Easter Egg 2024
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 13:45-46
Matthew 13:45-46
****JESUS IS THE PRICELESS PEARL.
HE IS THE TREASURE WORTH ALL ELSE.
THIS PARABLE IS ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP. SEE CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 12-13.
**NEEDS REVIEW
https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-treasure-pearl.html
Remind me: why are you all here?
What are you looking for? Trash? Weeds? Coins?
Oh— Easter Eggs?
Y’all want Easter Eggs? Why?
Last thing I heard, there are over 5,000 of them out there… Do y’all think you can find any?
Let me tell you a quick story about a guy who was looking for something he really, really wanted.
A merchant… looking for fine pearls… he found one priceless pearl (ONE!) … he sold everything he had to buy it.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
So, why did Jesus tell this story? And what does it mean that the kingdom of heaven is like this man and his pearl?
Listen here- Jesus says this because He is describing HIMSELF by telling this story!
It is almost like if I were up here, telling you a story about a goofy guy who wears bright-colored t-shirts, talks a bunch when you are waiting impatiently to begin hunting for Easter Eggs, and showed up to Trunk-or-Treat dressed like Crush from Finding Nemo. You’d say- THAT’S YOU!!
But listen here, those listening to Jesus did not really understand what He was like. He was unlike any person they had ever met. So it was important He told them stories like this.
So lemme tell you about Jesus, and what He is helping us find out by telling this story:
Jesus is God, and He came down from heaven. That’s why He is talking about the Kingdom of heaven, where He belongs and came down to be with us from! Since He is God, He has always existed, and He created everything. He doesn’t need anything.
However, something He dearly loves had been lost. Has that ever happened to you? Actually, someone had stolen something that was very important and beautiful to Him.
In looking for and finding that beautiful, important thing, Jesus gave up everything He had to get it.
Want to know what He was looking for? What He gave up EVERYTHING for?
You. You! You were made to know God and enjoy knowing Him. You are made to belong to Him. But because of a sneaky serpent who tricked us into not trusting God and separated us from Him, our relationship with God broke.
However, Jesus gave up everything by leaving His heavenly home, coming to earth, living as a poor servant, and even allowing Himself to be killed by the very people He came to save.
Jesus did this to rescue the people He loved. He did this to buy the precious pearl (all of us). He did this for you and me.
Do you want rescue? Do you want to know Jesus?
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Wait- what?? Jesus is alive?? YES!— the entire reason we are even looking for Easter Eggs is because Jesus is Alive. He went from being dead to being alive after three days, and He went back to His heavenly home. He made it clear to everyone that whoever wants to be saved from sin, wants to know Him, and wants to be with Him one day, can be saved and know Him by trusting in Him! Admitting they need rescue, believing He died and now lives again, and committing to Him as their new Savior, Lord, and Friend.