[0:00] If you would take the Word of God with me and turn to Matthew chapter 13.! While you're turning there, we've been in this series called Stories of the Kingdom, going through some of the parables of Jesus.
[0:14] I figured in a Baptist church, it's probably not a bad idea to talk about what Jesus talked about when He was on this earth, right? We can spend our time looking at a lot of different things, but it's not a bad idea to talk about what Jesus Himself talked about when He was on this earth.
[0:33] So, we're going through this series looking at these parables or illustrative stories. These stories that would make a point, they had a moral, so to speak, and they were all about the kingdom of God.
[0:46] God was revealing to us what the kingdom of God is. So, we're going to look at Matthew chapter 13. And we're going to look down toward the end of the chapter, verses 44 through 46.
[1:04] Matthew chapter 13. And our title this morning is, our theme is Treasures and Pearls. Treasures and Pearls. So, that's what we're talking about.
[1:14] That's what we're diving into with our Stories of the Kingdom series today. Would you mind standing with me? I know we've stood up and down a little bit during this service, but would you mind standing with me in honor of reading God's Word one final time this morning, if you're able to.
[1:34] Matthew 13, beginning in verse 44. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
[1:47] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it.
[1:59] Let's pray together. God, I pray that you would give us understanding of what you were teaching us so many years ago when you first gave this parable. I pray that we would understand what kingdom value is all about.
[2:12] Give us wisdom and enlightenment from your scriptures by your spirit. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for standing. Let's dive in.
[2:25] Number one, we're going to look at the poor man. We see two different people here, two different characters or players in this story. We see a poor man and a rich man. We're going to look at the poor man first.
[2:36] Now, they're not exactly called poor man and rich man, but it's intimated, it's understood by the story what they're talking about. So we can learn what kind of person this is, what kind of individual this is.
[2:51] So let's look at the poor man. And first, it says, treasure was hidden in a ground. Do you know why that would happen? Oftentimes, when people would have to leave their home for whatever reason, maybe they're going on a long journey, maybe there's war in the area, maybe they were arrested, maybe they were in debt and thrown into debtor's prison, whatever it was, they would take their valuables, their treasure, and usually that they would keep hidden in their home, remember, no banks like we have them today back then.
[3:24] So instead, if they were going to leave their home, then they would bury them in the ground, hopefully deep enough that nobody would find them, and then later, when they anticipated their return, coming back to their home, they would dig it up and have their treasure.
[3:41] Oftentimes, they never came back, and the treasure would just be buried there. Sometimes the land would change hands.
[3:52] Sometimes a wealthy man might buy up a field, and he would employ workers to work the field. And what happens? One of those workers, one of those day laborers, one of those poor people, kind of at the bottom of the economic scale, is out there, manual labor, digging in the field, working for somebody else, and he finds a treasure.
[4:15] Now, the rule was, apparently, that if you dug the treasure out and lifted it out, then you would have to take that treasure to whoever owned the field.
[4:28] If it was you, then you get the treasure. But if it was owned by somebody else, that treasure would, by right, belong to them. So, you notice what happens.
[4:41] The man does not lift it out of the ground. He finds it, and he hid it again. He covered it back up because he's smart, right?
[4:53] So, the law would require that if he took it out, then he would have to turn it over to whoever owned the land. But instead, he left it in the ground, and he made a plan.
[5:07] And his plan was, I've got to get enough money together to buy this field. So, what did he do? He went all in. He sold everything he had.
[5:19] He went around and probably borrowed money from family or friends. He did everything he could, maybe took on a side job. We don't know how long it took him to buy this field, but that became his one goal.
[5:32] Why? Because he could work for year after year at his wages and never, ever reach the value of this treasure that he had found.
[5:46] So... Okay. Maybe we should stop and pray right now for whatever's going on there. So, he's all in on this treasure.
[5:58] He knows this is the most amount of money, this is the greatest thing of value that he's ever going to find in his life. So, he's got a plan. So, what happened? He came, and he sold everything he had to get enough money to buy the field.
