Gaining the world

Mark 8:36 (NLT)
36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

The disciples have proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. They have been witness to His miracles and have heard His remarkable teachings. Jesus talked openly about His coming death and the resurrection that would take place to overcome death from sin. Peter tried to reprimand Jesus for His comments, but Jesus took Peter aside and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” With that Jesus addressed the crowd and asked the question in verse 36 followed by the question, “Is anything worth more than your soul?”

 

 

In the 1959 Twilight Zone Episode of - Time Enough at Last, the character Henry Bemis, wore thick glasses and loved to read books beyond anything else. Henry worked at a bank and would steal away time to read the books he found so precious. One particular day Henry wanted to read in silence during lunch so he locked himself in the bank vault. It just so happened that a thermo-nuclear attack was launched during his time in the vault. Henry emerged to find a city that had been destroyed and no life in sight. As he walked around he came across a crumbled library with books scattered all about. Henry thought - now there will be time enough to read all the books I desire. In his excitement Henry dropped his glasses and they were smashed on the steps of the library. The narrator closed saying, “The best-laid plans of mice and men - and Henry Bemis, the small man in the glasses who wanted nothing but time. Henry Bemis, now just a part of a smashed landscape, just a piece of the rubble, just a fragment of what man has deeded to himself.”

 

Henry gained what he thought was the whole world but lost what was dear to him, the ability to read. Now time was meaningless because it would not be spent the way Henry wanted to spend it.

Christ asks that we put aside the desires of the world and place our desire and faith in Him. When we do we find a lasting relationship with Christ that leads to eternal salvation with God in heaven. Ask yourself, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”