law

Spirit and Law

intro – When I was a child, I thought everything was black and white. I wanted a list --- a list would give me a set of rules that would make me perfect. How to win friends and influence people, even those rules were beyond me.

1. Decalogue is largely rules – If viewed as such, they bring NO LIFE, NO GRACE, NO SALVATION

• Romans 8:3 For God achieved what the law could not do because 4 it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

• In June, 2011, the city of Alemeda, California, immediately changed its policies after first responders stood by and watched a man drown in San Francisco Bay. The first responders didn't venture into the muddy waters of the bay, even as the suicidal man started treading water and then eventually went under.

• According to Michael D'Orazi, the Interim Fire Chief for Alemeda, two things prevented authorities from taking action: First, because it was a crime scene, the police "felt that going into the water initially might not be the best idea because they were unsure if this individual was armed." Secondly, D'Orazi also said, "There was a policy in place that pretty much precluded our people from entering the water." The firefighters "were incredibly frustrated by this whole situation [because] they wanted to get in, they wanted to take action."

• Local officials also noted that due to a lack of funding, firefighters had no one properly trained to go into the water. The Alemeda Interim Police Chief was also quoted to say, "It's muddy out there. We don't want [the police officers] sinking. We don't want them in distress."

• Fortunately, the policies were changed only a few days after this incident.

1. Rules made of words are necessarily incomplete. The objective often informs the rules. Don't touch that. Sprinkler system disaster.

2. Last week we talked about the rules of sports:

• thou shalt not go out of bounds

• thou shalt not move before the ball is snapped

• thou shalt not rough the kicker

• If you could play a game or whole season through with no fouls or rule violations, what would you get? Miss congeniality? Victory does not come from avoiding errors.

• Kicking in basketball

1. Even if you could play a game without fouls, you are not guaranteed of winning

2. Our duty is beyond avoiding sin - Transcending rules of prohibition by truly seeing the goal and visualizing perfection.

   • Anger and Murder

     5:21 “You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ 5:22 But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. 5:23 So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 5:24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. 5:25 Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison. 5:26 I tell you the truth, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny!

   • Adultery

     5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 5:28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 5:30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.

   • Divorce

     5:31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.’ 5:32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife,except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

   • Oaths

     5:33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 5:34 But I say to you, do not take oaths at all – not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 5:35 not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 5:36 Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 5:37 Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.

   • Retaliation

     5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also.5:41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.

   • Love for Enemies

     5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, 5:45 so that you may be like your Father in heaven,since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 5:46 For if you love those who love you,what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? 5:47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 5:48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

   1. I used to be very offended when the basketball players would foul on purpose.

• 2:23 Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way.2:24 So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” 2:25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry – 2:26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?” 2:27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 2:28 For this reason the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

• Galations 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 5:15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. 5:16 But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, 5:21 envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

1. Our goal is perfect love in the spirit

• From Law by code, ordinance, prohibition and rule to the spirit giving us principled obedience within the framework of God's holy character.

• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 8:2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 8:3 For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Lance Morrow, an award-winning journalist with Timemagazine, once set out to write an article asking if there was one universal joke, told everywhere around the world. Here's what happened:

I sent out a query to all of Time's bureaus around the world—Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Sydney, New Delhi, Jerusalem, Rome, Bonn, London, Paris, Rio, Buenos Aires, and so on. I asked the correspondents to tell me one or two jokes then current in their part of the world.

It turns out there is a universal joke. It was what Americans refer to as the "Polish joke." Except of course that everywhere, the role of [Polish people] in the "Polish joke" is enacted by some appropriate other group. The Flemings have Walloon jokes, for example. The English tell Irish jokes, and vice versa …. The people in Tokyo have jokes about the people in Osaka. I was once on the tiny island of Grenada (133 square miles) and was told that people on one side of the island had a large stock of vicious jokes about people on the other side of the island; and vice versa.