[6:15] So, then he goes to the rich man, he goes to the owner of the field, his employer, and says, listen, I've put all my money together. I've been spending time working this field. I want to buy this field from you.
[6:27] And I can't imagine that he gave him a bargain rate on it. Maybe he felt bad for him. I don't know. We're filling in the blanks on some of this. It doesn't get us into the weeds on this. But, the point is, he valued so greatly that he abandoned everything else and went all in on this treasure.
[6:48] Why? Because he found something of so much greater value than anything else in his life. And he knew that. Said, this is a sure thing. Stock market might go up, stock market might go down, but this treasure has inherent value.
[7:04] And if I can own this field, then this treasure will belong to me. Would you go to Romans chapter 10 and verse 20? Romans chapter 10 and verse 20.
[7:17] This poor man found something of such great value, he happily gave up everything he had to pay the price of the field. He made no excuses, but went all in on the treasure he found.
[7:32] You ever been around somebody who just seemed like they were always stuck in the same rut because every time they had an opportunity to get out of that situation and improve things, they always had all kinds of excuses for why they couldn't do it.
[7:48] Why they couldn't really change their circumstances. Why they couldn't really improve their financial situation or whatever it might be. There was always all kinds of excuses. Well, life just hadn't been kind to me.
[8:01] Well, that's just not my lot in life. I'm always going to be poor. I'm always going to be in bad health, whatever it is. Let's look at Romans chapter 10 and verse 20.
[8:13] Later Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah spoke boldly for God. And there's a quote back to the book of Isaiah. It says, I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.
[8:28] Let's go to Matthew chapter 10 and verse 20. Do you understand this guy did not go out thinking he was going to find a treasure? But he found a great treasure.
[8:40] He did not go out that day thinking that he would absolutely turn his life around and yet he stumbled upon something that had the power to do just that.
[8:51] And he saw the value in it. He recognized the value in it. We're setting the stage here. We're going to get to the main point in just a minute. So stick with me. Understand the value.
[9:02] Matthew chapter 10 and verse 39. If you cling to your life, you will what? Lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will what?
[9:14] Find it. There's the key. That's what the poor man understood. He could cling to his way of life, but what would that get him?
[9:26] He would just keep losing. He could cling to everything he knew. He could cling to what was comfortable.
[9:38] He could cling to not maybe what was easy because he probably had a hard life, but maybe it felt safer than the unknown. Maybe it was less scary than venturing out with newfound riches.
[9:54] But instead, he said, no. I have found something of such greater value, I'll never find anything better than this.
[10:06] You hear that? I'll never find anything better than this. Now, do you see where we're going with this? When you find Jesus, you'll never find anything better than this.
[10:23] when you find hope, when you find life, when you find joy, when you find peace, when you find contentment, when you find compassion, when you find kindness, when you find all that is wrapped up in the person of Jesus, you'll never find anything better than that.
[10:46] And Jesus is calling you to give up your life for him. because in doing so, he will give you so much better than you could ever find on your own.
[11:02] You can cling to the scraps that you have. Last Sunday, we talked about the marriage feast and the king extended out the invitation to all of those in the streets, not his usual guest list, but he said, anybody, come eat at my table, come feast with me, because I know you're not eating like this at home.
[11:21] I eat like this every day. I'm the king, but I'm welcoming you into my table now. I want to share my wealth with you. And I'm telling you, folks, you can pursue everything that everybody around you is pursuing, but it's not the king's table.
[11:36] It's not the treasure that he is offering for you to find. If you find Jesus, you've found everything. So, that's principle number one.
[11:48] The poor man, he gave up everything in his life for the treasure because he knew it was of greater value than anything else.
[11:59] He didn't cling to his life. But you know what happens? Sometimes we want to cling to it. Sometimes there are habits, there are distractions, there are passions, there are interests, that we have in our lives that do not mesh with Jesus.
[12:22] We might try to force them to work. We might try to play both sides. Oh yeah, I've got Jesus on Sundays and I've got everything else that I'm interested in the rest of the week.
