Sin Has a Cost

I have a very solemn message to bring before us this evening, friends. The title of my message is Sin Has a Cost. I want you to come with me, friends, as we take a walk through my Bible.

Come with me as we stroll through the pages of God's holy word. You listen up, you boys and girls, to this message. Teenagers, sit up and pay attention and put your blasted phones away because this message has a warning to you.

Parents, look up here and give me your undivided attention as we take a walk through the Bible to see definite evidence that sin has a cost. There is a black thread that runs from Genesis chapter 3 all the way to the end of the book of Revelation. And that black thread stands out like black print on white paper declaring sin has a cost at the beginning of God's word in the book of Genesis.

We find a happy couple in paradise under the smile of God. Adam and Eve had it all. You couldn't ask for a better place to live than the Garden of Eden.

God's presence was there. You know the story well, friends. Man sins.

Man falls. God judges. And Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden into a world where man is under a curse and where woman will bring forth her children in sorrow, where man will labor in the sweat of his face until he returns back to the dust of the ground from which he came, for man will experience death.

Why? Because sin has a cost. That old serpent could have told them so because he knew it himself. When he was cast out of heaven for his own rebellion against a holy God, he went from being an angel in heaven to a devil on his way to hell.

And he wants to take as many people to hell with him as he can. If anybody knows that sin has a cost, it's the devil himself. Come with me now, friends, and let us take a walk in the woods as the sun shines through the tops of the trees and we see a man standing on a ladder, pounding away with his hammer as this man Noah builds the ark.

Why in the world would he need a big boat like that, we wonder? Because God is getting ready to drown the old world. Why? Because sin has a cost. God says so in Genesis chapter 6. And God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was corrupt.

For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Wise old Noah, out in the woods, chopping down trees and hammering on that ark, I'll tell you why, friend. Because sin has a cost. If you were honest with yourself, you'd admit it as well.

For you know from personal experience that sin has a cost. Come with me now, friends, as we take a walk over to Genesis chapter 19 and take a look at a man called Lot on his way out of Sodom. Why is he in such a hurry? What's in store for the wicked inhabitants of the cities of the plain? Look at verse 23 for the answer.

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord reigned upon Sodom and Gomorrah, brimstone and fire, from the Lord out of heaven. Why, friends? Because sin has a cost.

Go take a walk further in Genesis, friends, and see how crooked Jacob deceives his father Isaac. Then see how his sons deceive him by saying Joseph was killed by a wild animal. Sin never pays, friend.

And when it does, it pays back in trouble, anguish and grief. Sin is a wrecking machine that destroys everything in its path. There we find Jacob in fear for his life at the brook Jabbok, while Esau rides with 400 men.

Why? Because sin has a cost. I wish I could shout it from the roof of this church. Sin has a cost.

Hop over with me to 2 Samuel, chapter 11. Now take a look at King David reclining on his bed when he should have been out fighting Israel's enemies in battle. There he goes out for a stroll on his roof, and his eyes fall upon beautiful Bathsheba in her bath.

What does he do? He looks. He lingers. He lusts.

He desires. Then he orders her to his bedchamber. And we all know the rest of that sordid tale of adultery and murder.

Then walk over to the book of Psalms with me, friends, and take a stroll through Psalm 51 and hear the penitent king as he cries out to God, Against thee, thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. Then he asks God to restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Why does David say that? Because sin has robbed him of his joy in the Lord.

Because sin has a cost. Do you hear me, friends? Sin has a cost. I wish you would only believe me, but I reckon you need some more proof.

Take a walk with me over to the Gospels in the Gospel of Luke and take a look at a big fisherman as he cowers before a little maid who points a finger at Peter and says, This man was also with him. Listen to Peter as he spits on the ground as the blood drains from his face and his knees go wobbly in fear. Oh, woman, I know him not.

Now, friends, take a look at the fruit of sin. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. How does Peter react to the Lord's look, that look of love? Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Why did that big man cry like a baby? I'll tell you why, friend, because sin has a cost. Are you beginning to agree with me? Are you? Well, let's read the very next verse here in Luke right after Peter goes out weeping. Listen to what the very next verse says.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him, and when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. Now walk with me, friends, up the way of the cross, up to Calvary's hill. Look at those three crosses that stand there against the gray sky.

Look at those three men squirming on them. But take a look at the man on the center cross. Take a good look at him, friends.

You probably can't make out his face because it looks like a couple of pounds of bloody hamburger meat. And if you want to know why that innocent man is squirming on that bloody cross, you have to take a couple of steps back and listen to when the Roman soldiers nailed him to that scandalous cross because every stroke of the hammer was an explanation point that said sin has a cost. Sin has a cost.

Sin has a cost. Why, friend? Because your sin costs Christ his blood. Do you believe me now when I say sin has a cost? Some of you still need convincing.

Come with me now over to the book of Revelation 2, chapter 20. There is the terrible scene of the final judgment day. The judge of all the earth sits on a great white throne.

There, before that throne, the throng and mass of mankind from every generation is gathered. Each person is brought up before that judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. Books are opened.

As we hear the apostle John describe that future scene, and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. Now listen to me, you skeptics who still remain unconvinced of our theme this evening. Listen to verse 15.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Thereof yonder burns a lake of fire, and one by one sinners whose names are not found in that book of life are picked up and hurled into that raging sea of flames. Why? Why suffer damnation and burn in hell? Why? Because sin has a cost.

Do you hear me? Sin has a cost. Are you finally convinced, friend, that sin has a cost? Listen to me, friends, and listen to me loud and clear. Come up closer so you can hear me.

The only ones who will escape that eternal damnation of that burning lake of fire are the ones who can sing unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. Sin cost Christ His precious blood, and sin cost God His only Son, who suffered and died on a bloody cross for the very reason that sin has a cost.