In the universal humor, as in universal evil, you need the Other. The Other is the butt of your joke, or the butt of your evil. Lance Morrow, Evil: An Investigation

God is calling right now, here, today, for each of us to give up on our tired attempts to merit His favor by avoiding bad behavior and to accept his perfect spirit of obedience with the spiritual goal of entering into His spirit of perfect love.

Salty and Bright

Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 5:15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

1. Intro – Have you ever tried to feed a moth? Mayflies and many varieties of moth have no usable mouth or digestive system. So – don't think they are being rude or finicky. After maturity, they seek the swarm of similar mayflies mate and then die – all within a few hours. Frequently American Christians exhibit the same life cycle. We spend our lives looking for wholeness in a world of brokenness and, having found it, we ensconce ourselves within a “safe” church with other like-minded mayflies and submit to spiritual death. Jesus cautioned against this behavior in today's text, Matt 5:13.

   1. MANY USES OF SALT:

   2. flavor enhancer – mangoes, apples

   3. preservative – keep things from spoiling – moral disinfectant.

   4. rare to see salt – except focaccia, pretzels, etc but you can taste it!

   5. Salt loses its saltiness in soup the second day

2. Contact – putting a light under a bowl does more than hide it it KILLS the flame.

   1. Isolation – biggest danger to the American church. World Church is growing, American church – not so much – WHY? Different gospel? Different methods? Different audience?

   2. U.S. evangelical leaders are especially downbeat about the prospects for evangelical Christianity in their society; 82% say evangelicals are losing influence in the United States today, while only 17% think evangelicals are gaining influence. Pew research

   3. In the developing world, the members live among those in need of Jesus' loving attention – in the US, we can Isolate ourselves – so we do.

      • Sabbath school class and trying to convert other Christians.

3. Contrast in Conduct – Academic v. Citizenship grades

   1. NOT BY DECLARATION

• John 3: 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

• John 16:8 When [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

• There are many passages in the New Testament that confront sin and talk about how inappropriate it is. But As far as I know, every one of those passages is addressed to those within the church and deals with the issue of sin in the church among believers. They do not reproach unbelievers for their sin. Rather, they plead with them to accept forgiveness if they recognize they need it.

1. what we say

• Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.

1. what we do – Look down the row left and right forward and backward – who do you see? Proud, mean-spirited, adulterous, assaultive, hateful, narrow-minded, stingy people . . . . whom God is transforming into his personal army of holy, apostles.

   • In a moving tribute to Fred Rogers, Jonathon Merritt recounts how Rogers chose to reform society through his gentle and persistent influence on a children's television show.

   • In 1965, a thin, soft-spoken man sauntered into Pittsburgh's WQED, the nation's first public television station, to pitch a show targeting young children. The concept was simple enough: convey life lessons to young children with the help of puppets, songs and frank conversations. It doesn't sound like much. That is, until you realize that the man was Fred Rogers, and the program was Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

   • But Rogers was more than a great neighbor or good host; he was a restorer. According to Gabe Lyons in The Next Christians, a "restorer" is someone who views the world as it "ought to be." Faced with the world's brokenness, restorers are "provoked, not offended." They work to make the world a better place by "creating, not criticizing" and by "being countercultural, not relevant." Using this definition, Rogers may be one of the greatest American restorers of the 20th century.

   • Rogers got into television because he "hated" the medium. During spring break of his senior year in seminary, he encountered television for the first time and what he witnessed repulsed him. "I got into television," he recounted, "because I saw people throwing pies at each other's faces, and that to me was such demeaning behavior. And if there's anything that bothers me, it's one person demeaning another. That really makes me mad!"

   • In the wake of WWII …., [Fred Rogers] worried that the type of programming that was becoming normative would create a generation of emotionally-bankrupt Americans. Faced with the decision to either sour on television itself or work to restore the medium, he chose the latter. He dropped out of seminary and began pursuing a career in broadcasting. Fourteen years later, he would create one of the most beloved American television shows of all time, and one that would shape entire generations of children.