[12:35] That's clinging to your life. It's not giving it up for the treasure. So you're abandoning this treasure of greater value than any of that could ever be and you're clinging to something that will ultimately cause you to lose your life, to waste your life.
[12:56] And graduates in the room, I don't want to see you do that. Don't cling to what will never get you where God wants you to go. Hold things loosely.
[13:09] Hold cars loosely. Hold even jobs. Dedicate yourself. Do whatever your hand finds to do. Do it with all your strength, all your might. Do it to the glory of God. But don't hold on to the things of this earth so tightly.
[13:23] Hold them loosely because those things come and go but God's words remain forever. The things that God gives you, that will never fade away. that is a treasure that will last eternity.
[13:37] The problem is it will cost you something. It will cause you to give something up. Folks, we love to see people get baptized.
[13:48] We saw pictures even in the graduate photo, whatever you call those, slideshows, there you go, of people getting baptized, graduates getting baptized. What a powerful testimony of life change.
[14:01] But can I promise you, and some of those graduates know that. Some of it was in their testimonies that when you choose to follow Jesus, he's going to ask you to give something up. And it might not be immediately what you think.
[14:16] It will cost you something. Actually, it will cost you everything. If you're truly going to follow Jesus, you're going to have to give up everything.
[14:29] He might give some of it back to you. Or he'll give you something better. You don't understand that at first. I don't understand that at first. And I get scared when I lose something for the sake of Jesus.
[14:44] And I get nervous. Man, my bank account doesn't look how it used to look. My retirement, what am I going to do now? Those relationships that are causing me heartbreak right now, the emptiness sometimes.
[14:58] and then I find, boy, God fills that emptiness better than anything ever it has before. These new relationships that I have with my church family, with the people in my life that I know follow Jesus and I'm strengthening myself and now I'm pouring out to others with new relationships who need to find Jesus and God's using me in a way to do that.
[15:19] And all of a sudden, your life becomes so much more fulfilling than it ever was. but you'll never taste that if you hold on to everything you have now.
[15:31] You know the story of the little kid who reached his hand in the cookie jar and he grabbed as many cookies as he possibly could and he couldn't get his hand back out because he was holding on to all of the cookies and it's like, look man, let go, right?
[15:45] Let go and you can enjoy this treasure you found but if you hold on to what you think you want you'll never experience what God wants for you and it's so much better.
[16:00] It's so much purer. It's so much more fulfilling. So that's the rich man. Now, let's go to Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19, few verses there beginning in verse 16.
[16:21] While you're turning, I want to remind you that those who were looking for God, I'm sorry, those who were never looking for God, God was looking for them.
[16:36] Isn't it a blessing to know that when I wasn't seeking Jesus, Jesus sought me out. Jesus came to find me. That's what we read in Romans chapter 10.
[16:48] Some of us stumble into the kingdom of God. Isn't that interesting? Some of us, man, we seek it out. Some of us were raised seeking God. Some of us weren't.
[16:59] Some of us stumbled backwards into the kingdom of God. God stopped wicked Saul in his tracks and turned him into his servant Paul in the New Testament on the Damascus road.
[17:12] He was working against God and God arrested him, stopped him dead in his tracks on his way to do more harm to God's people and then he turned him into one of his most powerful servants we ever have record of.
[17:26] Now look at Matthew chapter 19, verse 16. Someone came to Jesus with this question. Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?
[17:38] Let me ask you as that. Church, this morning, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? Nothing. Nothing. There's no good deed that I can do.
[17:50] Why? Because nothing I can do can give me eternal life. God holds the keys to that. He has to give that to me. I have to humble myself and place my faith in him and then he gives me eternal life.
[18:05] So, he's off from the beginning but Jesus is going to teach him something. Verse 17, why ask me about what is good? Jesus replied, there's only one who is good but to answer your question, if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.
[18:23] That's the law. That's the Old Testament law. The Ten Commandments is the big one. There are many other commandments given throughout the Old Testament. Verse 18, which ones, the man asked. Jesus replied, you must not murder, you must not commit adultery, you must not steal, you must not testify falsely, honor your father and your mother, love your neighbor as yourself.
