(Read Matthew 16:24-26)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. We have been studying the life of the Apostle Peter and our study has brought us to the following passage in Matthew 16.:
Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me. For the man who wants to save his life will lose it; but the man who loses his life for my sake will find it. For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world at the price of his own soul? What could a man offer to buy back his soul once he had lost it?”
Yesterday we focused in on the words, “For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world at the price of his own soul?”. Today we will focus in on the words, “What could a man offer to buy back his soul once he had lost it?”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Jesus asked a critical question when He said, “What could a man offer to buy back his soul once he had lost it?” In other words, what could YOU pay to secure eternal life? How much is eternal life worth and could you ever pay the cost?
2. The cost for eternal life is life. Adam was perfect, innocent and sinless. But he destroyed perfection with his transgression. This put humanity in a “lost” position. Because of Adam, every human is born a sinner in need of salvation. Even giving their life away could not save them, because God required a perfect, innocent and sinless payment for the transgression of the perfect, innocent and sinless man. None of us qualify. Even if we gave our entire lives to God, our sacrifice could not gain us eternal life.
3. In the Old Testament a lamb (PASSOVER) was slain annually as a sacrifice for death and another lamb (Atonement) was slain as a sacrifice for sin. But the blood of animals could never truly pay for the transgression of man.
4. God required an equivalent ransom for Adam’s transgression. The only equivalent was Jesus. God sent His own Son — the Last Adam; a perfect, innocent and sinless man — to die in our place, paying an equivalent ransom and delivering us from the power of sin and satan (Gal 3:13, 1 Jn 1:7, Rev 5:9).
5. The Old Testament was based on works and it was designed to prove man could never be good enough to earn eternal life. It was designed to drive man to the ‘end of himself’, so he could call out to God for an answer. God provided that answer and His name is Jesus. The New Testament is based on grace and the focus is on Jesus. Jesus paid the price for your eternal salvation.
6. In the Old Testament the spotlight was on man and it was about man working for God. In the New Testament the spotlight is on God and it is about God working His work in, with, through and for man.
7. So going back to Jesus’s question: “What could a man offer to buy back his soul once he had lost it?” The answer is NOTHING. There is nothing man could do to save himself. Salvation has been secured through the Blood of Jesus. Eternal life is not a payment to be worked for, it is a gift to be received.
a) You could never earn or deserve eternal life, so stop trying. Accept eternal life through Christ Jesus, by grace, as a gift. When you settle the fact that you are only saved because of what Jesus did, it will bring you overwhelming and unshakable peace.
b) The message of grace is often offensive to those who want to work for what they get from God. It’s hard to accept the fact that you cannot work for it and you could never earn it.
c) When you understand Grace you are able to receive from God by faith, without trying to earn it, and God is much more pleased when you place your trust in His ability instead of your own.
d) Pride keeps many believers in the cycle of human effort. It takes humility to accept God’s finished work by faith, knowing He already provided it by grace.
e) God already blessed you, before the foundations of the world. It is finished. Your part is not to work for it, because it is already yours. Your part is to believe for it; to access by faith what is already your by grace.
f) God is not trying to meet your needs, He met them already. Enter into God’s rest. There is a divine rest that comes from understanding God’s finished work!
g) Grace takes you out of the equation. Grace relies on God’s plans and Jesus’ finished work, NOT your performance.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. I now understand why Jesus had to die. The blood of animals was not enough and it could never be a sufficient payment for the sin of man. In the fulness of time You sent Your own Son to die in my place. You did this because You love me. You did this by Your undeserved grace. Jesus willingly died for me. Jesus did not do this because I did anything to deserve it. Jesus died in my place by grace. I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and I am not going to hell. I am not saved because of what I do or what I fail to do. I am only saved because of what Jesus did. I am a changed man because of Your grace. I now live every second of everyday reliant on You and Your grace towards me. I am who I am by Your grace and Your grace towards me shall not be in vain. I will work hard, I will pursue my purpose, and I will complete my divine assignment before I die. But even as I do all of this, it will not really be me doing the work, but rather You through me, by Your undeserved and amazing grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
