Wednesday Night | Youth Pastor Zach Hammond | What Is Your Price?

If you'll open your Bibles up to Matthew chapter number 16. Matthew 16 and verse number 24. So good to be back. The house of the Lord here, my wife and I. and uh Channing, our youngest, was privileged to be with Brother Thornon there in West Monroe, Louisiana this past weekend. And uh what a wonderful church and school. Um they're a part of the movement. We're thankful for them. We had people baptized. It was just a wonderful weekend, but it's always good to be back home and be with you wonderful people. As uh Brother Nolan said, Pastor Carpenter is there with the Hawkins and their loss there in Covington, Georgia. And then brother Ericson is almost done with his endeavor. He should be back in time for trunk or treat and be here on Sunday. And I have been getting some awesome reports. I know that he's just going to have a wonderful um just I know he's had a wonderful experience, but just his eyeopening experience there with the the organization he was able to go with on just um all the great things that he's learned. And so I look forward to hearing that from him and having him home. Matthew chapter 16 and verse number 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Now, we understand that that cross is very significant. It's significant to all of us. The cross is the greatest thing. It's it's obviously a a thing that was used to crucify Jesus Christ. It was a terrible thing on that day, but for us today, it's a it's a symbol of hope. It's a symbol of of of a future. It's a symbol of in the greatest uncertainty, God is most at work there. It's a symbol of so many things. But um that that cross, he says, I want you to take up the cross spiritually and follow me. Verse 25 says, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it." Read that carefully with w with with me tonight. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. And here's the the famous quoted passage in verse 26. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? I want to preach to you tonight on what I believe is a concept. Um and and I I say preach more teach to you tonight on a concept that is threaded throughout the pages of scripture. And um it's it's something you literally could almost preach the entire Bible. Obviously, I won't do that tonight. We understand that is the uh we want to meander through and just get but I just want to leave you with one thing and and that is this question. Hopefully we answer it before the night's over for ourselves personally and that is that is this. What is your price? What is your price? What is your price? You can be seated tonight. Each and every one of us when we look at the scripture and we look at our relationship with God, we have to ask ourselves this very question. What is our price? Now that sounds like I'm making a negotiation where you know at a flea market or you're you're trying to bargain with somebody over uh you know something that that you feel like you need and and and what so what have you. But but I I hope we can kind of see this is something that we ask ourselves routinely. Um, you know, is is there any amount of money that could be put on the table of exchange tonight that would cause us to step away from the things of God? Is there a relationship that if it was on the men's that may cause you to step away from your relationship with God? Is there a job? Is there a bucket list? Is there a degree? Is there a title? Is there anything in your life that you could look at and say, "I may need to be careful in this area because I'm vulnerable to that desire." We all have things that the devil tempts us with, and we have to know the areas of that which we're vulnerable. We can't be ignorant concerning our weaknesses. You can't be oblivious to the things that we struggle with. So, I ask you that question tonight. What is your price? Because here's the thing I want to leave with you. This is the oneliner. This is as good as it'll get tonight. All right. Uh I'm I I ask you, what is your price? Because if your price is not your life, you're for sale. It's in the pages of scripture, and I'll prove it to you tonight. But if your price is not your life, then you can be bought. You can backslide. You can abandon everything that you think you stand so firmly for. Now, it seems today that people are compelled, they are compelled to question salvation's price. It seems today to be a constant conversation. Some more than other others. It's it's not even in in what I would consider just a thing in the United States, but across our globe, we find it with our missionaries. We begin to talk about salvation. And I I have to say, if I'm being honest with you, I think and just the study of humanity as a whole and and uh just just finishing a new book and and it it's just um it's it's talking about the flesh and our body and how we're created as as people. And you know, I I believe there's this instinct within us that wants to bargain kind of, you know, hey, give me I give I see some of you salesman in the room. You're like, oh yeah, I'm going to get the best price I can get, right? You know, it's it's interesting there. But I think there's a little bit of that in all of us. Maybe some more than others, right? Um I'm the kind where if you overcharge me for extra drink on my ticket, I ain't I'm not dealing with it. Sorry. I'd rather not have the altercation. I'll give you the $3 or whatever it is, you know, and and move on. Now, there's other people in my family. Not so, right? Um, you know, that they're they're looking for a bargain. You're not going to take advantage of them. All right. There there's many times where I I've been in those