Something of Value

2 Samuel 24:18–25 NIV84

18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.” 22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 O king, Araunah gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.” 24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

The movie trilogy Lord of the Rings’ plot was about the power of a ring and the lengths people and creatures would go to possess the ring.

The character, Gollum, probably had one of the most unforgettable lines. As he stares at the ring he says, “My precious.” Nations warred for the destiny of that ring. What is something you cannot live without? Who is the one you cannot live without?

King David placed quite a bit of value on his relationship with God. He would not there give God something that had no value.

1. Give God something of value

What you guard you value

What you protect you value

When the rain rises, you protect what you value

Whatever you value you place under lock and key

Give God what’s valuable

David said that he would not give God something that cost nothing

What do you value?

David placed high value in His relationship with God

So much value that he was not willing to short-change God in any way

He was not looking for a shortcut or a handout

David wanted the plague to end

You don’t get victories by giving up the mundane

You don’t get ahead by doing the least

You don’t grow taking the easy road

2. Your heart is with your treasure

Our treasure contains at least four things:

Time

Heb 10:25 “25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Talent - status

Mt 19:29-30 “29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Treasure

Mal 3:10 “10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

Family - Mt 19:29 “29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

How are you using your treasure?

Mt 6:21 “21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Mt 16:26 “26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Abraham valued His family but was willing to offer his promised son because he valued his relationship with God more

God is more

3. Guard what has been entrusted to you

You are a chosen by God

You are called to make disciples of all nations

Be prepared in season and out of season

2 Tim 4:2 “2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

2 Tim 4:5 “5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

When you value something you care for it

Put the time in serving God

Mt 28:19-20 “19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

There is a difference between a command and a suggestion

There are speed limit commands (laws)

You can violate it but it does not change the command (law)

When you get caught, you have to give up something of value - Time, Treasure, Talent, Family

Guard what you have been entrusted with

4. Faith is your Most Valuable Possession (MVP)

1 Pet 1:6-7 “6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Your trials are valuable if you learn the lesson

Every challenge you face is a teacher

If you learn from the lessons, you will pass the test

We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of the Lord

Your trials are there so that you can develop the character to possess what is truly valuable - everlasting life in His Presence