The Lutheran Hour
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"What are You Worth?"
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Text: 1 Cor. 6:20
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Those words of resurrection proclaim to all the world those who believe in Jesus as their heaven-sent substitute, have been cleansed of all their sins. As a result, we who are without value, have been reevaluated and have a new worth. Today, we proclaim the truth of our gracious God who made the sinless Savior to be sin for us, so that, in Him, we might be made right before God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, God’s children have a new worth.
What are you worth? Really. Not so long ago, in New York, a homeless man, a train maintenance worker, and a dog were killed on the subway tracks. Ninety people telephoned the Transit Authority about the dog. Ninety people! Three called about the worker. Nobody called about the homeless man. It might seem that the men were worth less than the dog.
What are you worth? In the late 1800’s, a circuit rider spent the night with a Christian family, composed of a father, mother, and a 12-year-old boy. In the evening, the father told of how their son had been adopted: “The child was just a poor orphan when we first saw him. He was in rags and dirty, and his shoes–they were the worst of all. The uppers were ripped and the soles had holes. We gave him new clothes, but kept those shoes to remind him of how bad off he was, before us. Whenever the boy complains or misbehaves, I get those shoes out and help him remember how good we’ve been.” I don’t need to tell you the boy was hurt. His father had told the minister and him, what he was worth.
What are you worth? Figuring out the worth of something is a difficult task. A poor Scottish widow lived in a thatched cottage. In a place of honor, on the fireplace mantle, was an old, cracked cup, protected by a glass globe. Why the extra security for something worth nearly nothing? Years before, a carriage had stopped at her door. A lady got out and asked for a drink of water, which was supplied, via the cracked cup. Later that day, the widow found out the cup had been used by Victoria, queen of the British Empire. The cracked cup found a new value because the lips of Victoria had touched it.
Figuring out the worth of something is difficult. A sea captain told his passengers about another Atlantic crossing he had made. On that trip, his ship had sunk. Only by acting quickly did the crew escape into the lifeboat. The sea’s roughness made it seem unlikely that the small vessel could stay afloat. Then they saw another steamer. A lantern with a candle was in the emergency supplies. But there was no match. Every man rummaged in his pockets. No match. They checked again, and at last, one match was found. The man who discovered it handed it, with reverence, to the mate; the mate, with the same respect, gave it to an officer, and finally, it was gently placed into the hands of the captain. The sailors clustered around and held up their jackets to keep out the wind. The captain commented to his listeners that he had handled precious cargo before, but none with greater gentleness than that match. A worthless match had a new value because it meant hope.
But we’re not talking about cups or matches. When we ask, “What are you worth,” we’re talking about people and souls and eternity. Some years ago, Harold J. Morowitz, a leading chemist, received a birthday card from his daughter. The card read, “According to biochemists, the materials of your body are worth only 98 cents!” I remember my high school science teacher saying something like that. That card got Morowitz to thinking: 98 cents. Is that what he and everybody else is really worth? He got out his chemical catalog and began looking up the prices of all the chemicals which make up a body. What he found was surprising. At the time, hemoglobin was selling for $285 a gram. Insulin was marketed for $47.50 a gram. The price went climbing with less common items like alkaline phosphatase at $225 a gram. But the real shocker came when he got to a follicle-stimulating hormone which was a steal at $8 million a gram and prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production for mothers, could be had for $17.5 million a gram. Taking all these costs and calculating the percentages of each of them in the human body, subtracting a 68% water factor, Morowitz calculated a 168 pound man would be worth $6,000,015.44! Silly? Maybe not so silly.
What are we worth? Well, American courts gave $1,700 to a boy who lost his hand. When an 18-month-old child toddled into an alley and injured three toes in some burning rubbish, the value of those toes was set at $750. A Kansas City lad was so injured by a live wire that he lost the ability to smile. The courts figured $20,000 was the value of a smile. Maybe we are worth something. Insurance companies calculate what we’re worth every day. A young woman, who made a living judging perfumes, was allowed to insure her nose for $50,000. Ian Kubelik, the great violinist, had the fingers of his left hand insured for $250,000. Paderewski, the great pianist, had his fingers underwritten for $10,000,000.
How much are you worth? I guess it depends on who gives the answer. Ask a terrorist who is filled with hatred. He will gladly tell you, “You are worth more to me dead than alive.” He reasons, if you die, all your friends and fellow citizens will quiver and quake with fear. If you die, the media will focus on his cause and give it free publicity. If you die, money from hidden sources will become available for his organization. If you die, firebrands and ne’er-do-wells will flock to his gang in search of glory. To the terrorist, you are worth less than nothing.
