Gain the world, but lose your soul. Luke- Week 13- Day 5

(24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (25) For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (26) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. (27) But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:24-27

Explanation:

Jesus is talking to His disciples about what it means to follow Him. The one who would try to preserve His life by disbelief in and rejection of Jesus (someone like Judas) He would lose His own soul. Jesus is pointing out that there is something to lose if someone rejected Jesus Christ as Lord. There would be the temptation to try to gain by rejecting Christ. Yet, it would be a temporary gain and an eternal loss.

Those who reject Christ because of the temporary pain of self-denial will lose their soul. There is coming a day where Jesus will come back. Those who follow Jesus bear His name. They are identified with Him. They are following the “Son of Man” who will return with the glory of God. Following the cross is the resurrection, and after the resurrection there is glory. Those who deny themselves and lose their temporary life will gain reward and eternal glory with Christ. Loyalty to the Lord in His service is worth the price because of the promise of eternity.

In verse 27 Jesus states that there will be some who see “the kingdom of God”. The word translated “kingdom” is the word transliterated “basileia”. Strong’s Concordance gives this definition:

“properly royalty, that is, (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively): – kingdom, + reign.”
Strong’s Concordance

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this statement that some will see the kingly realm is followed immediately by the transfiguration. Jesus’ royal splendor and authority is on full display when Peter, James, and John go up on the mountain and God allows them to see Jesus in this way.

Application:

There is a cost to belief in Jesus and following Him. Those who are saved are called to identify with Him and share Him with the world. This is the call of discipleship. We are called to be on His mission. He suffered, bled, died, and rose again and calls us to represent Him to the world. If we choose not to trust in Christ because of this cost, we may gain in the short term, but we will forfeit our souls. If we choose to trust in Christ and follow Him, it may cost us in this life, but we will be rewarded in the next.

(29) And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Matthew 19:29