The Great Treasure (2)

Announcements:

Hello Heritage, my name is Jake Davidson. I am the pastor of New Beginnings in Pembroke, Ky.

I want to thank you for allowing me to come back here today and preach the Word of God.

Prayer

INTRODUCTION

I want to tell you about a man named: Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson was a treasure hunter who had given the majority of his life seeking after a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. This treasure Tommy was after is believed to be the largest sunken treasure in the history of America. To help him in his search, he was able to securing millions of dollars from 161 investors for all of his equipment and crew who would comb the bottom of the sea to search for this sunken treasure. Tommy spent years studying and planning his multi-year expedition that eventually led him to discover the sunken ship known as the S.S. CENTRAL AMERICA, also known as the SHIP OF GOLD in 1988. This ship sunk off the coast of South Carolina in a hurricane in 1857 and is believed to have been carrying over 500 million dollars in gold coins.

He was able to the surface during his first expedition an estimated 52 million dollars in gold with plans to go and retrieve more, but his investors were waiting on shore with their hands out. Instead of sharing the gold, Tommy went on the run. He cashed in the gold and lived in a hotel for years with his girlfriend until authorities located him and placed him in federal prison For refusing to appear in court.

Do you know where Tommy is today? He is sitting behind bars because he refuses to tell the authorities where his treasure is. He claims he does not have anymore gold, but the authorities are not buying it. They believe he found far more gold than reported, and has it hidden with plans to give it to his children. So he is sitting in federal prison today incurring A $1,000 fine until he tells America where his treasure is.

This is a fascinating story about a man who spent his entire life searching for a once-in-a-lifetime treasure. And he found it! But to keep this treasure would ultimately cost him his life.

QUESTION: What is your treasure?

What would you consider of such value that you would give EVERYTHING FOR?

Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

When Tommy Thompson found that sunken treasure it was a one-in-a-lifetime discovery. He would never have another opportunity like that again. He would never be able to secure those 161 investors again. He would never have the freedom to go out on a multi-year expedition to search the bottom of the sea for a ship carrying gold.

And what Jesus is saying to us today, is that to discover the Kingdom of God is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.

Explanation

Most of us will never be treasure hunters, and the thought of finding a buried treasure or a sunken treasure in the ocean seems like a fairy tale.

But to those Jesus was talking to, this story would have been very familiar because treasures were hidden quite frequently.

Why? Because there were no banks, no safety deposit boxes, no fireproof safes in homes, and no real secure place to store their valuables.

So instead of locking the, up, They buried them! And often times they buried them in the middle of a field.

And there have been many jars have been found with gold coins and even precious jewels buried in fields of Israel.

So in cases like that, the owners of those buried treasures would have been killed or died suddenly and their treasured remained hidden where no one knew about it.

And so all of Israel knew that there was a real possibility of stumbling across hidden treasure, but the chances were slim to none.

Application

Jesus is saying that to discover him is like finding a hidden treasure in a field.

What makes Jesus such a rare discovery, is not His lack of availability!

We must not read this and place odds on finding Jesus.

He is available to all!

What we must see here is that the whole world misses the greatest treasure because they fail to recognize Him

So many people never come to Christ because they cannot see the true value in Jesus Christ!

The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field…”

They cannot see His value worth more than all the gold In the world.

They cannot get past the temporal things of this world to see what really matters in eternity.

Jesus said, “everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus is saying you have got to truly see Him, to know Him

So when they think about Jesus, they only look at him through their natural eyes and not through faith.

And they see a responsibility to serve Jesus rather than the joy of knowing Jesus!

They see restrictions that prevent them from having fun rather than God’s protection to keep them from harm.

They see themselves losing the pleasures of their sins rather than the ability to live righteously.

And they conclude that He is not worth it.

I wonder how many in here today, have concluded inside that Jesus is not worth it?

I wonder how many have considered truly following Him, yet when looking at all the world has to offer they say it is better to live for the world than to live for Christ?

What do you truly see when you look at Jesus!

Do you see the Great Treasure?

And how do you know if you do?

Lets read the parable again:

Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

When you know the true value of Christ, you will gladly surrender everything to have Him

Explanation

Let’s put ourselves in this man’s shoes

This man was walking along in a field and discovered this hidden treasure and he knew he had stumbled upon a one-in-a-life-time discovery.

He knew what he had found was far more valuable than everything that he had earned and obtained over the course of his lifetime.

But there is one issue here! He has been walking in another man’s field!

He just happened to stumble upon a hidden treasure.

And so it was back then, the man who owned the field owned the treasure!

But this man Is no fool!

He has seen the true value of that treasure and knows it is worth more than everything he owns.

