After a concert Peter Stumf, the principle cellist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, went to a friend’s house. He inadvertently left his cello in its case on the doorstep while he entered to have a chat with the friend. A young man riding his bike down the city street saw an opportunity for an easy theft. He grabbed the case and rapidly pedaled down the street. In his hurry to escape, he knocked into pedestrians and light poles with the cumbersome case. The thief rode what he thought was a safe distance away. He stopped to examine the contents of the case. He was so disappointed with what he found that he tossed it into a garbage dumpster. Little did the thief know that the cello was a rare Stradivarius valued at over 3.5 million dollars.
When Peter Stumf discovered his cello missing, his heart sank. He couldn’t believe he had been so careless as to lose the irreplaceable instrument. He had no idea that the nearly priceless cello was lying in a trash dumpster with discarded table scraps and other refuse.
That cello was extremely valuable, but you have something far more valuable in your possession. You have a soul, and like the Stradivarius, your soul can be lost. The Lord Jesus said, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:3636For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)).
A soul is lost in this life when it seeks to find its pleasure in the trash heaps of lust, sin, pride and moral corruption that so abound in this world. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)). There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t visited those trash heaps and contracted the defilement of sin. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). Because we all have sinned, each one of us needs the Saviour. The only way to be cleansed from sin is to believe on the Lord Jesus and the great work He did on Calvary’s cross. It was there that He gave His life for sinners. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). The blood which flowed from His wounds while He hung on the cross is able to cleanse the worst sinner who will look to Him in faith.
Because of Christ’s death on the cross, the good news of the gospel can go out to each lost soul in this world, telling them to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3737But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. (Acts 16:37)). What a truly priceless gift God gave to mankind when He sent His Son into this world that sinners might be saved!
Peter Stumf’s Stradivarius lay in a garbage dumpster, and soon a truck would come and haul it away to a landfill where it would be lost forever. Fortunately, the cello was rescued before that truck arrived. A young lady spotted it in the dumpster and picked it out of the garbage. She thought she might be able to convert the cello into a CD cabinet. She brought it home and, on closer inspection, discovered it was the missing Stradivarius that was being reported in the news. Even though it had been scratched and dented, she was able to return it to its rightful owner.
The Stradivarius was recovered, but it came very close to being lost forever. If a sinner dies never having come to the Saviour, they must remain lost forever. The Lord Jesus spoke often on the reality of hell. He likened hell to a site called “Gehenna” in the valley of Hinnom just outside of Jerusalem. In ancient times, it was a place where human sacrifices were offered by fire to an idol. Then for hundreds of years the place became a garbage dump. City dwellers dumped and burned all manner of trash and refuse there. It was a maggot-ridden trash heap with fires constantly smoldering in it. The Lord Jesus used this dirty, smoldering site to illustrate what hell was like. “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:4748). Hell is a terrible place where lost souls will suffer forever.
Oh, won’t you realize that you have a soul that must be lost forever if you don’t come to the Saviour? In love and grace He is willing to save you the moment you realize your need and turn to Him in faith. He knows all about you. You can’t hide anything from Him. The incredible thing about His love is that even when He knows all about us, He still loves us anyway. Because Jesus Christ died for sins, God’s grace can go out to a guilty world, which by its actions does not deserve His love but His wrath. Don’t fling your soul away like the thief threw the cello worth 3.5 million dollars away. Instead, come to Him who said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).