A popular show on television right now features a pawn shop, and shows how folks bring in various items to try to sell them to the pawn shop owners. Some funny conversations occur back and forth as they negotiate on a price, trying to determine the value of the items.
On Mother’s Day 2012, Pastor Kevin shared a message with our church family about how valuable God’s Word says that we are to the Lord. (And he had some great help from his wife Darla, I should add!) Here are my notes from the message:
1. God knows you inside and out.
Psalm 139:1-6 (HCSB)
1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away.
3 You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord.
5 You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me.
6 This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
2. What you do does not go unnoticed. God sees it all.
Psalm 139:2-3 (HCSB)
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away.
3 You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways.
3. You are never alone.
Psalm 139:7-12 (HCSB)
7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
9 If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits,
10 even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”—
12 even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.
4. You are valuable because of who you are, not because of the roles you play or the things you have done. You are valuable because you are created by God.
Psalm 139:13-14 (HCSB)
13 For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well.
So just how valuable are you to God? Much more valuable than silver or gold. And He gave you a gift that is worth much, much more than silver or gold. You are so valuable to God that He gave His most prized gift to redeem you. He paid the price for your salvation through the gift of His Son Jesus, who died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead as the death-defeating, hell-overcoming, life-giving, eternal, living Lord.
Jesus is the only one who can forgive sins. He gives eternal hope. Put your faith in Him. Give Him the glory and praise He deserves. Surrender your life to Him.
1 Peter 1:18-21 (HCSB)
18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Jesus is the Most Valuable One!