April 10, 2025 • 28 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is Getting to Know Your Bible, a program dedicated
to the proclaiming of the good News of Jesus Christ.
Here's Billy Lambert.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hello, I'm Billy Lambert. I am the regular speaker on
Getting to Know Your Bible, and I want to welcome
you today. This may be the very first time that
you have seen this telecast. I want you to know
that the thing that we emphasize on getting to Know
your Bible is a word of God. The Bible is
(00:46):
the greatest book that has ever been written. Many years ago,
there were those that wrote books that thought they would
replace the Bible. That's what Thomas Paine thought when he
wrote The Age of Reason. But the Bible continues to
live after century. Jesus said, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my Word shall not pass away. So on getting
(01:07):
to Know your Bible, we're teaching from the timeless Word
of God. The Bible is God's book, the greatest book
that has ever been written. And today we're going to
be opening up the pages of the Word of God
and delivering a message to you from God's book. Today
we're going to be seeing a one of our classics
(01:29):
that is a production of one of our telecasts from
time in the past, and we want you to stay tuned.
We're going to be offering a free Bible Correspondence course
today and we will see information on the screen as
to how you can receive that course. And so we
want to pause at.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
This time to help you in your study of the Bible.
We want to send you this Bible Correspondence course. This
course is non denominational, it's based on the Bible, it's
conducted by mail, and it's free to receive this course.
Right to getting to Know your Bible po Box three
one four, Summerdale, Alabama three six five eight zero or
(02:09):
call toll free one eight seven seven seven one one
five two one four.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Suppose someone would ask you, what is it that causes
you to have happiness in your life? What is it
causes you great joy? Can you think of one thing
that that that you could mention? Someone says, well, the
thing causes me great joy is when I get my
(02:40):
paycheck at the end of the week. I'm sure that's true.
And someone else may say, well, the thing that causes
me great joys is when I see my children competing
and and activities at school and and sports and the like.
That that just that just brings great joy to me
or or someone else may say, I find great joy
(03:00):
in reading a book, And I'm sure we can just
go on and on. But have you ever wondered what
causes God great joy? Today we want to talk about it.
Our theme today is joy in Heaven. Stay tuned as
we discuss that today, Joy in Heaven. I have two
(03:23):
passages of scripture that I'd like to read, both of
them in the same chapter in Luke the fifteenth chapter,
and the first verse is verse number seven. I say
to you that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over
one sinner that repents more than ninety nine, just persons
which need no repentance. Now, the second passage is in
(03:46):
verse number ten. Likewise, I say to you, there's joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repents. Now, in order that we might understand
those two passages of scripture, let's look at the background
(04:09):
of those passages. The fifteenth chapter of Luke's Gospel begins
with people who were unhappy with Jesus. There were some
publicans and sinners that came near to Jesus, and they
wanted to hear Jesus, and there were some others who
(04:31):
murmured because of that.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
They were complaining.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
There were the Pharisees, and there were the scribes, and
this is what they said about Jesus. This man is
receiving sinners. Oh, he's even eating with these sinners. Oh.
They were just horrified that the man named Jesus would
associate with sinners. And not only was he associating with sinners,
(04:56):
he was sitting down and eating with these sinners. Following that,
Jesus spake a parable. As a matter of fact, in
the fifteenth chapter of Luke, there's more than one parable
and the parable. First of all that Jesus talked about
was a man having one hundred sheep, and one of
those sheep went missing. And so what the man did,
(05:19):
even though he still had ninety nine sheep in the wilderness, Well,
he started looking for the one sheep that was lost.
And then when he found that one sheep that was lost,
well then he laid it on his shoulders. And the
Bible says that he was rejoicing. And then when he
(05:40):
came home, he called together all of his to his
friends and his neighbors, and he said, rejoice with me. Well, why,
because I found my sheep that was lost. And that's
when Jesus said, there's joy in heaven over one center
that repents, more than nine and nine just persons that
(06:02):
do not need to repent.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Now. Then in verse eight, Jesus.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Told about talking about a woman who had ten pieces
of silver, and she lost one of those coins. And
so what she did, She got out her candle, and
she lit the candle, and she began to sweep in
the house. She began to seek diligently in the house
looking for that coin that she had lost, and finally
she found the coin. And so she likewise called together
(06:31):
her friends and her neighbors, and she said, rejoice with me,
Rejoice because I found the peace that i'd lost. And
then Jesus made the application there's joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.