   • Rogers was a devout Christian that almost never explicitly talked about his faith on the air, but the way his show infused society with beauty and grace was near-biblical …. "You've made this day a special day by just your being you," he'd famously sign off. "There is no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are."

   • In many ways, the lasting legacy of Fred Rogers will not be the greater emotional stability of generations of children or even a reinvigoration of imagination. It will be his example of how to restore the world through impassioned creativity and craftsmanship. For nearly four decades, Rogers entered our homes and entered our hearts. And each day without fail, he left our collective neighborhoods better and made our days a little bit more beautiful.

2. how we live – Are we different from the world? Are you different from how you were? Have you been behaving in ways that make sense to unbelievers?

3. how we love – They will know

   • I John 3:16 We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.

   • John 13:34 “I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.”

1. Confess

   1. Give glory to Father in Heaven – What do you call a person who lives in DC and has a big house north of the white house and is sent by and works for another country... Ambassador or Spy

      • 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 God ... gave us the ministry of reconciliation: … We are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

   2. Have a testimony

2. Conclusion – what would our church look like if we rubbed elbows with the NEEDY?

   In his book The Gospel According to Jesus, Chris Seay mentions a profound lesson he learned from his father about loving the "bad people":

Growing up, we didn't have a lot of money, so we used to get outfield deck seats (aka "the cheap seats") to see the baseball games at the [Houston] Astrodome. Most of the people buying the cheap seats did so to save more money for beer. After the first few innings, they were drunk, and by the time the seventh-inning stretch rolled around, there would be beer mixed with peanut shells on the floor, spilled beer down your back, and a brawl two rows over and back to the left. It was ugly out there. As a kid, I learned from a lot people that we were sitting with the "bad people."

There was one consistent drunk fan named Batty Bob. He was a self-proclaimed Houston Astros mascot. He'd come to all the games wearing a rainbow wig, and he'd lead slurred cheers in the stands. I remember one time my dad went out to sit and talk with Batty Bob. He spent the whole game with Bob, then walked him out to the parking lot to bring him home with us. I was more than confused, because this guy was one of the "bad people."

When we got home, my dad came to me and explained how God loved Batty Bob. I remember thinking, Really? Batty Bob? And he stayed with us for a few days to get back on his feet. This is when I started to realize that God did not despise these people; he dearly loved them.

Are we hiding out in here? Is the work of the church here? Or there?

1. Intro

2. The important role of Blessing

   1. temporal blessings

      1. grace/unmerited

         • Gen 1:27 God created humankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply!

         • Gen 12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you. 12:2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name.”

      2. for God's Glory

   2. future redemptive blessing – Jesus

      • Gen 22:15 The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven 22:16and said, “‘I solemnly swear by my own name,’ decrees the Lord, ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,22:17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 22:18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.’”

3. Dangers of self-blessing

   1. Nature of true blessing – Internal state

      1. billionaire on a desert island

      2. rule the world by texting one way

   2. Electric utility about to disconnect

   3. Drug addiction

   4. Getting the blessing by shortcut and self

4. Jesus' penultimate and ultimate blessing

   1. the giver of the blessing – what if Billy Graham, Ellen White, Jacob/Israel, God, were to bless you?

      • Matt 19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them. 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 19:15And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.

   2. The CYCLE of the beatitudes

      1. poor in spirit, get the kingdom of heaven.

      2. those who mourn will get comforted.

      3. the meek will get the earth.

      4. those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will get satisfaction.

      5. the merciful, they will get mercy.

      6. the pure in heart will get to see God.

      7. the peacemakers will get to be called the children of God.

      8. those who are persecuted for righteousness already have the kingdom of heaven.

         • you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me – Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven.