situations. I'm like, "Hey, let's just let's just" and I know they're not going to leave it alone, right? Because they want the best deal. They will delay a purchase waiting on it to go on sale to all of a sudden realize it's sold out. You didn't get it cuz you were so focused on getting it at a better price that all of a sudden somebody bought it out from up under you or they've sold them all out and there was a high demand and you're looking to make a deal, you know, um and you ask yourself the question, am I really getting the best deal there is on this? Maybe I should search the price. Maybe Amazon's got it. You know, maybe maybe, you know, you know, and and I understand, you know, I've watched people shop and and let's just kind of uh bring it into maybe a little bit more of a a a you know, reality. I've watched people in my life chop shop uh not just things, but they shop church to church, >> denomination to denomination, religion to religion, philosophy to philosophy, theory after theory. I once heard an elder man was young man that was studying with me and right out of high school he kept asking the questions after asking the question asking the question he said I just want to make sure that I'm if I'm going to get in this thing it that it's it's all true and it's all real and it's all this and it's all that he was constantly just asking questions he was like that person that you they're not really ever going to buy it you know you right they're never going to buy it they're just going to test drive it just going to wear the salesman out they're just going to ask you all the questions Nothing drives me more crazy than the person that sits down at the table, ask for all the specials and never order it. You're not going to order it. You're going to get the same thing you get every time. That's my mom. Mom, I love you. But you order you're going to get a salad soup. Don't matter what the special fish of the day is, right? My dad and I are always sitting there like, "Here we go." He never he's not going to order it. They'll wear them out, right? You know those people, they just want I want all the details. I mean, tell me all the things. Do the seats heat up? Do they do this? You know, and they'll find one little thing and it's like, is that one thing, right? They just shop and shop and shop, but they never purchase anything. And I I I think if we really look at it, there's something within all of us as the world's full of bargain hunters and garage sale gurus and wheelers and dealers. And you know, if we're not careful, we'll begin to look at things that are much more important through the eyes of things that are temporal and insignificant. You know, I I inflation is at an all-time high. I had a conversation with few business owners the other day and I I just, you know, said it's outrageous what some things cost, but I don't think it's changing. I don't think it's going anywhere. you know, and and on top of that, everything is built to just break, you know? I It's like that's the circle of life. I mean, that car is not going to run like the car did 50 years ago. Why? Cuz they've got so many things on it that can break so that you got to come get another one, right? And you got to buy the warranty and you got everything's just built so temporal. It's built uh just just to last just long enough that they'll keep you coming back. You know, we want stuff fast and convenient. We want it at a good deal. And you know, I I see people, they get convinced and and I I don't want to call any names. We're getting a good deal because we're using a coupon to buy something we don't even need. You know, it's like, well, we don't need that. It don't matter if we got 15% off or not, right? I know all the ladies are ready to just chunk their purse at me right now. It's okay. But if we're not careful, there's a little bit of that in in all of us. And I think some of us more than others. And we have to be careful that we don't start looking at our relationship with God through that lens, right? So when I ask you, what is your price tonight? We all have those things. You grew up. You're thinking, I I want to accomplish these things. I want to be able to do this. And if it takes me a season of my life or it takes away portion of this or a portion of that, I this is the one thing that I want to accomplish. And we have to be careful that the price of this life living for God is not some off-the-wall competitor's market, stock exchange, market value. It it's it's it's it can't be put into that area. It's a fair price and it's never changed. Hear me. This thing with God, this covenant relationship, this this this everlasting covenant that we have with God is a very fair price that has always been what it's been. It's not going to go up and down with the stock market. It's not going to jump up and down on Robin Hood with your Bitcoin exchange, whatever the ca whatever you're doing, you know, it's not going to fluctuate. It's not like the gas that they know we have to have and we're just subject to whatever they throw up there on the meter, right? It's not going to fluctuate like that. It's a it's a fair price. It's really a price based upon cost, especially considering it's a reasonable salvation of for for all of us for all of time. It's eternal. The price has never exceeded the cost. That's that's important. The price has never exceeded the cost. So when you're looking at Jesus and you're looking at everything that that encompasses him with your time and your talent, your treasure, that the the price that he is asking of us has never exceeded the cost that he paid. So you got to logically process this. You can't get into the lens of your your flesh or the lens