And then beginning in verse eleven, Jesus talked about a
(06:53):
man had two sons, and this is the story of
the prodigal son. Prodigal son went off into the far
country having received his inheritance, and when it's spent all,
it came back home and the father received him back
and the Bible says they began to make marry they
were rejoicing because that which was lost has now been found. Now,
(07:19):
what's the message in all of this that heaven is
concerned about that which is lost, that when something that
is lost is found, when a soul that is lost
is found, there is rejoicing in heaven. So the emphasis
(07:42):
here in Luke chapter fifteen is on the value of
the soul. And the soul indeed is valuable, and there's
joy in heaven when people are saved. So if we
ever wonder what goes on in heaven, now we're living
on time side. We don't really over end of the
other side into heaven, but we can know that there's
(08:04):
joy in heaven when people are being saved. But let's
just raise a question here, and let's try to answer
this question. Why do you suppose there is joy in
heaven when a soul is saved? And I state, first
of all, because of the value of that soul. I
(08:25):
don't really think that I have the words to describe
how valuable that soul is just one soul. But this
is what Jesus said about the soul of man. What
is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world.
No one ever does.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But just suppose he did.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Suppose a man were to gain all of the wealth
of the world, all of the power of the world,
all of the prestige of the world, everything that's in
this world. What is a man profited if he gained
the whole world lose his own soul? Or what shall
a man give it changed for his soul? Unfortunately, there
are those who would exchange their souls for things of
(09:09):
inferior value. Jesus is trying to get us to see
how valuable the soul of man really is. Well, why
do you suppose that Jesus was trying to impress us
with how valuable and how important just one soul is.
See in one of these parables, in the parable of
(09:30):
the lost sheep, that this man had one hundred sheep,
and then there was just one that God lost. He
still had ninety nine sheep, but he left those ninety
and nine who were in a place of safety, and
he went looking for the one that was lost. And
that lost sheep was representative of a lost soul. We
(09:54):
ought to be concerned about souls today. A lost soul
why because the value of that soul and you know,
our world today is on a mad quest for things, things, just.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Things, material objects.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
In Luke twelve and fifteen, Jesus said, take heed and
beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisted not in
the abundance of the things which he possessed. And then
he gave a parable about a man who had a
lot of things. He had so many things, so much stuff,
(10:38):
that he was going to have to prepare a place
to put all of it. And then the Lord said,
you're a very foolish man, because you've been trying to
lay up treasure on this earth, and you've not been
rich toward God. And so men are on this quest
to get more and more things. Oh, we're sure to
(11:01):
take care of our bodies. Have you ever thought about
how much money is spent every year of people pampering
their bodies. Just think about how much we spend to
go to gyms to exercise, to try to look good. Well,
I go to a gym, but I told my trainer
(11:22):
that I'm not here to look good. I'm here to
live longer.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
And that's my.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Philosophy about it. I believe in exercise. I believe we
should and I do that, but it's not to look good.
I think I've passed the point in life where that's
a necessity. Think about how many millions and multiplied millions
of dollars spent on vitamins for people to try to
feel better, look good, live longer. You see, we're pampering
(11:50):
our bodies. Think about people to have plastic surgery done
on their bodies. And I'm sure you've seen pictures of
those who had so many that the actually they looked
a little bit on the deformed side because they had
had so many surgeries done to their body. You see,
they pamper the body, but they just neglect their soul.
(12:11):
They never think about their soul. And yet the soul
of man is the most valuable thing that a man has.
Man actually is a soul. The Bible teaches that man
is a soul and he lives in a body. James
Chapter two says, there's a body without the spirit is dead.
Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead
(12:32):
being alone. When a man dies, this old soul of man,
the soul of man leaves the body and the body
is put back into the earth to await the resurrection,
and man as a soul continues to exist, continues to live.
In the Book of Revelation, for example, in the sixth
(12:53):
chapter of the Revelation, John said, I saw under the altar, Well, John,
what did you see under the altar? I saw the
souls of them? What did you see, John? I saw souls?
What souls did you see?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
John?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I saw the souls of them that were slain for
the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
Here were people had given their life for Christ, and
they did not cease to exist. John said, I saw
their souls. Their souls, they continued to exist.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
You see, the.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Soul of man is valuable, and man's soul needs saying.
But why is the soul so valuable. One reason is
because the soul of man has made an image of
God Almighty. You remember in Genesis chapter one that the
Lord said, let us make man well? How are you
going to make man well? I'm going to make man
(13:53):
in our image? And Man created man in his own
image in Genesis to himself. Seventh, the Bible says that
God form man from the dust of the ground and
breathed and nostrils the breath of life, and man became
a living soul and so man is made in the
(14:15):
image of God. Well, what is that?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
What kind of an image is that? Well?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
In John four and verse twenty four, we're told that
God is a spirit, that God is a spirit, and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and
in truth. Well, now, what kind of a being is
a spirit? Well, turned to Luke the twenty fourth chapter,
(14:41):
and we're told that a spirit does not have flesh
and bones. It does not have flesh and bonesies to
see me have Luke twenty.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Four thirty nine. And so God is a spirit.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
And if I'm made in the image of God, I'm
made in a spiritual image of God. And I don't
have flesh and bones. I have a body. And it's
called a tabernacle. It's called a tent by the apostle Paul.