How much are you worth? To the government, your value is a series of formulas on a spreadsheet. To the politician, your value is a vote to be tabulated. To your employer, your value is weighed by what you give versus what you cost. To the advertiser, your value is computed by your spending power. To the credit card company, your value is how much debt you can incur without disaster. Your friends may say you are an invaluable, indispensable individual. Of course, these same friends may, someday, change their minds. Your family may value you with high regard. In you, they see selfless sacrifice and a special servanthood that cannot be overvalued. But as the years pass you may find yourself devalued.
So, what are you worth? Most of us end up saying, “not very much.” That’s because most of us are leading lives that have been bent, spindled, folded and mutilated. Our self-worth is marred by the bruises, scars, open wounds from the cruel and careless comments, and the intentional or inadvertent actions of others. Each of us feels neglected. Each of us feels abused. Each of us feels unrecognized, under-appreciated and un-applauded because of what others, sometimes those who should be closest to us, have said and done.
The comments and thoughts of others would be enough to make us feel lost and lonely. But then, we take a look inside ourselves, and we really can get depressed. Take a moment. Look deep into your heart. Tell me what you see. Take a look at those things you have spent time covering up from those whose opinions are important to you. Take a look at those secret sins you have kept locked away from everybody, except yourself. Take a look at that part of you that you don’t want to see, but which always lurks at the edge of your thoughts. It’s that part of you that says, no one who really knows you, could ever love, care for, be a friend, or want to spend any time with you.
Can I tell you, God has seen this thing. You may have been successful in hiding things from others, even your closest friends and family members, but you haven’t hidden them from God. He knows your most contemptible qualities. And, God, having seen you for who you really are, still values you. Why? Scripture asks the same question. In the book of Psalms, the writer wants to know, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet. . .” (Psalm 8:4-6).
That makes us sound pretty good, doesn’t it. Why wouldn’t God highly value someone who is just a shade beneath the angels; who is crowned with glory; who is ruler of the world and everything in it? Well, God doesn’t value humanity as a whole because His children have done so well as rulers of this world. Polluted streams, extinct species, racial hatred, continuous wars and a multitude of misguided, misdirected and mistaken misdeeds say that sinful humankind has raped and ruined, when it should have been ruling. On a personal level, God does not value us or love us because of what we’ve done, either. Remember what you saw when you looked in your heart? You are valued and loved by God because you are, and remain, His handiwork.
King David explained just how involved God is in your life. He wrote: “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13-16). Because of the hand of the divine artist who made you, you have value and you are loved by God.
Sadly, you are also condemned by God. Remember, a few moments ago, when we asked you to take a deep look within yourself? Every honest person saw things that were not very valuable or lovable. We work hard at keeping those actions, those thoughts secret, because we know nobody, especially God, would want to be around us if that part of us became public. Well, to God, those things are public. And He doesn’t like them–not one bit. When Adam and Eve committed the first sin and ate from the forbidden fruit, they were condemned. All of their children, every one of them, with their own sins were likewise condemned (Ecclesiastes 7:20). No one escapes. Not the best of us. Certainly not the worst of us (Psalm 14:3). We were destined for the eternal garbage pail of hell, except for one thing–God still loved us (John 3:16). It doesn’t make any sense. But, having seen that sinful side of our souls, God still loved us.
Let me talk for a moment to the wives listening. You will probably understand. Well, the husbands will understand, too, but they won’t like what I’m going to say. Ladies, does your husband have a favorite article of clothing that should be put out of its misery? Maybe it’s a flannel shirt or an old pair of tennis shoes? Probably, this item is torn, worn, and when he wears it, he looks mighty forlorn. Have you thrown that obscenity in the rag bag, only to find it resurrected? Have you tossed it into the garbage five minutes before the truck is supposed to come, only to find it has somehow made its way back to his closet? Why does he love that thing? I don’t know. You don’t know. But beyond any logic, beyond any reason, that thing is loved.
On a far grander and more glorious scale, that’s the way it is between God and us. Having looked into our hearts, having seen our sin, God ought to throw us into the dumpster of damnation. But in His grace, He decided to save us. He pulled us from the garbage; He rescued us from our fate and He saved us. More than that, and unlike a husband’s favorite shirt, God fixed us, cleaned us, and made us more valuable than we were before.
How valuable are you? Listen carefully now, because it’s important. You are so valuable to God, that He sent His Son to save you. God sent His Son to take your place. That’s why Jesus was born in Bethlehem. That’s why He suffered for you. That’s why He endured indignity. That’s why He died–all for you. That’s why Saint Paul proudly proclaimed, “You were bought with a price.” The price God paid, the value He placed on you, was nothing less than His only Son. God valued you so highly, in order to allow you to live, His Son had to die. For six hours, God’s Son hung suspended between heaven and earth. That is your value.
