Salvation is Priceless!

8/6/23

What item exceeded your expected value?

· In other words, you paid $5 for a towel that has been used for the past 20 years by every family member.

· You know that you squeezed every ounce of value out of that towel.

· For me, my first thoughts were about some cookware that we bought when we first got married 45 years ago. Those pots and pans don’t owe us anything.

On the flip side, have you purchased something that didn't come close to the value paid for.

· For example, buying a Lincoln Town car that was a clunker

What would the world say are the top five priceless or invaluable items? There will be some agreements and disagreements with the items on the list…but it is a starting point. See if you agree with this list:

1. Faberge eggs Only about 50 were ever made.

2. Stradivarius violins. About 650 of the stringed instruments (harps, guitars, violins) made in the late 17th and early 18th centuries still exist today yet are still cherished by m aster violinists.

3. Mona Lisa is famous (and priceless) because of the law of inertia. Fame in motion with nothing to stop it tends to stay in motion, growing bigger and more expensive with each pop culture reference and parody.

4. Ming vases

5. Diamonds. "A diamond is forever." Or “A diamond is a girl’s best friend.”

Just because the world proclaims something as being “Priceless” doesn’t mean that it is truly priceless.

What does the bible say concerning items or resources that are priceless or irreplaceable?

· Nothing - Gold and silver and possessions don’t impress GOD and can be replaced.

· At one time, during the Old Testament times, they thought a great deal about possessions and would expand their territory with possessions.

o They would get richer, more powerful, and influential with more land and/or greater numbers of herds and flock.

What about sacrifices, are they considered priceless?

· Surely when one sacrificed an animal’s life that it must be priceless, right?

· It depends.

We need to learn from the lessons from Malachi who warned us against sacrificing without any value.

IN Mal 1:6-9 it states:

· 6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.”

Malachi was stating that the people were not taking GOD’s priceless gifts seriously.

· Instead of showing a faithfulness by sacrificing their very best, they singled out and sacrificed their flock or herd with blemishes or spots and totally unacceptable to GOD.

· They didn’t learn from the sacrifice of Cain.

o Sure, he gave a sacrifice, but it was not acceptable to GOD.

· Verse 10 states that GOD is not pleased with them.

· The essence of sacrificing is to please GOD.

What needs to be included in a sacrifice that would be acceptable to GOD?

· Our heart. From day one, the heart is priceless to GOD.

· That’s why we give our heart to GOD because it is home of our complete love and devotion for HIM.

o In Prov 23:26 “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

§ There is a RELATIONSHIP. The Lord says, ”My son or universally “My people.”

§ There is a REQUEST. “My son, give me

§ There is also a REQUIREMENT. “Give me your heart

GOD desires an active relationship with our hearts. It is a request and a mandate.

Within healthy relationships are priceless acts. What do you think about the value of:

· A warm hug. There are some hugs that are irreplaceable.

· The same with a pleasant smile. The smile lights up a room.

· A genuinely sincere greeting.

· Being courteous and performing helpful acts

· Being hospitable and charitable

· Being kind and considerate

· Holding hands with your loved one.

· Home of commitment, loyalty and love.

Wouldn’t you consider those acts priceless? You couldn’t buy these sincere acts for all the gold in the world.

What about:

· Your spouse’s love and support.

· Or a friend who loves and supports you.

· Or your children who want the very best for you, especially as we age.

· Or A church member who seems to always be there for you when you need help.

· Or Your parents and their unconditional love for you.

Relationships are big in the sight of GOD. They are priceless and invaluable.

Before I continue, I want to share with you some answers to a question that I asked the youth and Wednesday evening bible study group. The question was

“What would you consider your four most treasured possessions?

Well, the first list are answers from the Wednesday night adult crowd:

· Christianity, GOD, Home

· Peace, Life, Health

· Talents, Grandkids, Great grandkids

The youth offered these answers:

· Cell phone, Family

· Mittens the cat, House, GOD

· Dad’s bracelet, Food, Jesus

· Refrigerator food, Water, Shelter/food

To me these are pretty good answers.

· You probably noticed a distinction between the adults and the kids.

· I’m glad no one said money, clothes, job, school, or bills.

o It is good to see that Family is considered the most treasured possessions by the adults and the youth.

Jesus stated that Matt 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

· Your most priceless items are under your best protection.

· You guard it with your life

Now, including relationships, what is our most treasured possession?

It is our Salvation. Salvation is priceless.

Yes, salvation is free, but it is priceless as well.

It came at great cost.

· In order to attain salvation, the life of the Son of God was sacrificed.

· Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, without blemish or spots.

· He was the One that took away all of our sins.

· Jesus is the only priceless sacrifice.

GOD loves us so much that HE gave HIS only Son for our salvation.

Salvation is:

1. A gift of God

a. (Ephesians 2:8 NASB) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:9)

2. Promise of GOD

3. Costly. It cost Jesus His life on the cross;

a. He purchased it “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

4. Grace of GOD

5. Given by GOD because HE loves us and we trust Him

6. Eternal

7. Love of GOD

a. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NASB)

Salvation is priceless.

· There is nothing anyone possesses that can be used to purchase it.

One last point. Look at this writing called “Salvation is priceless” by Paul Tan

· Longfellow could take a worthless sheet of paper, write a poem on it, and make it worth $6,000—that’s genius.

· Rockefeller could sign his name to a piece of paper and make it worth a million dollars—that’s capital.

· Uncle Sam can take gold, stamp an eagle on it, and make it worth $20.00—that’s money.

· A mechanic can take material that is worth only $5.00 and make it worth $50.00—that’s skill.

· An artist can take a fifty-cent piece of canvas, paint a picture on it, and make it worth $1,000—that’s art.

· God can take a sinful life, wash it in the blood of Christ, put His Spirit in it, and make it a blessing to humanity—that’s salvation.

We are to treasure those things that are invaluable such as courage, character, wisdom, integrity, peace, time, health, friendships, love, happiness and respect; plus, eternal values such as my soul, salvation and relationship with GOD.

What is your most treasured possession?

How are you taking care of it?

Do you feed it daily?

Do you help it grow and sustain strength?

Taking all of this into account, never, ever let your salvation get stale or take it for granted.

Never let it get to the point of being under appreciated and always consider what it cost Jesus to save us.

Be grateful to GOD for His precious gift of Salvation; and show your gratitude for what HE did for you by living a holy life before Him and the world.

Like Jesus said “Where your treasure is where your heart is.” Value your salvation…it is priceless!