Then second Corinthians five and verse one, he said, we
know that this earthly house of our tabernacle beatsob we
(15:17):
have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
e turnaling the hevens.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And so man has a soul, and that soul.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Is valuable because it's in the image of God. I
tell you another reason. The soul is valuable because of
what Jesus did for the soul. Jesus went to the
old rugged cross because of the value of your soul.
He died for your soul. He died that your soul
(15:48):
might be saved. And souls need to be saved, because
souls can be lost. In Hebrews, chapter ten, verse thirty nine,
the writer said, we're there. We're not of them that
draw back to tradition. But where are those who believe
to the saving of the soul. The soul of man
can be saved, It needs to be saved, and that's
(16:09):
from eternal ruin. And so the soul is valuable because
of the prist that Jesus paid for it. One Peter
two twenty four says, who himself bear our sins in
his own body? He died for me. He died for
my sins. He died that I might be redeemed from
my sins, that my soul might be saved eternally. Yes, indeed,
(16:34):
the soul is valuable. The soul is valuable because of
the home that has been prepared for the saved soul.
And John fourteen Jesus said, let not your hearts be troubled.
You believe in God, believe allso in me, in my
father's house or many mansions. If it were not so,
I would have told you, and I go to prepare
(16:55):
a place for you. Well, for whom is it preparing
the place? He's preparing a place for saved souls in
heaven is a prepared place for prepared people whose souls
are saved. And we need to have a greater concern
about our souls. In Psalms one hundred and forty two
(17:18):
and verse four, there as a statement that's made no
man cared for my soul. Caring for a person's soul
involves a deep conviction as to the existence of that soul.
Caring for a soul involves a deep conviction as to
the value of that soul, And caring for someone's soul
(17:44):
involves a deep conviction as to the danger to which
that soul is exposed. And our souls, if they're not saved,
are exposed to eternal danger. Souls can be lost in
an eternal hell. Our Lord, who was a loving lord,
(18:05):
said in Matthew twenty five in verse forty one, depart
from me he cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels. Jesus Christ was concerned about souls,
and so should we be. Have you saved the soul? Lately?
(18:28):
There was a man who was going through a tour
of a great cathedral, and there was a little man
in the crowd who was walking along with them. And
the guide began to talk about the history of that building,
how many SERMs had been preaching that building, how many
(18:49):
great preachers had been in that building, how many crowds
had had in that building. This little old man spoke
up and he asked, any souls been saved here lately? God,
try to ignore the old man, but he asked, again,
any soul's been saved here lately? May I ask, as
your soul been saved? Have your souls been saved by
(19:12):
the blood of the Lord Jesus. All you have to
do is believe on Jesus with all your heart, and
be willing to repent of your sins and confess that
you believe in Jesus, and as a penitent, confessing believer,
be baptizing to Christ. Galatians three twenty seven says, for
as many of you as been baptized into Christ, did
(19:32):
put on Christ? Have you put him on in baptism?
Jesus said, he that believeth and he is baptized, shall
be saved.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You see, when the soul.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Is saved, there's joy in heaven. There's joy among the
angels of God when their sinner repents, and no doubt
there's joy in heaven. Also, because a saved soul means
(20:05):
that the kingdom is bigger. There's been an increase in
the kingdom. I couldn't tell you how many times I've
heard some godly brother pray, Lord help us that we
might get out and teach people that the borders of
your kingdom might be expanded.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I think that's a.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Worthy prayer to pray, and I believe in the sentiment
of that prayer. You see, every time a soul is saved,
the kingdom is increased, isn't it. And in order that
souls might be saved, we must tell them how to
become members of the Kingdom of God, which is also
called the Church in the New Testament. I think one
(20:46):
of the best ways to learn is just to study
the Bible, don't you. That's the reason we call this
program getting to Know your Bible. I want to know
what the Bible teaches and not what man teaches. And
John the third chapter, there was a man with the
name of Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night. And
this man said to Jesus, Rabbi, which simpley means teacher,
(21:11):
we know that you're a man come from God, because
no man can do the miracles that you're doing unless
God is with him. And Jesus in verse three said, truly, truly,
I say unto you. Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Well, all, do
you suppose Jesus meant to see the kingdom? Well, he
(21:32):
just simply meant that. He's not talking about visual contact.
