Matthew 16:25-26...Temporary Gain, Eternal Loss...

Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”

Introduction...

i tell my kids, one bad decision that you make in 5 minutes can have a life time effect on you...

some good and some bad.....

as crazy as my mama was, she once told me that i was a accident but she also said that i was truly a blessing...

a friday or saturday night decision but thankfully it turned out to have a good effect...

a friday or saturday night of drinking and doing whatever else and decision to go driving....long term bad effect on your family and possibly another family...

and the list and examples could go on and on....but one thing about it, on this side you have another chance to make it better....

but when it comes to our spiritual walk in this world with all of these temptations around.....

that one decision that is only temporary could cost you, your eternal peace...

we put our hope and our faith into man made decisions and man made opportunities and think wealth is the key to everlasting happiness....

yes it is ok to have those things if God blesses you with them but do not put them before Him.....before the One that gave you those things...

scripture tells us anything you put before God, could become your god...

a idol...

however Matthew 6:19–20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

i will enjoy these blessing but i will not build my hope upon them because as we know they will fade away...

i will not lay my hope upon a temporary gain and end up with an eternal loss...

i will not rely on self and lose myself, i will not be conformed to this world and lose my salvation but i will....TALK, PREACH........

Let’s look at the story...

Text/Story....

we looked last week as Matthew showed us how Jesus gave us the requirements to be a true disciple...

verses 25 and 26 are a continuation of those requirements but they also show us being self centered and conformed to this world will only lead to destruction...

Thru Jesus’ life we see that we all can face temptation to enjoy temporary gain..

The temptation of Christ is a biblical narrative detailed in the gospels of Matthew, [1] Mark, [2] and Luke. [3] After being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus was tempted by the devil after 40 days and nights of fasting in the Judaean Desert. At the time, Satan came to Jesus and tried to tempt him.

Matthew 4:1–11“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give…”

Matthew 4:11 “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”

TALK, PREACH...(work text)

if we look at His temptations and see how we are tempted and can be tempted, Jesus is letting the disciples know that following me will be something special but also something difficult but it will pay off..

but if you give in for the temporary pleasures and neglect your true call and dwell in sin, there will be an eternal loss....

once again Matthew is a teaching book and this is another great lesson....

Matthew E. The King Explains the Cost of Following Him (16:24–28)

Jesus was talking about saving one’s life. But his focus was on life’s fulfillment in the next world. His point was profound. If a disciple spent all his energy focusing on this life here and now, he would lose the entire point of this life, which is investing in the life to come...

Matthew E. The King Explains the Cost of Following Him (16:24–28)

If a person does not accept the challenge of true discipleship, he will forfeit both true quality life now and full reward in eternity....

Now verse 27 should give us some joy...especially that B clause...Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

Matthew E. The King Explains the Cost of Following Him (16:24–28)

The repayment will be according to what he had done. Christ was seeking to motivate his followers to work hard and invest their lives for eternity...

when we look at all of this and sum it up...this world only offers temporary gains and will make you miss out on eternal peace...but if you have stayed on the true battlefield for Christ and understand that only what you do for Christ will last, think about that eternal gain....TALK, PREACH.......

Let’s go deeper into the text...

Points....

Matthew 16:25–26 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 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?”

first we see the sin of SELF CENTEREDNESS....

Jesus is warning his disciples, if you only care about yourself or put yourself first and not those in need, prepare to face the consequences..

John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” ...TALK, PREACH.......

Jesus is the greatest example of not being selfish...he came for us that we might live thru Him in eternal peace...

but that letter I, has messed up so many people...

I don’t have time, I am afraid of speaking in front of others,..TALK, PREACH......

go ahead and save your life, don’t be the disciple He wants you to be....you will lose...

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Church in Matthew 16 (Matthew 16:13–28)

Live for yourself and you will die. Die to yourself and you will live. And as you live, eagerly expect the King to come.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 16

Here’s the irony: The more you live for yourself, the more miserable you’ll be. But the more you say, “Lord, I’m going to live for You completely, wholeheartedly, and totally,” the more abundant your life will be both now and eternally. If you think back on the happiest times of your life, you will most likely find they were when you were really going for it in Jesus—when He was the priority in your life and the passion of your heart......

but that B clause lets us know that their is still a chance, lose his life for my sake shall find it...

You don’t lose a seed when you plant it, though it seems dead and buried. Instead, you set the seed free to be what it was always intended to be...TALK, PREACH........

a self centered person will not get that far in the kingdom...

but a person that is truly on the battlefield and trying to edify and spread the gospel, yes you may have to let some things and some people go but in the end the reward is worth it...

Next....

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?”

what i see here and is that there are some people that are not self centered but they are doing it for the wrong reason....

doing it for gain...

we looked at it briefly early but  Jesus Himself had the opportunity to gain all the world by worshipping Satan (Luke 4:5-8), but He found life and victory in obedience instead.

there are people out there that are using the word of God and the ministry for financial gain, poplourity, for their benefit and not the benefit of the person that needs the word...

gain the world and lose their soul...

a temporary gain but will have an eternal loss...

Matthew E. The King Explains the Cost of Following Him (16:24–28)

If a person does not accept the challenge of true discipleship, he will forfeit both true quality life now and full reward in eternity. There are no gains if a person wastes this life on himself.

this text asks two rhetorical questions...

Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament Taking up One’s Cross to Follow Jesus (16:24–28)

The first question asserts that there is no benefit in gaining every desire and yet losing one’s life (6:19–21). The second question reminds the disciples that no exchange can be made to purchase one’s life—it is of incomparable value..

Conclusion...

Jesus let us know last week that there are some requirements for a true disciple...

and this week He shows us the cost of not being a true disciple...

love and hold on to your life and take a chance of losing it, eternally

give your life to him, and follow and find that eternal peace and salvation thru Him...

while on this road, do not be conformed of this world and try to gain it all...

because in the end, these worldly good will rust and pass away and you could lose your soul because you put all of that before God...

is you soul worth it?

if we look at Jesus once again as our example...

TALK, PREACH, CLOSE...