of the world. It took 3,000 years of man's time for this plan to even be realized in fulfillment before it would be offered. Great nations came and went. Kingdoms rose and fell. Temples and tabernacles were built and destroyed. Exploits were done by one generation and forgotten by another. Prophets and kings would be anointed and pass manels through the pages of time before they would ever even realize that in the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men and the light sinnth shine. The light shineth in the darkness and the darkness comprehendeth not. All of this that we begin to read John 1 tells us this is in the New Testament. looking back over the pages of scripture, looking back over everything that had happened, he he says that that he purchased as we begin to turn through the New Testament, he purchased us. He purchased the church. He purchased the bride. The cost of what it took for him is no different than what it takes for us. It's a life for a life. He gave his whole gave everything. Hereby perceived 1 John 3:16, we that love God because he laid down his life for us that we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. We we we we're just going to give our lives not just to the the the this relationship with God, but we're laying down our lives for for our covenant with God, our covenant with others. It's all about giving our lives. It's a sacrifice. 1 Corinthians Paul writes and I think he just write I mean as he does each and every time he pins the words he writes it so perfectly in 1 Corinthians 6 and verse number 19 he says what and there's a question mark it's always great and we don't have time to really get into the context of this but this this is a great passage he says know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and ye are not your own for you are bought with a Christ. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are gods. Now, now that's where it gets really interesting because when you look at the plan of God and you look at the plan of salvation, you look at our relationship with God, he came and did something he didn't necessarily have to do. All right? And I don't want to mess with your your mindset here, but we were already his. We were created in his image. We're breathing his air. Whether you've acknowledged him today or not, he's keeping you alive. >> We're We're on borrowed time. The flesh I'm in, the pews we sit, everything was created by him for. And John, he put it in perfect words. And so he comes down to be an example of the Old Testament cost, the Old Testament sacrifice model. He comes down and and and he gives his son, his only son, so that he could be that ransom. He gave his blood. He died. Why? To be an example, but also to show us that the price he is asking for is no more than the cost he would pay. Does that make sense? That's a little bit to to jogle around, but he didn't have to, but he did. He bought the church. He bought our salvation. He paid the cost. And now he's asking the price. Do you know not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost? If Jesus, Walk with me for a moment, just look at this through through through the the pages of scripture. and and God being God and him manifesting himself in the flesh in the New Testament gospels. If Jesus would have been cost conscience, maybe he never comes. Just really want this to sink in for you. Again, I I I'm know this is a little little bit different, but it's I want you to understand that he did what he did not knowing if you would do what you're supposed to do. not knowing if I would ever turn my heart towards God, not knowing if I would ever kneel down and pray, not knowing if I would ever turn to you said, "Well, yeah, yeah, I I I I get that." But if he looked at the cost of just, you know, this is a it's it's it's good on our end, but if he's looking at the chances, he's taking a pretty big risk on us. I don't know about you, but anybody failed Jesus lately? Go ahead and be honest. Ain't no reason to go to hell over lying in the church. Go ahead and raise your hand. Huh? Who's failed him? Yeah, we've all failed him. It's a risk. Nobody Nobody, you know, nobody's really looking to backslide, but we have a lot of people. There's nobody looking to really turn their back on. We have people that have have have have strayed. Seasons have come. Before you know it, they're in a place they never meant to be. We have family members that never intended to be where they're at. We all have list of people that we pray for and you know, but he looked at us and he saw something of value in us and he said, "I I I I I love them so much that I'm going to give my life for them, not just as an example, but to show them the cost, the exchange." So if we fully understand the the compass of all of that and and we we we we've gathered all that into our minds, what what would happen or I say maybe this way, what would have happened if Jesus would have looked at us the way we look at him? Because one of the number one questions I get, whether it's teaching a Bible study or talking to somebody that's been in this a while, whatever the case may be, they allow that bargain perspective to come over their life, they're saying, "Do do I have to do that? Do I really have to do this? Does it require I mean, how much do I pray? How much scripture do I need to read? Do I really have to abstain from certain things? Do I really have to walk a life? So, do I really have to be conscious of my neighbor? I have to forgive them, too. I have to treat them right. They're they're looking at everything as like, maybe you give me a little 10% off. Huh? Think about it. You know, I don't have to have a mansion. Just give