[18:43] He just gave him the highlights, right? And the man says, I've obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. What else must I do? Jesus said, if you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor and then you'll have treasure in heaven and then come and follow me.
[19:08] You know, an interesting thing. I think Jesus is referencing here the great commandment that he gave. He said, there's a new commandment that I give you to love one another as I have loved you and on this one commandment, all those Old Testament commandments now hang off of this one.
[19:26] So if you're not obeying this commandment, it's like you've disobeyed all of them. So I think he's communicating that to this guy. He says, you think you followed all these commandments and the truth is, I'm sure that guy had not even obeyed all those perfectly.
[19:42] I'm sure he tried to. He's probably a moral upstanding guy. Probably a kid who mostly stayed out of trouble, right? But nobody's perfect and there's no way he was either. But Jesus says, if you want to be perfect, love like I love.
[19:59] Go and give up everything on this earth. Give it all away and follow me. And what happened? The young man said, yes sir, master, I will follow you to the end of my days.
[20:12] No, he didn't. Because we know his heart was not perfect. His heart was selfish. The young man heard this and he went away sad because he had many possessions.
[20:27] What are you holding on to that God wants you to exchange for his treasure? You've all met Jesus.
[20:42] You've all had the encounter. Doesn't mean you're saved. Doesn't mean you placed your faith in him. But you've all heard about Jesus Christ. You've found the treasure.
[20:54] Now will you give it all up for him? Will you give it all up for that treasure? Young people, going off to college, you are going to be tested.
[21:05] Your faith will be tested in so many ways. What will you hold on to that will keep you from the treasure of Jesus? Speaking of that, let's go back to Matthew 13 where we started.
[21:21] Matthew 13. We looked at the poor man, now we're looking at the rich man. The rich young ruler that we just read about that Jesus talked to, he would not pay the cost.
[21:40] The cost was everything and he cared too much for his possessions. He cared too much for his truck, for his boat, for his 401k, for his vacations, for his sports leagues, for living vicariously through his kids, whatever it was, okay, whatever it was that was keeping him from pursuing Jesus because he was scared of what he might lose and that's what happens to us.
[22:10] We get scared of what we might lose. Well see, I know what God wants for me but this is what is important to me and I'm afraid he won't meet that need.
[22:21] I'm afraid he won't fulfill that and we never get to experience how good, how fulfilling he wants this life to be for us. So, verse 45.
[22:35] Matthew 13. Let's look at it again. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. Totally different situation here. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it.
[22:51] You see, wealthy merchants would travel around the world seeking out precious materials, jewels, stones, money, gold, whatever, precious herbs at the time and they would sell them for a profit.
[23:07] So, they would go to the source, try to find them, get them at a bargain rate and then turn around and sell them at their highest margin. pearls was a great one.
[23:20] The ladies of the Roman court would wear pearl necklaces. It was like the diamonds of the day, basically. And so, this man came and found a great pearl, the greatest pearl.
[23:33] In Jesus' story here, his illustration that he's telling everyone, this guy found the pearl to beat all pearls, the mother pearl, mother of pearl, sorry, I got off track.
[23:47] But you understand, he found the greatest thing. So, this was a guy who was not poor. This was a guy who did not work for someone else. He was his own boss.
[23:58] He probably employed others and he is a treasure hunter, a treasure seeker, entrepreneurial. He'd go out and he would make the biggest margin he could.
[24:09] and what happened? He found the pearl. He found the big heist. He found the big treasure. He hit the mother load and he knew it.
[24:21] And he said, everything I've found before this doesn't measure up to what I just found. Do you see the similarity here? You see the principle that Jesus is trying to get across?
[24:32] Everything that I have had up until this point when I found this treasure, it doesn't match in value. This is the greatest thing. Now, most of us would agree in this room, Jesus is better than all of us.
[24:48] Jesus is greater. Jesus is higher. Many of us would say, yes, my faith is the most important thing in my life, but our actions, our way of life, what we're willing to walk away from says that is a lie.