He's talking about enjoying the benefits, the blessings and the.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Privileges of the kingdom. You have to be born again
in order to have the blessings in the kingdom.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
And so Nicodemus didn't understand that. And Nicodemus was thinking
about a physical birth, and he and Jesus were miles
apart in this because Jesus was thinking about a spirit
virtual birth, Nicodemus was thinking about a physical birth. So
Nicodemus asks, how can a man be born when he
(22:07):
years old? Can the end of the second time into
his mother's womb he be born, and then in verse five,
Jesus tells us how one is born again truly, Truly,
I say to you, except a man be born of
water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the
(22:29):
Kingdom of heaven the end of the kingdom. You must
be born of water, and you must be born of
the Spirit. There's similar language to this found in One
Peter one, verse twenty three, being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the Word of God, which
(22:51):
liveth and abideth forever. In order that we might be
born again, in order that we might enter the Kingdom
of God, we must be taught the word of God.
We must believe the Word of God, and we must
be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be
(23:12):
willing to repent of our every sin, confess our faith
in Jesus as being Savior and Lord, and as God's Son,
and as a penitent confessing believer. I'm to be immersed
in water for the remission of my sins. That puts
me into Christ Galatians three twenty seven. I am baptized
(23:37):
into the death of Christ Romans six, three and four.
And it is in Jesus's death, that he shed his blood. Thus,
when I am baptized into Christ, baptize into his death
by faith, I come in contact with that blood that
cleanses and washes away my sins. Saul of Tarsus was
(23:57):
told in Acts twenty two sixteen, therest thou rise and
be baptized and wash.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that so simple? You see, the
Bible is not complicated. In order that we might increase
the borders of the kingdom. We need to be saving souls.
And when we teach men the gospel, they'll believe it
and they're oldbey it and they're baptizing to Jesus Christ.
And the kingdom is bigger, and it just needs to
(24:28):
be bigger and bigger. The Gospel needs to be preached
to our whole world today. And when someone is added
to the Kingdom, there is joy. There is joy in heaven.
I suggest another reason there's joy in heaven when a
sinner is saved is because Jesus died for that person.
(24:52):
That is, he died of vicarious death, which means he
died in the place of someone else, there's joy in
heaven when I show how much I love Jesus and
I appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus and I want to
live for him for the rest of my life. And
that's when there's joy in heaven when a sinner is
(25:17):
saved by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
my friend, if we're ever saved, it will not be
because I've got money. It will not because I have.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Power. It will not be.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Because of position I have in life. If I'm ever saved,
it'll be because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And it was through God's mercy and God's grace that
he sent Jesus into this world the suffering die on
the cross that men might be saved.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
From their sins.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And when men are saved from their sins and they
appreciate that death, there's joy among the angels of God
when souls are saved. But another reason I suggest there's
joe in heaven when souls are saved is because of
(26:11):
the reality of the alternative. Have you ever thought about
the alternative to heaven is not a pretty picture. That
was a certain rich man, Jesus said, who was clothed
in purple and fine linen, and he fared sumptuously every day.
And that was a beggar named Lazarus that ladied his
(26:32):
gate full of souls, designing to be fed from the
crimbs which fell from the rich man's table. And more
of the dogs came and licked his sowreds in, and
he came to past that the beggar died, was carried
with the angels and Abraham's bosom, and the rich man
died also and was buried. And in hell he lift
up his eyes in torments he see if Abraham afar off,
(26:54):
and he said, Father Abraham, have mercy. You know what,
people in hell they want mercy. He said, sin Lazarus,
and dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. Friends,
that's the alternative. Oh, there's no wonder. There's joy in
heaven when souls are saved because they are being snatched
(27:15):
from the jaws of eternal ruin.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Are you saved? Why don't you obey Jesus?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Today? I want to thank you for watching getting to
know your Bible. Today. In the closing moments, may I
give you a personal invitation to visit the Church of
Christ in your community. If you're not certain where it is,
contact us. We'll get you that information and also call
for the Bible course. And until we meet again, May
the Lord bless you and keep you is my prayer.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Getting to Know Your Bible has been presented by Churches
of Christ. If you have a question about the church,
or if you would like the location of a Church
of Christ near you, or to receive the free Bible
course right too. Getting to Know your Bible peelbox on
four Summerdale, Alabama, three six five eight zero or call
one eight seven seven seven one one five two one four.
(28:10):
Join us next time forgetting to Know your Bible.
