There Is A Price

​John 10:15-18
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Matthew 16:24
 
When we go shopping before we take an item to the counter we’re going to look at the price. We aren’t going to just pick something up and take it to the counter and pay for it without knowing the price.

Also stores have areas labeled “Clearance” where you can go and pay a lower price, maybe sometimes less than half.  You go in some stores they might have what they call a “red tag sale”.  But there is a price….

In our passage from John chapter 10 we see Jesus is telling us about laying his life down. He says He’s going to lay his life down for the sheep. Who is He talking about, who are the sheep? We are - the church; we are the sheep.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for us.  He came into this world specifically to do what He did.  No one else could do what Jesus did.

We should note that He tells us no man takes his life.  He said “no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again”.  He was willing to make this sacrifice; He was willing to pay the price.

Jesus didn’t go to the clearance rack; the clearance rack was not suitable enough.  The “Red Tag Sale” wasn’t suitable enough.  The blood that He shed paid the ultimate price -  it was red but it wasn’t a “Red Tag Sale”.  When it comes this price I’m talking about there is no such thing as a clearance rack or a doorbuster sale.  The wages of sin is death, therefore a sinless life was required.  There is a price for sin, and Jesus paid that price.

In 1 Cor 6:19 we read:  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? Paul, the writer of Corinthians tells us that the body that we possess is the temple of God.  We may look at the church as a temple or a place of worship but he specifically says to us that our body is a temple and it belongs to God. In verse 20 he goes on to say: “For ye were bought with a price…”

There is a price.

Paul tells us “therefore glorify God in your body”; since we know Jesus paid the ultimate price, let us glorify God in our bodies. We should glorify God in our bodies - our bodies should be holy to God because our bodies are the temple.  Our body is where the Holy Ghost dwells.    
In Matthew 16:24 we read:  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

If we are going to follow Christ, there is a price.  Jesus tells us right here if any man comes after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  That’s a cross we can take up every day.  Each and every day we take that cross up and follow Christ.
We take up that cross by surrendering our hearts to him.
We take up that cross by committing ourselves to him.
We take up that cross by being obedient to His voice.
We take up that cross by obeying his word.
We take up that cross by reading His word.
We take up that cross by encouraging brothers in the faith; by encouraging others.

So I try to encourage you, my brothers.  If I can just say one or two things to encourage you that’s all I’m here to do.  Like I tell people I don’t have to get an offering. I don’t look to get a pat on the back. I don’t look for nothing because what I do, I do it for the glory of God.  There are brothers that have never come to this devotion but I still glorify God.  I believe there will come a day when God will ask them: Why didn’t you come? I was there - I had a word for you.

So many times people have a tendency to look at the man. Don’t look at the man. Forget about the man!  I can worship with you - it doesn’t matter if you are black or white.  If God is your Father and He is my Father then we are brothers. I don’t care what color you are.   But you know Satan will hold that between us.  Satan is the one that raises up that thing that divides God’s people but it was never intended to divide us.

Jesus paid the price for us all, no matter what color.  God wants to do some things and He wants to do it in the hearts of men.  He wants to use men from all races.  God needs men that will bring light into the world; this world needs a reflection of Christ, men that are following Christ. 

Brothers, I’m excited because I believe that God is going to do some awesome things in the lives of brothers that are committed to him.  We can turn this world around, we can turn this country around and we can turn our communities around.  If we step up, if we are willing to pay the price by taking up our cross and follow Him.
~J.T.