[25:04] It says we don't really believe that. But this rich man did. He saw something that was truly the greatest value. But sometimes, we got too much going on.
[25:18] We've got too much of a life that we have built up for ourselves and we're not willing to let God move us away from it. We're not willing to let God change our direction until you've been radically changed by God.
[25:35] God, you haven't really experienced Jesus. He will radically change you. It might be quick. It might be over time.
[25:46] But He will change you. And if you haven't truly been changed by Jesus, then maybe you haven't yet encountered Him. Maybe you've heard about Him.
[25:58] Maybe you're Jesus adjacent. Right? Maybe you've attended church every once in a while. Maybe you're faithful in church. Maybe you could answer Bible trivia.
[26:09] Maybe you grew up in Sunday school. But you haven't really been changed by Jesus. Because when you really encounter Him, He'll change your direction.
[26:22] He'll make you give something up. And you'll be glad to. You'll be happy to. Because you realize how much more valuable it is. Philippians chapter 3. Paul said, listen, I had a lot going on.
[26:35] This Paul guy that was Saul, and we talked about him a minute ago, God changed him on the road to Damascus. He's literally persecuting Christians, working for the government, got a high paying salary.
[26:45] He says, look, I could have had confidence in my own effort if anyone could. If others have reason for confidence in their efforts, I could have had even more.
[26:57] Now, this may not match up with your resume, but back then this was a great resume. Okay? I was circumcised when I was eight days old. That was like a big thing back then, because only the Jews did it.
[27:08] I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel. I'm a member of the tribe of Benjamin, a real Hebrew if there ever was one. I was a member of the Pharisees. Those were the top dogs, right?
[27:19] Top dogs, not only on the religious scale, but also in society. I was a member of the Pharisees who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous, I harshly persecuted the church, Jesus' followers.
[27:35] They were not the predominant religion of the day. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. It's kind of like that other guy that Jesus talked to, right? I obeyed the law.
[27:46] I didn't mess up. But he knew he wasn't perfect because his heart was wrong. That's the problem. You can go day after day without violating any Ten Commandments and you are still sinning because your heart is not after God.
[28:04] Paul knew that. He said, I once thought these things were valuable. Y'all, would you read that with me again? I put it in bold. I once thought these things were valuable.
[28:16] Think through your life. Your resume is going to look a little different than Paul's. The things that you value and treasure are going to look a little different than Paul's. But would you think with me right now in your mind, I once thought these things were valuable.
[28:33] Maybe it was yesterday. Maybe it was this morning. But God, show me where real value is. Paul had that encounter with Jesus and it changed him.
[28:46] He said, now I consider these things worthless. Does that mean you got to go sell all your possessions? I don't know what God has for you. Not necessarily.
[28:58] As long as you realize how worthless they are. The TV in my bedroom went out and I had to get a new TV and it was bigger. Worst day ever.
[29:10] Sorry, babe. The TV went out. Obviously, we're not going to get one of the same size. Come on now. And that thing's awesome. In reality, I moved the living room one into the bedroom.
[29:23] So that's bigger and now I got a bigger one in the living room. It's great. But look, that TV is worthless. Now, my credit card would not say it's worthless because there was a worth ascribed to it that I had to pay.
[29:38] Got it on sale anyway. But in reality, that TV is worthless. All the TVs could go out tomorrow and I would be okay.
[29:49] My family would be okay. We'd have to break out some books, you know, some board games, whatever. We'll figure it out. Break out the Bible. But what is of value to you and what is worthless?
[30:05] The things that this world teaches us are of great value. We've got to come to the place where we say they're not. They're worthless. You know what has value?
[30:18] Following Jesus with your life. The fellowship and community you get in the body of Christ. the hope and joy and peace and all the comfort that God gives you.
[30:31] That has value. That's what matters. That's what your children need. That's what these graduates need to take with them into their life. That has value. So Paul said, I now consider these things worthless.
