Luke 9:24-25
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away," Luke 9:24-25. How precious is Jesus Christ to you? Before you answer the question, I want to encourage you to really think about it. How much do you love Jesus Christ? These are important questions. In American Christianity it is easy to say we love Christ and are willing to serve Him because we are able to gather together to worship Him without fear of the government etc., but in other countries around the world it is not so. American Christianity is so out of touch with the rest of the world that we think we are under severe persecution when we are told we can't say "Merry Christmas."
We "feel" bold when we defy our government and boldly say "Merry Christmas". But this is nothing in comparison with what our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world have to deal with. It is very hard to get accurate numbers on how many Christians around the world are killed for the faith since all of them are not reported. It is estimated that 13 Christians are martyred every day. This is an average that doesn't include when whole communities are martyred simply for proclaiming Christ as the only way to heaven. Believers have been martyred for the faith since Cain killed Abel. According to many passages of Scripture, Christians can expect to be martyred until the end of time on earth as we know it. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," II Timothy 3:12. Yet us Americans think we are bold because we wear a t-shirt, have a bumper sticker, a tattoo, or where a cross around our necks.
When was the last time you actually shared the gospel with someone? When was the last time you actually told someone they are going to spend eternity in hell if Jesus Christ does not save their souls? We would like to say that we are willing to die for Christ, but in a nation where we have the freedom to proclaim Christ we are don't because we are concerned with what others will think about us. We don't go around in a belligerent way, but instead we view people with compassion; so, we proclaim Christ to them. It also helps us proclaim the Gospel when we understand that we do not have the power to save anyone. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles," Romans 1:16. With these things in mind, let us get into our text.
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it," Luke 9:24. In the first part of this verse the word "save" means to keep safe, to preserve or deliver out of physical death. This is a simple action that this person continues to do; every time it is needed. This person is always looking to preserve self. When opposition to the gospel rises up, this person will immediately back down. The fear of men will always lead to self-preservation. We find a good example of this in John 9:18-23. An argument would be that his parents were not saved, and that is an accurate argument, especially when compared with Luke 9:23-25. The fear of men always leads to self-preservation. Whoa preacher! Are you saying that if someone is more concerned about preserving their lives that that means they are not saved? That is exactly what Christ is teaching here. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it." "Shall lose" is the Greek word "apollumi" and means to destroy himself; to subject himself to eternal death. This person's life proclaims they do not love Jesus Christ; therefore, according to the bible this person is not a true Christian. They may easily and at times boldly say they are a follower of Christ, but when the pressure is put on them, they automatically preserve self. If around Christians is the only time you act like a Christian, then that is the time when you are out of character. What you really are is what you are when you are comfortable and relaxed.
Christ said whosoever, Jew or Gentile, will save his life, will lose it. "Life" in this verse is the Greek word "psuche", and is in antithetic declarations of the Lord Jesus, psuche refers not only to natural life, but also to life as continued beyond the grave. This person thinks by preserving self now that they are escaping pain, misery, embarrassment, and death, but on the day they close their eyes in death they will lift up their eyes in the torments of hell. They will spend eternity suffering the wrath of God. It is not worth it. This life is short, and full of trials. This world is full of people who hate the true and living God. "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him," Luke 12:4-5.
Fear God, not men. What does this look like in our lives? "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name, And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ," Acts 5:40-42. Turn to Hebrews 11:24-27. The eyes of the Apostles and Moses were not on themselves, nor were they focused on what they may lose, no, they were focused on the Promise of God; which is His eternal Son Jesus Christ. If it cost them everything, even their lives, they were ready to die, and willing to live. "That is, is willing to forego all the pleasures and comforts of life, and be subject to poverty and distress, and to lay down life itself, for the sake of Christ and the gospel, rather than deny Him, and part with truth." John Gill.
The lost person will preserve self, but you and I whom the Lord has saved, we battle with our flesh daily. There are times we are out of character, we fail, and we hate those times. We are heart broken over our failures. Our God is so good to us (I John 1:9). What helps us not to fail is when we are enraptured with our Lord and Saviour. We are learning more about Him daily. We are falling more in love with Him daily. We know He is coming back, and we know He sees everything we do in life. We want to please Him. We are not attached to the things of this world. The enemy can take everything, and yet we are still full of joy. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God," Psalm 42:1. "We love him, because he first loved us," I John 4:19. These Scriptures in Luke 9 really sift out who is truly a Christian. What do they say about you? "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates," II Corinthians 13:5.
Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com.
Soli Deo Gloria.
