Foolish And Fatal Trades

• Matt. 16:26: “For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

• Philippians 1:21: “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

• Proverbs 23:23: “Buy the truth, and sell it now; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”

Adam and Eve – Foolish and Fatal trade of the Past, Gen. 3:1-3.

• V. 1: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden.

• V. 2. “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

• V. 3. “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Genesis 3:4-7• V. 4. “And the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely

die:• V. 5. “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then

your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

• V. 6. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

• V. 7. “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

What They Had before the Trade:

• The approval of and fellowship with God.• They dwelt in Paradise!• They could eat of every tree of the garden

except one, “the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” Gen. 2:9.

• They were living in a world that was not tarnished by sin; they had not experienced the fear of death; they literally “had it made!”

What they Experienced (after the “trade”)

• Fear, Genesis 3:8-10.• Pain in childbirth, Gen. 3:16.• The ground was cursed, Gen. 3:17-18.• The Sentence of death, Genesis 3:19.• Separation from God, and banishment from

paradise, Gen. 3:23-24.• Question: Could any deny that theirs was a

foolish and fatal trade?

Lot’s Wife

• Gen. 19:17: “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

• Gen. 19:26. “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

More about Lot’s Wife:

• She had a chance to escape the effects of a previous bad decision, Gen. 13:7-12.

• Sodom was so wicked that God was going to rain upon it “fire and brimstone,” Gen. 19:24.

• Lot’s wife had a chance to leave, and have her life spared, Genesis 19:17

• But she “looked back” and “became a pillar of salt,” Gen. 19:26.

• She traded her life for one backward look! Was it worth it?

Esau, Genesis 25:29-34• V. 29. “And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and

he was faint.• V. 30. “And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same

red pottage; for I am faint; therefore was his name called Edom.• V. 31. “And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.• V. 32. “And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die; and what

profit shall this birthright do to me?• V. 33. “And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto

him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.• V. 34. “Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he

did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.

More About Esau

• For one meal he “sold his birthright unto Jacob,” v. 33.

• He paid a high price for that trade! Heb. 12:15-17; Genesis 27:30-40.

• Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of promise, was a very wealthy man. Was not being Isaac’s heir worth more than a bowl of pottage??

Achan (Made a foolish and fatal Trade)

• Joshua 6:18: “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accused thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

• Joshua 6:19: “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”

But Achan, Joshua 7:20-26:

• Coveted a Babylonish garment, a wedge of gold, and 200 shekels of silver, took them, and hid them in the midst of the tent.

• The Result:– He brought sin into the camp, causing the people

to flee before the men of Ai.– It cost his family their lives.– It cost him his life; he never used the items stolen.– It was a foolish and fatal trade!

Uzziah (at first):• 2 Chron. 26:3: “Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he

began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. He mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

• V. 4. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah did.

• V. 5. “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.”

Uzziah (Later)• 2 Chron. 26:16: “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted

up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

• V. 17. “And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men.

• V. 18. “And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary: for thou hast trespassed: neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God.”

Uzziah (before and after)

• He was a good king; he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.

• But when “he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction,” 2 Chron. 26:16.

• God struck him with leprosy; he was cut off from the house of the Lord, v. 21; he was a leper until the day of his death!

• He made a foolish and a fatal trade!

Judas Iscariot

• Matt. 26:14-16: “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests.

• V. 15: “and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

• V. 16: “And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him”

Judas Iscariot (con’t)

• Matt. 26:47: “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

• V. 48. “Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomever I shall kiss, the same is He; hold Him fast.

• V. 49. “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed Him.

Consider Judas (before and after)

• Before: he was blessed to have been chosen to be one of the Lord’s apostles. Consider how great his influence for good could have been; Consider the hope set before him!

• After: He traded everything, even his soul, for 30 pieces of silver, which he later threw away!

• Acts 1:25: “…Judas by transgression fell that he might go to his own place.”

Fact: All Foolish Trades based upon three things (I John 2:15-17)

• Greed, Proverbs 25:17; Proverbs 1:19.• Pride, Proverbs 29:23; Proverbs 16:18.• Fleshly lust, Eph. 4:22; James 1:14-15

Foolish and Fatal Trades People make Today – Trading Truth for Error:

• John 8:32: Only the truth can make us free; note also Romans 8:2; and Prov. 23:23.

• But many exchange the one true Gospel for “another Gospel,” Gal. 1:6-7, and thus are removed from God!

• Israel strayed from God, embraced idolatry, and was carried into captivity.

• But many today exchange the truth of God for the lies of Satan! 2 Peter 2:1-2; I John 4:1.

Foolish and Fatal Trades People make today – Trading Joy for Sorrow!

• Christians should be the most joy-full people on earth!– Ephesians 1:3.– Titus 1:2.– Romans 8:16-17.– Philippians 4:4.

• But sin robs a person of joy and fills his heart with sorrow!– Prov. 13:15.– Matthews 26:73-75.

Trading Opportunities to Serve and Help Others for Selfishness and Idleness!

• Jesus was the ultimate Example of One Who used Opportunities to help and to serve others, John 9:4; Acts 10:38.– He made the ultimate Sacrifice! Hebrews 2:9;

John 10:11.• We must have the mind of Christ, Phil. 2:5– If we do we will focus on the spiritual and

physical needs of others.– In helping others, we help ourselves, Gal. 6:7.

Foolish and Fatal Trades – Trading Heaven for Hell!

• Consider the value of heaven, Rev. 21.• Consider the terror of hell! Matt. 13:42; 25:30,

41,46. -- Endless punishment, eternal separation from God, eternal association with the devil and his demons, and with the scum of humanity!

• In view of how wonderful heaven is, and how miserable hell is, we should make a good and wise trade (that heavenly home) instead of a foolish and fatal trade!

Conclusion:

• In the final analysis some trades we make in this life do not have lasting consequences; we can overcome their effects. But spiritual trades have eternal consequences!

• What is the nature of the trades you are making?

• If you are not a Christian you should trade the dreaded fear of hell for the joyful anticipation of heaven!