[30:42] Why? Because of what Christ has done. That's where real value is. Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
[30:54] There is nothing else on this earth that has infinite value. You can get all the platinum and diamonds and pearls and anything on this earth that the world ascribes great value to and it will never have infinite value.
[31:10] There will always be an end to its value. Not so with Jesus Christ. So that's why he said for his sake for Jesus' sake I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.
[31:33] Do you understand? He was still a Hebrew. He still had his medals on the wall. When you walk away from what's holding you back what you used to consider the most valuable it doesn't necessarily mean it's all going to go away immediately.
[31:54] But your perspective on it shifts. Now if I lose my truck if I lose the great house if I lose the big retirement whatever it is it's not going to kill me anymore.
[32:11] it's not going to drive me to depression. Now it's not going to affect my spirit because my spirit rests in Christ.
[32:23] I no longer count on my righteousness through obeying the law now rather I become righteous through faith in Christ. That's why it's so valuable. It's saving your soul.
[32:34] It's giving you a future. It's giving you a home in heaven. It's giving you something that can't be taken away from you. Do you understand that everything in this world that you can pursue can be taken away from you?
[32:49] He said not family. Oh yes. How many of you have lost a loved one? They can be taken. Everything in this world can be taken from you.
[33:01] But your faith in Christ the righteousness that he places on you can never be taken away. So I'm trying to get all of us myself included and everyone in this room to realize where the real value is in something that cannot be taken away.
[33:20] So that's God's way of making us right with himself. It depends on our faith. Would you go with me to 1 Timothy and we'll be done.
[33:34] 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 17 through 19. Paul hit the top of his career. He had it all but he found it was worthless once he met Jesus.
[33:47] Have you really met Jesus? Then you'll see how worthless everything else is. Maybe you've just heard about him.
[33:58] if you've really met Jesus then why do your plans have so little to do with him? Graduates make sure your plans have much to do with Jesus in your life.
[34:15] As you go off to A&M and Tech and all those other schools that aren't UT Austin are going to do with him. Anyway. As you go off to your college God leads you into a great career and Lord willing gives you a family and whatever his plans are for you.
[34:39] He says I know the plans I have for you. He's going to reveal them to you in time. Make sure your plans match up with him. Make sure your plans involve! Him because I promise you ask your parents ask your grandparents ask your church family it's so easy for your plans to start to not involve Jesus at all.
[35:00] It's not that you willingly turned your back on him. No. Life just kind of drifted you apart. It'll do that if we don't intentionally keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
[35:13] So 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 17 I was talking to y'all and forgot to turn there myself so give me one second. 1 Timothy 6 verse 17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money which is so unreliable.
[35:31] Their trust should be in God who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. And if God's blessed you with riches and finances use it for right?
[35:49] There's nothing wrong with that as long as you realize how meaningless and of little value it is. And as long as it doesn't keep you from doing good and bringing God back into your plans.
[36:02] They should be rich in good works generous to those in need always being ready to share with others by doing this what are they doing by doing! They're storing up their treasure If you're not looking at it real quick here we go If you do this center your riches your positions everything you have on Jesus what will happen by doing this you will be storing up your treasure as a good foundation for the future you know what you need at this stage in your life a good foundation for the future so here's how to have it so that then you can experience true life y'all I don't want you to have a life that this world will carve out for you this world will set you on a track it can't help itself it will do it social media pressures job needs bills to pay everything will start to set you on a course and start to define the life that you live
[37:20] I don't want that life for you I want true life for you and I think just about everyone who has experienced both in this room would want the same we want true life for you so true life is only found where Jesus is true life is only found where Jesus is so go with Jesus follow him follow him where he's leading you ignore the distractions sell it trade it in whatever it is and stop pursuing the less valuable treasures that will never satisfy your soul that relationship that's holding you down sell it that habit that is toxic for you and you know it is sell it get rid of it dump it that house that job the truck the boat the retirement athletic achievements all of that can have its place but none of it is the treasure that vacation your family your status your reputation man status and reputation sometimes that is the thing we hold on to the dearest you know what
[38:42] Jesus did he came and made himself of great reputation here on earth he exalted himself in society he was the best of the best he was the elite he was the one that right I got it wrong he did the exact opposite he humbled!