This is Getting to Know Your Bible, a program dedicated
to the proclaiming of the good News of Jesus Christ.
Here's Billy Lambert.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hello, I'm Billy Lambert. I am the regular speaker on
Getting to Know Your Bible, and I want to welcome
you today. This may be the very first time that
you have seen this telecast. I want you to know
that the thing that we emphasize on getting to Know
your Bible is a word of God. The Bible is
(00:46):
the greatest book that has ever been written. Many years ago,
there were those that wrote books that thought they would
replace the Bible. That's what Thomas Paine thought when he
wrote The Age of Reason. But the Bible continues to
live after century. Jesus said, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my Word shall not pass away. So on getting
(01:07):
to Know your Bible, we're teaching from the timeless Word
of God. The Bible is God's book, the greatest book
that has ever been written. And today we're going to
be opening up the pages of the Word of God
and delivering a message to you from God's book. Today
we're going to be seeing a one of our classics
(01:29):
that is a production of one of our telecasts from
time in the past, and we want you to stay tuned.
We're going to be offering a free Bible Correspondence course
today and we will see information on the screen as
to how you can receive that course. And so we
want to pause at.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
This time to help you in your study of the Bible.
We want to send you this Bible Correspondence course. This
course is non denominational, it's based on the Bible, it's
conducted by mail, and it's free to receive this course.
Right to getting to Know your Bible po Box three
one four, Summerdale, Alabama three six five eight zero or
(02:09):
call toll free one eight seven seven seven one one
five two one four.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Suppose someone would ask you, what is it that causes
you to have happiness in your life? What is it
causes you great joy? Can you think of one thing
that that that you could mention? Someone says, well, the
thing causes me great joy is when I get my
(02:40):
paycheck at the end of the week. I'm sure that's true.
And someone else may say, well, the thing that causes
me great joys is when I see my children competing
and and activities at school and and sports and the like.
That that just that just brings great joy to me
or or someone else may say, I find great joy
(03:00):
in reading a book, And I'm sure we can just
go on and on. But have you ever wondered what
causes God great joy? Today we want to talk about it.
Our theme today is joy in Heaven. Stay tuned as
we discuss that today, Joy in Heaven. I have two
(03:23):
passages of scripture that I'd like to read, both of
them in the same chapter in Luke the fifteenth chapter,
and the first verse is verse number seven. I say
to you that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over
one sinner that repents more than ninety nine, just persons
which need no repentance. Now, the second passage is in
(03:46):
verse number ten. Likewise, I say to you, there's joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repents. Now, in order that we might understand
those two passages of scripture, let's look at the background
(04:09):
of those passages. The fifteenth chapter of Luke's Gospel begins
with people who were unhappy with Jesus. There were some
publicans and sinners that came near to Jesus, and they
wanted to hear Jesus, and there were some others who
(04:31):
murmured because of that.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
They were complaining.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
There were the Pharisees, and there were the scribes, and
this is what they said about Jesus. This man is
receiving sinners. Oh, he's even eating with these sinners. Oh.
They were just horrified that the man named Jesus would
associate with sinners. And not only was he associating with sinners,
(04:56):
he was sitting down and eating with these sinners. Following that,
Jesus spake a parable. As a matter of fact, in
the fifteenth chapter of Luke, there's more than one parable
and the parable. First of all that Jesus talked about
was a man having one hundred sheep, and one of
those sheep went missing. And so what the man did,
(05:19):
even though he still had ninety nine sheep in the wilderness, Well,
he started looking for the one sheep that was lost.
And then when he found that one sheep that was lost,
well then he laid it on his shoulders. And the
Bible says that he was rejoicing. And then when he
(05:40):
came home, he called together all of his to his
friends and his neighbors, and he said, rejoice with me. Well, why,
because I found my sheep that was lost. And that's
when Jesus said, there's joy in heaven over one center
that repents, more than nine and nine just persons that
(06:02):
do not need to repent.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Now. Then in verse eight, Jesus.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Told about talking about a woman who had ten pieces
of silver, and she lost one of those coins. And
so what she did, She got out her candle, and
she lit the candle, and she began to sweep in
the house. She began to seek diligently in the house
looking for that coin that she had lost, and finally
she found the coin. And so she likewise called together
(06:31):
her friends and her neighbors, and she said, rejoice with me,
Rejoice because I found the peace that i'd lost. And
then Jesus made the application there's joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.