me a shack. You know, just give me a little heaven bargain. You know, crown don't have to have a ton of jewels. I just don't want to be in hell. Literally, there's people that live for God trying to miss hell. And I get it. Like that gets young people through some seasons of their lives, a little fear of God. Ain't nothing wrong with that. >> But there comes a point where you have to mature as an adult Bible class realize, uh, this is a pleasure. It's the best life I could be living. I've seen enough sin come and go to know that I'm not that's that's not the life I want. and he died for me. The the most reasonable, logical, normal thing in my mind would be to say, "Hey, I don't want to be strung out on drugs. I don't want to." That's an obvious. But to do this for him with all that he's done for me, you've seen death and you've seen pain and you've struggled and you've felt heartache and why why would you think that he would go through all he went through for you to be over here saying, "Do I have to What what would where where would we be today if Jesus looked at us the way many of us look at him? I pray daily that God don't have to change my position to change my perspective. Are you with me? Because that's how God works in the Bible. The prodical son in the position that he was in said, "I'll take my inheritance." But in the pig pin, he had a totally different perspective. His values shifted because of his position. His perspective shifted because of his position. And so I don't ever want God to have to put me through something for me to realize what he's done for me. Things come, things go. Seasons will happen. There, it just is what it is. Trouble's going to come. They told us in the scripture, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. It's inevitable. It's going to rain on the just and the unjust. Good things, bad things going to happen to everybody. It just is what it is. But I don't ever want the the issues that come into my life to be because I made ignorant decisions because I was trying to do this whole bargaining thing. with my relationship with God? Can I get by with this? Can I get by with that? What where where would we be? It's like, you know, it's it's I feel like there's times where you come in and you watch people go through life and it's like trying to sell water to a man who isn't thirsty. You know, it's like trying to make an exchange with somebody who doesn't want what you've got. And and I know that's that's easy to just, you know, think through and you cognitively just process what I said, but how many times do we come in and we're so drowned, we're just we're just overwhelmed by everything the world has on us. If it's work, if it's school, if it's making ma making to the end of the week, getting to the end of the month, getting through our college classes, getting, you know, just get through this season of dating, get through this season of getting married, trying to start a business, trying to get, you know, get get your keep your kids from, you know, doing something crazy. I mean, it's you you get through this season and and before you know it, you become so inundated and you become so overwhelmed by a lot of things that would all align. They would all align in the right place if God was in the right place. He says he'll direct our pa path if in all the things that we have, we will we'll honor him. We'll put him first, right? All those things work in order. And so I I I really just want to stress to you tonight to ask yourself the question, is there anything in my life right now that I'm trading? I'm trading time that I'll never get back. I'm exchanging something right now because again, if your price is not your life, then you are for sale. And if you're going to be a trutht teller, your price has to be your life. Okay? If you're going to be a trutht teller, that's why I said, "Buy the truth and sell it not." Well, that's that's way that that's way more than just the text and the the physical scripture. He said, "I am." If you're going to buy and you if you're gonna if you're going to walk in truth, if you're going to live on the foundation of truth, you have to be allin. You have to realize and understand that this is this this is a a very powerful thing. Judas was a he was a bargaining guy. I'm telling you, I can take you through story after story after story. He was a cheapcape looking through a looking for a shortcut. It it was when Mary of of Bethany brings the costly ointment that we sing songs about and breaks the alabaster jar. That's Judas that stands back and says, "What's she doing? That's expensive. He don't deserve that. I thought you were one of the I thought I thought you were like, you know, following him like our opening text, take up your cross, follow him like that. That's supposed to be you. Like you're all in, right? But you think that's too much for him because Judas is one of those that he he just he was always trying to get a better deal. And although I I I love I'm thankful to those of you that just, you know, you you walk out and you get it cheaper than anybody's ever got it. But it don't work like that with God. You don't get to sit there and say, "Well, you know, I just don't think he's worth that." That's not up to you. >> And so, man, I I realized a long time ago as a teenager, everyone was not going to understand how much I valued Jesus. Everybody was not going to understand the things that you do. Everybody's not going to comprehend you going to church as much as you go to church. They're not going to comprehend your worship. They're not going to comprehend your holiness. They're not going to comprehend your devotion. They're not going to comprehend your