[39:09] God highly exalted him God gave him all the status but we get so concerned about our reputation on this earth and I'm not talking about going out and having a good reputation as somebody who's honest and all that I'm not talking about letting sin ruin your reputation that's a whole different thing but sometimes we will fight tooth and nail for our reputation and we will never do!
[39:30] what God from the treasure that is Jesus so all those things can be taken from you all those things can be lost so go all in how many are all in for the bear cats anybody I figured we'd have more hands than that how many are all in for the bear cat there we go all right there's other schools represented in here and I don't!
[40:01] mean I apologize! But we are in Henrietta go all in on the one thing that can never be taken from you so here's our takeaway today what are you holding on to what's keeping you from the treasure that is Jesus what's keeping you from the treasure that is Jesus I'm asking that to our graduates I'm asking that to every adult every child in this room what is keeping you what's holding you back you probably know what it is you may not you may need to go to the Lord in prayer and tell me what's holding me back from experiencing that full rich treasure!
[40:50] Jesus would you bow your heads with me what's keeping! you from the treasure that is Jesus Jared's gonna come and play a song for us we're a little bit later today and I'm grateful for your patience we didn't want to short change our graduates at all and we definitely didn't want to short change the preaching of the word of God as well but listen whether you've stumbled into the kingdom like the first guy you weren't setting out to find riches but God when you weren't seeking him God was seeking you and he found you and you found him and you realized he's the most valuable thing or maybe you've been seeking it out for many years maybe you've been a seeker maybe you've been trying to find answers you've been looking I can promise you that the pearl of great price the better treasure than anything else you could ever find is
[41:56] Jesus Christ and that same treasure is available to you both the seeker or the stumbler either one that same treasure is available to you both it's free of charge God will never charge a dime for the treasure he gives you but if you want to experience it it's going to cost you it's free but it'll cost you otherwise you'll never taste it you'll never experience it if you're holding on to the cares of this life so let me ask you this question how many of you would say today is the day that I need to meet Jesus I need to experience him and put my faith in him for salvation for the first time today so I believe Jesus died on the cross I want him to forgive me of my sins I believe he rose from the dead I believe he is God and I'm placing my faith in Jesus if that's you right now and
[42:57] God has been working on your heart during this service would you just slip your hand up and wave at me real quick and I'll see you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you God for those who raised their hand right now I'm going to do this with our heads bowed we have a lot going on after the service the graduates are set up in the fellowship hall we're going to go around we're going to see their tables congratulate them pray for them talk to them but before we dismiss from this room I'm going to give you this opportunity if you raised your hand a moment ago every head bowed would you just look at me just you few who raised your hand would you look up here if you place your faith in Jesus today then that makes you his child that makes you his follower so if you understand that you are a sinner and you fully admit that and you know that Jesus died for your sins on the cross and then God raised him from the dead and he is willing to forgive you wipe your slate clean make you his child and walk with!
[43:59] the prayer and in your heart would you pray it with me nothing magical about these words it's your faith in Jesus that will save you let's bow together those of you who raised your hand if you have the desire to place your faith in Jesus now would you say this God I know I'm a sinner I know your son Jesus died on the cross for me I know you raised him from the dead and I place all my faith in Jesus to forgive my sin and make me your child thank you for saving me thank you for welcoming me into your family in Jesus name I pray amen if you prayed that prayer with me in just a moment I'm going to ask you to come down front I want to talk to you just meet!
[45:00] with you real quick 30 seconds and we want to celebrate with you but but listen for the rest of us in this room maybe God's working on something else from the preaching of his word maybe something in the scriptures tugged at your heart you said you know I've been valuing other things more than I value Jesus and I got to turn that around I want to taste that whole treasure that Jesus is let's stand together let's sing this song that Jared's going to lead us in just one verse and we'll dismiss and go out and be with the graduates