Now, before I lose you, look at your heart once more. Look once more at that sin you try to keep secret. I know it’s uncomfortable. Well, now is the time to look at it for the last time. This thing you find terrible and tragic, bring it out and realize that Jesus, as He hung upon the cross, looked at that sin. He suffered to take away that sin. When He breathed His last, and said, “It is finished,” it was to destroy that sin. That sin was erased with a price. That’s how valuable you are.
What are you worth? Your forgiveness, your salvation, are worth the price of Jesus’ life. Saint Paul said it better and more clearly than I can: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Paul knew. Once he had been a murderer. Now, because Jesus had been his substitute, he was forgiven. Once he persecuted believers. But in Jesus, he was forgiven. Once he hated. But now (say it with me), he was forgiven.
Bought with a price, cleansed by Christ, Paul and all who believe in Jesus as their Savior, are forgiven–absolutely and completely. Has that special sin of yours evaporated? Has it dissolved? Don’t insult Jesus by thinking sin is more powerful than the forgiveness He won for you. He paid a price so sin would be gone. Believe it. Believe in this transforming power of God, which recycles the garbage of humanity and makes us valuable. If you want to know more about this Savior who gives you value, let my friends at The Lutheran Hour help you. Call the number given during this broadcast. Let them help you find out just how valuable you are.
What are you worth? Figuring out the worth of a thing is a difficult task. There is a little piece of silk in a Springfield, Illinois museum. You can’t buy that bit of cloth. Why? Because that little bit of silk is covered with blood. It was once part of a dress worn by the girl who sat by Abraham Lincoln on the night he was murdered. As he was dying, she cradled his head in her lap, just as a mother might hold her child. The State of Illinois bought that dress, cut out that piece of silk, and placed it in public, so all could see. Because of the blood of a great man, that pitiful piece of fabric has a value beyond reckoning.
Today, know your value. No matter what anyone has told you; no matter how you feel about yourself and your past, if you have been touched by the blood of the Savior, you have become priceless. My priceless friends, believe it and live it. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) from January 19, 2003
ANNOUNCER: We’re back once again with Pastor Klaus talking about New Year’s resolutions. I’m Mark Eischer. Pastor Klaus, why do you suppose the Lord gave us Ten Commandments instead of 10 New Year’s resolutions?
KLAUS: Most resolutions that come from within us are quickly forgotten. The Commandments from God are eternal and will be applicable for all people in all times and all places.
ANNOUNCER: Are there any other differences between God’s Ten Commandments and our human resolutions?
KLAUS: Resolutions are things we believe we can accomplish for ourselves. God’s commandments are things we can never do ourselves. Resolutions make us believe that we, albeit mistakenly, are in control and can create our own lasting happiness. God’s Commandments say that He is in control and if you are going to be acceptable, you need to follow those commandments.
ANNOUNCER: Are there other differences?
KLAUS: Yes. Resolutions are based on a person’s feelings. God’s commandments are for everybody. In short, one deals with human perceptions, the other deals with God’s reality.
ANNOUNCER: So, I wonder, is it ever really possible for human beings to measure up to God’s expectations?
KLAUS: Martin Luther wrote, “I cannot, by my own reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him.” We could paraphrase that to say, “I believe that I cannot, by my own reason or strength, find happiness or come to it.” I might be able to follow my resolutions, but ultimately, they are too little, too late. They don’t make me happy or self-fulfilled. Following the Commandments perfectly might make me happy and self-fulfilled, but I can’t do that. So, either way, I’m left pretty much where I was, searching and seeking for that peace which passes human understanding.
ANNOUNCER: So what can we do?
KLAUS: Well, you can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
ANNOUNCER: I still don’t understand. How does that help me?
KLAUS: Jesus fulfilled the law for you. That means, if you believe in Him as your Savior, He has taken your place. Do you feel unloved? Jesus loved you. Do you feel alone? Jesus is with you. Do you feel worthless? Jesus lived so you would have unlimited worth. Jesus lived and died for you so you could be forgiven before God. Paul said it this way: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).
ANNOUNCER: Through faith, we receive the credit for what Christ has done. And if God forgives you–
KLAUS: Then you can live forgiven. It means because of Jesus, you are free. Free to do the things you should do. You are free. No longer do you have to live your life trying to please and appease an angry God.
ANNOUNCER: I think I understand. We try to change, not because we have to, but because we want to. We want to glorify God, because He has declared us righteous on account of Christ.
KLAUS: Absolutely. Because of our new life in the Gospel, we are infinitely better off than we would be if we made 1,000 resolutions on January 1. Peter said it better than either of us. He wrote: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who, through faith, are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-6).
ANNOUNCER: Thanks, Pastor Klaus. The next Lutheran Hour message is titled, “Now You See It, Now You Don’t.”