Mark 8:36-37 - The Value of the Human Soul

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

Message: The Value of the Human Soul

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface - Jesus is headed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questions the disciples as to who He is and they answer He is the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. He tells them what the Son of Man must do, but Peter rebukes Jesus, and then Jesus reminds them his purpose is not man's purpose. He speaks to the multitude and the disciples that to follow Jesus means we deny ourselves and take up our cross.

As a follower of Christ, our lives look different from the life and even the perspectives of the world. My will is not the goal, but rather I follow Christ at whatever the cost. When I look at the cross in that day and what it meant to people that died by this instrument, the cross meant people would be opposed, experience shame, suffer and die. Conversely, I do not look for these situations, but if they come my way, while following Christ, I do not resist them. I stay obedient to the Bible and the Word of God. I listen to the Holy Spirit leading me. In living this way I experience eternal life. I cannot simply say a prayer and then continue to life in comfort, ease, acceptance, and safety when Jesus often calls me in a different area.

This is hard because the world I live in trains me to not be near uncomfortable situations. Instead I am trained to be entertained. Jesus said that to lose my life is to save it. This means to lose my will or to lose the things that I want out of life is to save it. My life is not my own. It is Christ's and being conformed to the teaching and example of Christ. God is sovereign and a person's degree of suffering, oppositions, toil, loss of power, unsafe environments is guided by Christ. Some Christians experience a great amount of suffering. No matter what I am to deny myself - die to the notion that I must be first.
He has already offered that a losing life is a saved life. He now says for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul.There is no profit in gaining all the money, all the honor, all the approval, all the comfort, all the safety. There is no profit in this because I forfeit my soul when I gain the whole world. You can't buy a soul out of hell. This points us back to the desire of saving my life (v. 35).

To gain the whole world is to decide that my goals are just that, mine, for my life. My soul is the inner part of my person and encompasses my true identity. He says what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Nothing. There is nothing that can be given in exchange for one's soul. Instead I am to deny myself, take up the cross; I am to lose my life.

Summary - Jesus is continuing to emphasize what it means to follow Him. Peter rebuked Jesus when Jesus stated his purposed because Peter wanted his purpose of Jesus to come true. But, Jesus corrects him and in so doing clearly shows that God's will for our lives is not our own. We must deny what we have come to define as an important life.

Promise: In response to losing my life, I cannot seek to gain the whole world instead and hope that my life will be saved.

Prayer - Lord, I often live my life in a way that protects me from any suffering, any uncomfortable situation. I want to listen to You Lord. I want to choose what you have for me. Too often my life ideal looks no different from others in the world. Lord, as I interact with people in need and continue to live my life without need I am living contrary to where you are leading me. I am at a point where I do not know what needs to be next for me. Lord, what does this look like in my life. Expose in me how I am seeking after the world. Expose in me how I am losing my life.