And then beginning in verse eleven, Jesus talked about a
(06:53):
man had two sons, and this is the story of
the prodigal son. Prodigal son went off into the far
country having received his inheritance, and when it's spent all,
it came back home and the father received him back
and the Bible says they began to make marry they
were rejoicing because that which was lost has now been found. Now,
(07:19):
what's the message in all of this that heaven is
concerned about that which is lost, that when something that
is lost is found, when a soul that is lost
is found, there is rejoicing in heaven. So the emphasis
(07:42):
here in Luke chapter fifteen is on the value of
the soul. And the soul indeed is valuable, and there's
joy in heaven when people are saved. So if we
ever wonder what goes on in heaven, now we're living
on time side. We don't really over end of the
other side into heaven, but we can know that there's
(08:04):
joy in heaven when people are being saved. But let's
just raise a question here, and let's try to answer
this question. Why do you suppose there is joy in
heaven when a soul is saved? And I state, first
of all, because of the value of that soul. I
(08:25):
don't really think that I have the words to describe
how valuable that soul is just one soul. But this
is what Jesus said about the soul of man. What
is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world.
No one ever does.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But just suppose he did.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Suppose a man were to gain all of the wealth
of the world, all of the power of the world,
all of the prestige of the world, everything that's in
this world. What is a man profited if he gained
the whole world lose his own soul? Or what shall
a man give it changed for his soul? Unfortunately, there
are those who would exchange their souls for things of
(09:09):
inferior value. Jesus is trying to get us to see
how valuable the soul of man really is. Well, why
do you suppose that Jesus was trying to impress us
with how valuable and how important just one soul is.
See in one of these parables, in the parable of
(09:30):
the lost sheep, that this man had one hundred sheep,
and then there was just one that God lost. He
still had ninety nine sheep, but he left those ninety
and nine who were in a place of safety, and
he went looking for the one that was lost. And
that lost sheep was representative of a lost soul. We
(09:54):
ought to be concerned about souls today. A lost soul
why because the value of that soul and you know,
our world today is on a mad quest for things, things, just.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Things, material objects.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
In Luke twelve and fifteen, Jesus said, take heed and
beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisted not in
the abundance of the things which he possessed. And then
he gave a parable about a man who had a
lot of things. He had so many things, so much stuff,
(10:38):
that he was going to have to prepare a place
to put all of it. And then the Lord said,
you're a very foolish man, because you've been trying to
lay up treasure on this earth, and you've not been
rich toward God. And so men are on this quest
to get more and more things. Oh, we're sure to
(11:01):
take care of our bodies. Have you ever thought about
how much money is spent every year of people pampering
their bodies. Just think about how much we spend to
go to gyms to exercise, to try to look good. Well,
I go to a gym, but I told my trainer
(11:22):
that I'm not here to look good. I'm here to
live longer.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
And that's my.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Philosophy about it. I believe in exercise. I believe we
should and I do that, but it's not to look good.
I think I've passed the point in life where that's
a necessity. Think about how many millions and multiplied millions
of dollars spent on vitamins for people to try to
feel better, look good, live longer. You see, we're pampering
(11:50):
our bodies. Think about people to have plastic surgery done
on their bodies. And I'm sure you've seen pictures of
those who had so many that the actually they looked
a little bit on the deformed side because they had
had so many surgeries done to their body. You see,
they pamper the body, but they just neglect their soul.
(12:11):
They never think about their soul. And yet the soul
of man is the most valuable thing that a man has.
Man actually is a soul. The Bible teaches that man
is a soul and he lives in a body. James
Chapter two says, there's a body without the spirit is dead.
Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead
(12:32):
being alone. When a man dies, this old soul of man,
the soul of man leaves the body and the body
is put back into the earth to await the resurrection,
and man as a soul continues to exist, continues to live.
In the Book of Revelation, for example, in the sixth
(12:53):
chapter of the Revelation, John said, I saw under the altar, Well, John,
what did you see under the altar? I saw the
souls of them? What did you see, John? I saw souls?
What souls did you see?
Speaker 3 (13:11):
John?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I saw the souls of them that were slain for
the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
Here were people had given their life for Christ, and
they did not cease to exist. John said, I saw
their souls. Their souls, they continued to exist.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
You see, the.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Soul of man is valuable, and man's soul needs saying.
But why is the soul so valuable. One reason is
because the soul of man has made an image of
God Almighty. You remember in Genesis chapter one that the
Lord said, let us make man well? How are you
going to make man well? I'm going to make man
(13:53):
in our image? And Man created man in his own
image in Genesis to himself. Seventh, the Bible says that
God form man from the dust of the ground and
breathed and nostrils the breath of life, and man became
a living soul and so man is made in the
(14:15):
image of God. Well, what is that?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
What kind of an image is that? Well?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
In John four and verse twenty four, we're told that
God is a spirit, that God is a spirit, and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and
in truth. Well, now, what kind of a being is
a spirit? Well, turned to Luke the twenty fourth chapter,
(14:41):
and we're told that a spirit does not have flesh
and bones. It does not have flesh and bonesies to
see me have Luke twenty.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Four thirty nine. And so God is a spirit.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
And if I'm made in the image of God, I'm
made in a spiritual image of God. And I don't
have flesh and bones. I have a body. And it's
called a tabernacle. It's called a tent by the apostle Paul.