discipline. They're not going to comprehend any of those things. Why? Because they don't see him like you see him. Judas is over here worried about the cost of an alabaster box while you got other disciples that are saying crucify me upside down cuz I don't even deserve to be crucified the way he was crucified. Are are you with me? You can follow the line. If it's not your life, then you are for sale. And and if you're for sale, then you you got to surround yourself with people that think that way. You got to be in a place where nothing's going to move me. I'm all in. Because if you can be bought, the enemy is going to take advantage of wherever you're vulnerable. He may do it through opportunity of a job. He may do it through opportunity of a relationship, but you better beware and know for sure he's going to make you an offer. He's going to come at whatever point he can come come to you, but he he's going to ask you this question that I'm asking you tonight. What is your price? What's a man profited if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? Be careful asking yourself, is this really necessary? The devil will attack your holiness price because it breaks your relationship with God. Do I really have to do that? He's going to try to test test your price. He's going to try to test your obedience. He's going to try to test. He's going to ask those questions. Is holiness really necessary? Is giving really necessary? The devil will attack your treasure because it's where your heart is. And just like holiness, it breaks our relationship with God. You can't claim to be in a relationship with God when the Bible describes you as being cursed. He's going to test you. He's going to come at places where you have maybe just a small question mark, just a small vulnerability, something that that it's it's not that not just you personally either. Be careful attaching yourself to people who are always windowshopping their relationship with God. Be careful surrounding yourself with people who who who are always trying to figure out what they can get by with. You think I really have to do what brother Carpenter preached about. You think I really have to do? Young people hear me. I know it's just got college in here and and and I know this is everybody be careful what you watch online. People saying you don't have to do this, you don't have to do that. I'll tell you this. It's two things that can't be shifting at the same time. is a world that's getting more wicked and a church that's getting more worldly. I constantly make an effort to surround myself and it's been different throughout my lifetime and I found that quite interesting in surrounding myself with people who are sacrificing more than I am, got more standards than me, pray more than what whatever the case may be. Why? Because if I'm always looking at somebody's doing less, the values not not there, right? And so all those things go hand in hand. It is my time, my talent, my treasure have to be making an eternal difference. Ask yourself those questions. Those three things can help you navigate the question, what is my price? My necessity of something also will cause the price to be neg uh to to be non-negotiable. Think about it. If you really need something, you have to pay for it, right? They're standing there and and man, I I've been in those situations before and and the first thing that comes to my mind is a rental car. I'm like, you've got to be kidding me right now. My flight just got cancelled. I'm 10 hours from home on a on a Saturday. Why this happens to me a lot? Oh, we don't have any rental cars. Why don't you check with them? We don't have any cars. Why don't you check with them? I had deja vu at at the Monroe airport just a few days ago because I got stuck down there a few years ago and this very nice elderly lady is like, "Hey, we don't have a car technically available, but I got one just came in. It just came in. It's filthy, but I can't give it to you until unless it's clean." I said, "Let's clean it." Me and her went out there and cleaned it. So, I cleaned the car, come back in, and she price gouged me. And I smoked 12 packs of cigarettes on the way home. I mean, that that thing was just fuming with smoke. I'm like, what are we doing? But I didn't have a choice. Couldn't get home without it. So, what what do you do? You have to pay it, right? You're just stuck. Somebody's got something that you need. They'll use it as leverage. Huh? They got something maybe you don't need but you really want. Huh? I'm just let's just me Andrew some of you are like man you hadn't used near enough scripture. Let's just talk about it. Something you're really hungry Esau. You're real hungry at the moment. But guess what? You're going to be hungry again tomorrow. But tomorrow you won't have that birthright because you just traded forever >> for a moment. And so the crazy thing about it, Judas, is when you traded that silver, it was a bargaining moment just like the alabaster box. It was a moment where you couldn't get past looking at God and and and looking at your relationship with God in flesh right there. And through this bargaining sense of is it really worth it? Do I really have to do that? Oh, I could just wear this or I could go there. I could do that. I could compromise some things because I really you know what that says? It doesn't say that all of a sudden you've been freed from this denominal idea of holiness. It says that you really don't value him. I don't have to do that. I don't know necessarily. There's a lot of things I don't have to do. But is he worthy? >> Is he worth it? Is it your life or is it just a hobby? Is it your life or is it just something you're just