HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 48: The Value of a Soul

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

4. Temptation of Jesus

5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I

6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II

7. The First Disciples

8. A Teacher with Authority

9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew

10. Jesus Cleanses the Leper

11. Jesus Heals the Paralytic

12. Jesus and the Tax Collector

13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

14. Of Wine and Wineskins

15. Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath & Resurrection Sunday 2025

16. Hard Hearts and Hard Thoughts

17. Three Responses to Jesus

18. Jesus Appoints the Apostles

19. The Family of Jesus

20. The Unforgivable Sin

21. The True Family of Jesus

22. Parable of the Four Soils

23. How Well Do You Listen

24. Parable of the Growing Seed

25. Parable of the Mustard Seed

26. Benefits of Private Teaching

27. Jesus Calms the Storm

28. Who is Afraid of Jesus?

29. The Touch of Jesus

30. When Familiarity Breeds Contempt

31. Principles of Evangelism

32. Weakness in the Seat of Power

33. The Need for Rest

34. Feeding 5000

35. Jesus Walks on Water

36. Healings at Gennesaret

37. The Danger of Traditions

38. The Source of True Defilement

39. Gentile Blessed for Her Faith

40. He Has Done All Things Well

41. Jesus Feeds 4000

42. Jesus Sighs

43. Beware of Leaven

44. The Blind Man at Bethsaida

45. Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?

46. Mindful of the Things of God

47. The Cost of Discipleship

48. The Value of a Soul

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 8:36-37 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? ³⁷For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

INTRODUCTION

We read last week that Jesus, after He rebuked Peter for wanting his own will as opposed to God’s, explained the cost of being His disciple.

Then, Jesus asks, “…what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? ³⁷For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The analytical question, rhetorical in form, was far more than rhetorical. Jesus was not seeking an answer, nor merely stirring emotion. He was exposing the covetousness of the human heart. What would you sacrifice your eternal soul to gain?

This question, revealing the value of a soul, came just after stating the cost of discipleship. Revealing that your soul is the most valuable possession you have.

No earthly possession, position, title, pleasure, authority or power is worth the value of a single soul!

I. WHY IS A SOUL SO VALUABLE?

a. Why is the soul of man so valuable?

i. It is made in God’s image

1. Genesis 1:26-27 Man was created in the image of God

ii. Yet, God does not have a physical body like us.

1. John 4:24; Luke 24:39

iii. Being created in the image of God is not merely our intelligence, morality, creativity, or because we have an everlasting soul.

1. Those things matter, but they are not the core meaning.

2. To be made in the image of God means you were created to belong to God’s family and represent Him in His world, living under His authority and extending His rule faithfully.

3. That is why sin is not merely moral failure, but a betrayal of vocation.

4. And that is why salvation is not merely forgiveness, but restoration to rightful service under the true King.

iv. We should appreciate this, and view the abstract concepts of life with this in mind.

1. Life, death, eternity

v. Though we are created beings, we are far more than just animal creatures. We were placed here by God to serve Him as stewards of all He created.

1. Psalm 8:3-8; Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Matthew 25:29

b. We can make changes that have everlasting consequence

i. Our physical bodies are mostly formed through our genetics, which we have little control over.

1. We may exercise, or resort to plastic surgery, but there is no stopping the aging process, and the fact we will one day die.

ii. Our soul however is much different

1. Despite our genetics, there is much we can change

2. Through repentance and putting our faith in the gospel, we can change our character, our attitudes, even our everlasting destination after death!

a. Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:12-15

3. We become a new creation, and the old passes away.

c. Everlasting soul, because it will never cease to exist

i. Our bodies will die, and return to the dust it was created from

ii. Our soul returns to God

1. Ecclesiastes 12:7

iii. Where it awaits our resurrected, sinless, NEW body

1. 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

d. What will take place?

i. When we die, we immediately go to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8)

ii. Remember, Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Truly I say to you, TODAY you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

1. No “soul-sleep”

2. No purgatory

3. No waiting line at St. Peter’s gate

iii. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 states when Christ returns, we will then receive our Glorified, Imperishable, Perfect, Sinless bodies.

iv. And Revelation 20:11-12 tells us that after this, all, great and small, are brought before the Great White Throne for Judgment Day.

1. Everlasting life, honor, glory and immortality to those in Christ (Romans 2:7)

2. Indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish for all others (Romans 2:8-9)

v. Knowing this should cause pause for us.