Then second Corinthians five and verse one, he said, we
know that this earthly house of our tabernacle beatsob we
(15:17):
have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
e turnaling the hevens.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And so man has a soul, and that soul.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Is valuable because it's in the image of God. I
tell you another reason. The soul is valuable because of
what Jesus did for the soul. Jesus went to the
old rugged cross because of the value of your soul.
He died for your soul. He died that your soul
(15:48):
might be saved. And souls need to be saved, because
souls can be lost. In Hebrews, chapter ten, verse thirty nine,
the writer said, we're there. We're not of them that
draw back to tradition. But where are those who believe
to the saving of the soul. The soul of man
can be saved, It needs to be saved, and that's
(16:09):
from eternal ruin. And so the soul is valuable because
of the prist that Jesus paid for it. One Peter
two twenty four says, who himself bear our sins in
his own body? He died for me. He died for
my sins. He died that I might be redeemed from
my sins, that my soul might be saved eternally. Yes, indeed,
(16:34):
the soul is valuable. The soul is valuable because of
the home that has been prepared for the saved soul.
And John fourteen Jesus said, let not your hearts be troubled.
You believe in God, believe allso in me, in my
father's house or many mansions. If it were not so,
I would have told you, and I go to prepare
(16:55):
a place for you. Well, for whom is it preparing
the place? He's preparing a place for saved souls in
heaven is a prepared place for prepared people whose souls
are saved. And we need to have a greater concern
about our souls. In Psalms one hundred and forty two
(17:18):
and verse four, there as a statement that's made no
man cared for my soul. Caring for a person's soul
involves a deep conviction as to the existence of that soul.
Caring for a soul involves a deep conviction as to
the value of that soul, And caring for someone's soul
(17:44):
involves a deep conviction as to the danger to which
that soul is exposed. And our souls, if they're not saved,
are exposed to eternal danger. Souls can be lost in
an eternal hell. Our Lord, who was a loving lord,
(18:05):
said in Matthew twenty five in verse forty one, depart
from me he cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels. Jesus Christ was concerned about souls,
and so should we be. Have you saved the soul? Lately?
(18:28):
There was a man who was going through a tour
of a great cathedral, and there was a little man
in the crowd who was walking along with them. And
the guide began to talk about the history of that building,
how many SERMs had been preaching that building, how many
(18:49):
great preachers had been in that building, how many crowds
had had in that building. This little old man spoke
up and he asked, any souls been saved here lately? God,
try to ignore the old man, but he asked, again,
any soul's been saved here lately? May I ask, as
your soul been saved? Have your souls been saved by
(19:12):
the blood of the Lord Jesus. All you have to
do is believe on Jesus with all your heart, and
be willing to repent of your sins and confess that
you believe in Jesus, and as a penitent, confessing believer,
be baptizing to Christ. Galatians three twenty seven says, for
as many of you as been baptized into Christ, did
(19:32):
put on Christ? Have you put him on in baptism?
Jesus said, he that believeth and he is baptized, shall
be saved.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
You see, when the soul.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Is saved, there's joy in heaven. There's joy among the
angels of God when their sinner repents, and no doubt
there's joy in heaven. Also, because a saved soul means
(20:05):
that the kingdom is bigger. There's been an increase in
the kingdom. I couldn't tell you how many times I've
heard some godly brother pray, Lord help us that we
might get out and teach people that the borders of
your kingdom might be expanded.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I think that's a.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Worthy prayer to pray, and I believe in the sentiment
of that prayer. You see, every time a soul is saved,
the kingdom is increased, isn't it. And in order that
souls might be saved, we must tell them how to
become members of the Kingdom of God, which is also
called the Church in the New Testament. I think one
(20:46):
of the best ways to learn is just to study
the Bible, don't you. That's the reason we call this
program getting to Know your Bible. I want to know
what the Bible teaches and not what man teaches. And
John the third chapter, there was a man with the
name of Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night. And
this man said to Jesus, Rabbi, which simpley means teacher,
(21:11):
we know that you're a man come from God, because
no man can do the miracles that you're doing unless
God is with him. And Jesus in verse three said, truly, truly,
I say unto you. Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Well, all, do
you suppose Jesus meant to see the kingdom? Well, he
(21:32):
just simply meant that. He's not talking about visual contact.