So as a wise investor, he goes and sells everything he has so that he can buy that field.

And in buying the field he also receives the treasure.

Bridge

HOW CAN WE KNOW that we have truly seen and understood the infinite value in Jesus Christ?

Because we have gladly surrendered EVERYTHING TO HAVE HIM

There are no strings attached to our relationship with Christ.

There is nothing of more value than our relationship with Him and Jesus trumps EVERYTHING else in our lives.

Now we must not read this and think that we can purchase Jesus!

We can not sell our things and buy Him.

Or that by selling all our stuff will somehow make us saved.

Or just by saying that we would give everything for Christ yet never willing to do it.

What this is teaching us is the COST OF DISCIPLESHIP.

What this is teaching that for one to follow Christ, that one must be willing to accept the costs regardless of whatever that is.

Luke 14:28-34 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’…… “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

Principle:

Do you know what keeps so many people from the kingdom of heaven? The Cost of Discipleship!

Make no mistake, it will cost you to come to Jesus.

It will cost you your time

It will cost you money

It will cost you your lifestyle of sin…

It will cost you your reputation with others in the school who will deem you not cool.

It will cost everyone of us in many ways, BUT WHAT IS GAINED CANNOT BE COMPARED TO THE COSTS!

This is the primary point of the the entire parable is this: JESUS IS WORTH INFINITELY MORE THAN ANYTHING WE COULD EVER GIVE UP!

The man sold EVERYTHING HE OWNED TO BUY THE FIELD THAT HAD THE TREASURE BECAUSE HE KNEW THE TREASURE WAS WORTH MORE THAN HIS ENTIRE LIFE

And Jesus is saying to us this morning, HE WANTS IT ALL!

Our relationships

Our time

Our thoughts

Our home life

Our private lives

Our friends

Our relationships

Our dreams

Our hopes

Our love

Our adoration

Our genuine worship

He’a not looking for a half-hearted relationship,

Jesus demands that if we truly follow Him, our lIves must truly belong to Him.

He wants us to trust Him and KNOW that He will work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according o His purpose

So many love the thought of going to heaven, just as long as it does affect them on earth. And that is impossible.

Grace is not free!

If it cost Jesus to suffer, bleed, and die on the cross of Calvary, we must not think it will not cost us too!

John said, “we ought to walk just as Jesus walked.”

Paul said, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your spirtual service of worship”

Jesus said, “take up your cross daily and follow Me”

If you love money more than Jesus, then that is your treasure.

If you love your sin more than Jesus, then that is your treasure.

If you love your reputation and image more than Jesus, then that is your treasure.

‘If you love your girlfriend more than Jesus then that’s your treasure.

If you love yourself more than Jesus, then that’s your treasure.

BUT IF JESUS IS YOUR TREASURE, THEN THERE IS NOTHING YOU WOULD NOT GIVE UP FOR HIM!

Now you might be saying, how could I give up all of these things that I love to take such a chance with Jesus Whom I cannot even see?

Let’s read the parable one more time:

‘Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

It is the joy of discovering the treasure that compels the man to sell EVERYTHING

Explanation

We read the part about the costs and think there is no way I would do that. No way I could give up everything, risk embarrassment, face my fears, whatever it is.

But notice what this verse says, IT IS THE JOY of finding the treasure that compels this man to sell all that he has.

He does not sell his goods out of dread, or out of spite, or out of regret!

He gives up everything because of the overwhelming joy that the treasure has brought him.

Principle

Coming to Christ is not a dreadful thing, BUT A JOYOUS EXPERIENCE!!

There is the joy of being forgiven and knowing that you are right with God!

There is the joy of having the overwhelming impression that every bad thing we have ever done has been washed away by the blood of Christ And living with a clear conscience!

There is the joy of a relationship.

The promise that God will always take care of us!

Knowing and walking with the Creator of the universe who made everything that we can see, and who has the power to do anything in our lives.

Having the ability to pray and know that God hears us and that if we ask anything according to His will, He will give it to us!

There is the joy of hope.

This hope knowing that neither life nor death can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ. That one day when we leave this world, we are going to a heavenly home to be with the Lord forever!

Joy is not some fake facade or smile.

It is not something that comes and goes.

It is not dictated by circumstances.

It is a status.

It is the result of having the Great Treasure.

And it is a reality for everyone who is a child of God.

CONCLUSION

And I ask you again:

What is your treasure?

Do you know that the opportunity to come to Christ is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? And it is God who opens and closes that door.

Do you know that God placed you here today to hear this message so that you will come to Him?

Do you know that if you will be like the man in the field who was willing to give up everything you can experience that same joy that he found?

~Prayer~