getting into on the weekends? Is it your life or is it just a community? Is it your life or is it something that you're is going to save your soul? >> But you have to have it. The seller can name their price because you got to have it. I know I already mentioned gas prices, but man, that comes to mind. You got to have it, right? All you that already went electric, you're just like, "Oh, not me. I got my own plug in." Right? But the devil will use your pride. He'll use your lust. He'll use all these things to to attack you where you're vulnerable. And we we all have to be aware of our weaknesses. Please don't be ignorant concerning your weaknesses. Don't fall in the same hole. Don't fall in the same issues. be if I've tripped up and I fell there, be be ultra aware of those areas because that's where he can get you to compromise because he's going to tempt you. He's going to make you think that he has something that you can't live without because your momentary hunger, it changed Esau's bloodline forever. It's an exchange. It's your life because he gave his life. It's giving something that that is that is you know again our life and all the things that we put in this category many of them are temporal. It's just temporary. Everything's going to fade away. Everything's going to go. He he said the only thing is is our soul and the word of God. So again, you really got to ask yourself, it's it's it's not just it's all through the text. And it's not just Judas. It's not just the rich man and Lazarus. It's not just Cain and Abel. It's not Adam and Eve. It's not just Esau. It's not the product just the prodical son or the rich man. And and and and it's an exchange. Abraham said, "I'll give the promise back." Why? Because he's the one who gave it to me. It's logical if you really think about it. John the Baptist, he said, "I'll give you my head. I'll give you my life. I'll give whatever it costs." Because he had the proper perspective. So the answer to the question tonight is sacrifice. in its simplest context. I know there's a lot of people who study scripture and you've got you you you've got a probably a a really well-rounded definition, but this is just my definition I use for sacrifice. It's very simple. And that is the giving of a valued thing for something of greater value. That's what sacrifice is. So I've got to give something of value for something of greater value. Cain and Abel both came. One brought something of no value. So they came and they both did what the other one did, but it was a value thing that made the sacrifice not right. He tells in Leviticus, "Don't bring me anything without that's that's got blemish and spots." And he said, "I need it to be something of value. Bring your best lamb. Bring your first fruits. Bring the best of the flock. whatever you're going to bring something of value if you're going to get something of greater value. You can't be trading me and thinking of a bargain, right? I just think about some of these kids get hoodooed into stuff, you know, like you traded that for that. You traded this for that. You you sold this and bought that. You gave them that for how much? Sacrifice is an exchange. And sacrifice is a powerful thing in the scripture. It demands there be a victim. There's a momentary loss. Something has to suffer. There's always a casualty in sacrifice because something of value has to be given. But in return, something of greater value is exchanged. If sacrifice is this thread seen throughout the entire scripture from the very early pages of Genesis all the way to Paul's writing of take up your cross and follow me to the church in the church age. If sacrifice is that powerful and we have to accomplish it, its purpose is to give of something of value for something of greater value. Then how important is it tonight? How important is it tonight that our values are right? The people that will trade Jesus had too high of a value of estimate of goodness something in this world. They thought too highly of something on this side of glory, right? So you're giving him something that's of little value. But so your value system has to be right. That's why he refers to wise man Solomon in the Old Testament refers to a false balance because they he said all the weights of the bag are mine the divers's weights and he said it's an abomination because they were shaving the weights brother Snitzer and they were coming in and it's just like the gas you know they changing the prices you come in you put some on this side of the scale and they get you to pay more for it and that's how they were manipulating the chamber of commerce back in the day when the scriptures written so he said it's got to be just weights it's got to be the right values or you don't have a right balance And too many of us feel like that we're putting something in the exchange in our relationship with God. And God's thinking that's of no value. When you see people begin to mature in their relationship with God is when things that are truly sacrificial become a joy. Things that used, you know, used to be very hard for them all of a sudden is a joy to them. because they endured and they endured and they're always trying to sacrifice something because they want more of God. They're always wanting to give. But why? Because they realize this is my life. This is not just a this is not just another thing that I do during the week. So our values have to be have to really be evaluated and we have to really look at them. And look at Genesis chapter 3 in closing that we see that this is the very first time God shows us the importance of price and exchange and cost values. He says unto Adam also and his wife did the Lord make coats of skins and