He's talking about enjoying the benefits, the blessings and the.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Privileges of the kingdom. You have to be born again
in order to have the blessings in the kingdom.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
And so Nicodemus didn't understand that. And Nicodemus was thinking
about a physical birth, and he and Jesus were miles
apart in this because Jesus was thinking about a spirit
virtual birth, Nicodemus was thinking about a physical birth. So
Nicodemus asks, how can a man be born when he
(22:07):
years old? Can the end of the second time into
his mother's womb he be born, and then in verse five,
Jesus tells us how one is born again truly, Truly,
I say to you, except a man be born of
water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the
(22:29):
Kingdom of heaven the end of the kingdom. You must
be born of water, and you must be born of
the Spirit. There's similar language to this found in One
Peter one, verse twenty three, being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the Word of God, which
(22:51):
liveth and abideth forever. In order that we might be
born again, in order that we might enter the Kingdom
of God, we must be taught the word of God.
We must believe the Word of God, and we must
be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be
(23:12):
willing to repent of our every sin, confess our faith
in Jesus as being Savior and Lord, and as God's Son,
and as a penitent confessing believer. I'm to be immersed
in water for the remission of my sins. That puts
me into Christ Galatians three twenty seven. I am baptized
(23:37):
into the death of Christ Romans six, three and four.
And it is in Jesus's death, that he shed his blood. Thus,
when I am baptized into Christ, baptize into his death
by faith, I come in contact with that blood that
cleanses and washes away my sins. Saul of Tarsus was
(23:57):
told in Acts twenty two sixteen, therest thou rise and
be baptized and wash.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that so simple? You see, the
Bible is not complicated. In order that we might increase
the borders of the kingdom. We need to be saving souls.
And when we teach men the gospel, they'll believe it
and they're oldbey it and they're baptizing to Jesus Christ.
And the kingdom is bigger, and it just needs to
(24:28):
be bigger and bigger. The Gospel needs to be preached
to our whole world today. And when someone is added
to the Kingdom, there is joy. There is joy in heaven.
I suggest another reason there's joy in heaven when a
sinner is saved is because Jesus died for that person.
(24:52):
That is, he died of vicarious death, which means he
died in the place of someone else, there's joy in
heaven when I show how much I love Jesus and
I appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus and I want to
live for him for the rest of my life. And
that's when there's joy in heaven when a sinner is
(25:17):
saved by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
my friend, if we're ever saved, it will not be
because I've got money. It will not because I have.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
Power. It will not be.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Because of position I have in life. If I'm ever saved,
it'll be because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And it was through God's mercy and God's grace that
he sent Jesus into this world the suffering die on
the cross that men might be saved.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
From their sins.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And when men are saved from their sins and they
appreciate that death, there's joy among the angels of God
when souls are saved. But another reason I suggest there's
joe in heaven when souls are saved is because of
(26:11):
the reality of the alternative. Have you ever thought about
the alternative to heaven is not a pretty picture. That
was a certain rich man, Jesus said, who was clothed
in purple and fine linen, and he fared sumptuously every day.
And that was a beggar named Lazarus that ladied his
(26:32):
gate full of souls, designing to be fed from the
crimbs which fell from the rich man's table. And more
of the dogs came and licked his sowreds in, and
he came to past that the beggar died, was carried
with the angels and Abraham's bosom, and the rich man
died also and was buried. And in hell he lift
up his eyes in torments he see if Abraham afar off,
(26:54):
and he said, Father Abraham, have mercy. You know what,
people in hell they want mercy. He said, sin Lazarus,
and dip his finger in water and cool my tongue. Friends,
that's the alternative. Oh, there's no wonder. There's joy in
heaven when souls are saved because they are being snatched
(27:15):
from the jaws of eternal ruin.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Are you saved? Why don't you obey Jesus?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Today? I want to thank you for watching getting to
know your Bible. Today. In the closing moments, may I
give you a personal invitation to visit the Church of
Christ in your community. If you're not certain where it is,
contact us. We'll get you that information and also call
for the Bible course. And until we meet again, May
the Lord bless you and keep you is my prayer.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Getting to Know Your Bible has been presented by Churches
of Christ. If you have a question about the church,
or if you would like the location of a Church
of Christ near you, or to receive the free Bible
course right too. Getting to Know your Bible peelbox on
four Summerdale, Alabama, three six five eight zero or call
one eight seven seven seven one one five two one four.
(28:10):
Join us next time forgetting to Know your Bible.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!