      9. Recognition of poverty causes mourning making one meek and hungry and thirsty for righteousness and after receiving the grace of being filled with righteousness and mercy one will show mercy and will be graced with heart purity. The pure in heart will be persecuted for righteousness and people will insult them and persecute them and say all kinds of evil things about them falsely on account of Jesus

   3. the Ultimate blessing – Eternal life with Jesus in Heaven

5. Conclusion

   1. Accepting blessings

      1. recognizing them

         • I am beginning to feel that we need a preliminary act of submission not only towards possible future afflictions but also towards possible future blessings. I know it sounds fantastic; but think it over. It seems to me that we often, almost sulkily, reject the good that God offers us because, at the moment, we expected some other good. – C. S. Lewis

      2. gratefulness

   2. giving blessings

      1. Full, prayerful, loving attention

      2. physical touch

      3. faith

6. May the God who loves you as his own dear children Bless you with heart wholeness and heart holiness. May the creator of the universe create in you complete peace and complete joy. May our Savior rule in your life and in your family and fill you with His urgency for the those who need more of His love and grace.

blessed are the Poor in Spirit

1. Introduction – False Advertising – Indian Buttermilk – remember the “FREE” 35mm camera promotion?

   1. Have you ever gotten less than you expected? – how about more? Kindle 1 & 2

   2. How about different? Bill's Tamarind Popsicle

      • Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,

      • Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 4:20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 4:21 Then he began to tell them,“Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”

• Proverbs 6:16 There are six things that the Lord hates, even seven things that are an abomination to him:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who spreads discord among family members

2. Blessed

   1. “Happy”

      1. Shallow

      2. from old English happenstance

   2. “Rewarded” leaves out JOY

   3. “Deeply satisfied and joyful with the approval and reward of God.”

      1. are you deeply satisfied and joyful with the approval and reward of God?

      2. Do you Possess today the confidence that you are:

         1. Poor in Spirit

         2. in possession of the Kingdom of Heaven

3. Poor in Spirit

   1. Two Greek words for poor

      1. Poor

      2. On your knees begging for crumbs, poor

   2. In Spirit

      1. Spiritual poverty by recognition – Make a spiritual account survey – Net worth check. BANKRUPT!

      2. Spiritual poverty by renunciation –

         • Isaiah 64:5 You assist those who delight in doing what is right, who observe your commandments. Look, you were angry because we violated them continually. How then can we be saved? 64:6 We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind. 64:7 No one calls out to your name, or rouses himself to take hold of you. For you have hidden your face from us and handed us over to our own sins.{and you caused us to melt in the hand of our sin.} 64:8 Yet, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

   3. From glowing to bereft in 10 minutes or less

• I Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me,and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
  4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

• THAT'S BEREFT!!!! But God rewarded it!

• Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: 38:2 “Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge? 38:3 Get ready for a difficult task like a man; I will question you and you will inform me! 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

1. Matt 6:24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation already.

1. Only an empty cup can be filled – It is said we have a Jesus-shaped hole in our soul – but we try to cram lots of stuff in there that doesn't fit.

1. I'm not religious but I'm very spiritual

2. Jesus only offers his grace to those who know they have nothing to add

• Luke 18:9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1. MIQ - THE ONLY RIGHT ANSWER IS: Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.

1. Kingdom of Heaven

   1. Timing of the Kingdom

• Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased {or, has already chosen} to give you the kingdom.

• Luke 17:20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

• John 18:33 So Pilate went back into the praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked him,“Are you the king of the Jews?” 18:34 Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?” 18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But now my kingdom is not from here.” 18:37 Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth hears my voice.” 18:38 Pilate asked, “What is truth?”

1. Treasure of the Kingdom –

   1. Why do people com to The US from other nations?

   2. I had 2 clients inherit family businesses. One was a product-oriented business that left him striving every weekend at trade shows around the country selling orders and ultimately destroying his marriage and leaving his family divided. The other received a business that was in the process of being sold for $27,000,000.00

   3. For the treasure-

      • Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field. 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 13:46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

   4. The treasure of the kingdom is Jesus.

1. Conclusion