clothe them. He's told them for in the day that they eat thereof they're going to die. They disobey him. They they they they there's just one rule and they break the rule. They're in paradise and all of a sudden now they're hiding themselves. And God looks at Adam and Eve who are guilty, who've done wrong, who've disobeyed. Surely to God, we could have made it if we were just living by one rule. Just one rule. not ten commandments, not the New Testament covenant of of of of being in I call them ten commitments because they go beyond commandments. It's not just if if you if you you kill somebody physically, but he said if you got those thoughts in your heart now all of a sudden you're it's not just that you've committed fornication or adultery, but if you look at a woman, you've so for us in the New Testament of grace, we we've got the Holy Ghost inside of us. They just got one rule. They break the covenant. Disobey. They are guilty. We're talking about a God who flooded the earth. Started over with eight souls. You know, my brain's the kind where that' been a good moment to start over with just two. Go ahead. It's new day, new mercy. Let's roll on. Bury. We can start a little, you know, a cemetery out the back, you know, start. It's much easier there. But what's the one thing he wants to demonstrate in the very I mean, you you can't really turn the page of your Bible and all of a sudden you see sacrifice and you see God showing us that he values mankind more than the other creature, more than anything else he created. He values mankind. So mankind at its worst, this is the worst mankind had ever been at its worst was still of greater value than the innocent creature. So what happens? Blood is shed. He covers them with the skins of that animal. He begins to show us the exchange. And all through the Old Testament, there would be an exchange at an altar where they would offer up animals as a sacrifice for sin. And then Jesus Christ comes to fulfill every prophecy, every type, every shadow of blood, water, and spirit throughout the entire Old Testament as he is crucified on a cross, buried in a grave, and rose again on the third day. Therefore, you and I get to participate in those steps through repentance, baptism in Jesus name for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost as he inhabits this earthn vessel. He looked at us not knowing if we would respond. And Isaiah 53:4 says this, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He's brought as a lamb to the slaughter. Hebrews 12:2 said, "He endured the cross, despised the shame for the joy that was set before him. You looked into time and saw you sitting here on a Wednesday night evaluating your life saying, "What more can I do for God because of all he's done for me?" Just stand to your feet tonight. What is What is your price? I've told this before, but I tell it tonight in closing before we pray. I'll allow you to be dismissed few minutes early. Don't tell pastor we got out before 9. There's four major kingdoms in our world. There's four major kingdoms are very important and and that is the the mineral kingdom, the plant kingdom, the the mineral kingdom, the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom, and man's kingdom. And I I'll add a fifth and let's say God's kingdom. Biblically, that would be correct. But the mineral kingdom, the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom, man's kingdom, and God's kingdom. It's amazing to me to see if you begin to study these major kingdoms that it makes the world function. The mineral kingdom is the obviously the smallest of them all. The animal kingdom which God says that man had dominion over the animal, the plant, the mineral. Obviously, it's very easy to see um that that we have dominion as mankind over those. We we plow the field. We plant the mineral. We eat the animal. We we we have dominion over them. But each and every one of them, the only way you can advance from one kingdom to the other is you have to give of yourself. The animal kingdom, the I mean the the mineral kingdom, the only way it can advance is to give itself to the plant. The plant can't live without the mineral. The mineral has to die to give itself to be cultivated. And watch how this transition goes. Each kingdom, the only way it can move or flourish or make the world turn is to give itself to the next kingdom. It has to die. Why would it be any different from our kingdom to God's kingdom? He set before us a perfect plan that I have to give my life. If the price is not your life, then you are for sale. Romans 12 and 1. I beseech you therefore, First Apostolic Church, on this Wednesday night, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. It's the least we can do. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Remind yourself what he did for you. Remind yourself what he paid for you to be able to stand in his presence that you may prove what is good, what is acceptable, and the perfect will of God. Would you lift your hands in this place? I want to pray and then we'll be dismissed. Lord, we thank you for your word. I thank you for the opportunity to be God in your house with your people tonight. Lord, I pray that you would help us to evaluate our lives, to look over our lives, to look at our time, look at our talent, look at our treasure. Lord, are we making an eternal God difference? Lord, are we doing things, God, that are going to last forever? Lord, I pray that you would help us, God. I pray that you would guide us, Lord. Lord, help us to fall in love with the things of God. Help us to fall in love with prayer, to fall in love with your word, to fall in love with things that'll last forever. Lord, we honor you.