected to Him.

Is anything worth more than our soul? No! We must be as diligent about this as we are about our physical being.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, you promise eternal life for everyone who puts their trust in you. Please help me to grow in my relationship with you, investing time and energy in seeking your Kingdom. Amen.