1. We need to evaluate all things

a. Possessions, decisions, actions…all from an eternal perspective. Our souls viewpoint.

i. Matthew 10:28; Matthew 16:26

e. Our soul was purchased at a great cost to redeem

i. The price that was required to redeem our souls from the wrath of God’s Judgment was the Blood of the Son of God! (1 Peter 1:18-19)

ii. Even if we cannot fully comprehend why Jesus had to die, we can still understand from His death how valuable the soul truly is!

The bible reveals to us that the soul is more valuable than the entire world! And yet, many “sell their souls” to fulfill the sinful desires of their flesh.

II. WHAT WILL YOU EXCHANGE YOUR EVERLASTING SOUL FOR?

a. Earthly riches, money, and fame

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

i. In their quest for riches, they neglect their service to God

ii. They have traded their souls for that which is corruptible, and can even be stolen from them

1. Matthew 6:19-21

b. Some trade their soul for the passing pleasure of the sins of their flesh

i. Like the young man tempted by the harlot in Proverbs 5:1-14

1. In a moment’s lust, lives are destroyed, marriages and families ruined

ii. Young people in scriptures who trusted God instead of their flesh made the right choices!

1. Joseph in Genesis 39:7-9 ran away from Potiphar’s wife’s advances on him!

2. Or Moses denouncing the fortune and fame of being the grandson of the Pharoah in Hebrews 11:24-25

3. Or Daniel who put purpose in his heart to not defile himself with the King’s delicacies in Daniel 1:8

c. Ear-tickling false doctrines that fit the lifestyle you wish to live?

i. We need to be mindful of what we watch, read, listen to, believe, when it comes to the scriptures.

ii. We must be sure we are trying to feed the Spirit within us, and not the desires of our flesh, looking for loopholes, or excuses to sinful behavior or lifestyles by cherry-picking or collapsing context in the bible.

iii. Colossians 2:8, 18; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

iv. Lack of bible reading can make us vulnerable to the mostly true teachings Satan uses to deceive

Hosea 4:6 – My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

d. Some will even exchange their soul because of simple neglect

i. They will not use the opportunities the Lord has given them

1. Matthew 25:24-30 the servant buried the masters talents

ii. Or, they fail to apply diligence necessary to grow spiritually

1. 2 Peter 1:5-11

a. Applying diligence in your faith supplies moral excellence

b. Moral excellence brings knowledge

c. Knowledge brings self-control

d. Self-control brings perseverance

e. Perseverance brings godliness

f. Godliness brings brotherly kindness

g. Brotherly kindness brings love

h. Verse 10 “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure; for in doing these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

We need to run the good race so that we may finish and receive the imperishable and incorruptible crown of eternal life.

And unlike a lot of the things going on in the world today, according to God, those who do not finish the race do not receive a reward.

CONCLUSION

How valuable is your soul? Rather, what are you willing to accept in exchange for your everlasting soul?

Jesus told us what the rich man in torment would tell you.

“and the rich man also died and was buried. ²³And in Hades (Sheol) he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’” Luke 16:22-24

But there was no relief. Then he begged, “Then I am asking you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’” Luke 16:27-28

The rich man would say nothing in life was worth losing his soul.

What would the tribulation Saints say who are before the Lambs throne in Revelation 7:13-17, as the Good Shepherd guides them to the springs of the water of life, and wipes every tear from their eye?

They would say nothing in life is greater than being with Jesus.

Think of what God has done, what Jesus went through, to save your everlasting soul!

You do not have to lose your soul.

You merely have to humbly submit yourself to the will of God.

Let His Word guide you.

Let nothing your sinful flesh desires in this world sway you.

Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit of God, and the Fruit of the Spirit, which is self-control, to overcome temptations.

And if suffering comes, suffer for His cause with rejoicing!

Acts 17:30-31 “God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, ³¹because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all when He raised Him from the dead.”

A Day of Judgment is coming.

Revelation 20:10-15 “…the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹²Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

¹⁴Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

There is no where to hide from the coming judgment. If your name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you will die the “second death,” and be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 21:8 “for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Sorry, Kirk Cameron, regardless of what you believe or think…

Revelation 20:10 is clear. Those cast into the Lake of Fire (Gehenna) will be tormented day and night, forever and ever. It is everlasting, and never ending. You do not “poof” into a cloud and stop existing because you refuse to repent and put your trust in the gospel of the One True Living God, Yahweh.

Do not be deceived. In the scriptures we see Jesus mention hell at least 35 times, if not more, and Gehenna, the Lake of Fire, about a dozen times.

This was the Love of Christ warning us. Nothing is worth our souls. Nothing!

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Gospel of Mark Part 48: The Value of a Soul

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