Discovering the True Treasure and Sacrifice in Following Jesus
Explore the contrast between worldly wealth and spiritual treasures as illustrated through the parables of Jesus. Understand the concept of free yet costly salvation and the joy that comes from following Him.
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Presentation Transcript
16Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life? 17 Why do you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied. There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments. 18 Which ones? he enquired. Jesus replied, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,19honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as yourself. 20 All these I have kept, the young man said. What do I still lack? 21Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:16-22 NIV
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44 NIV
The Great Contrast These two men are very similar in one sense. They are both offered to have treasure. However, there the similarities end. One goes away happy but the other goes away sad. One sells everything that they have to gain the treasure but the other one doesn t. One gains the treasure and the other doesn t. What accounts for the difference between the rich man and the man in this parable?
Free Yet Costly [He] went and sold all that he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:44). It is striking that both the rich man and the man here in this parable need to sell everything that they have in order to have this treasure. They could not have all of their possessions and have their treasure at the same time. Having this treasure, having Jesus, is a costly thing. Yet the Bible seems to say very clearly that the message of the Gospel is free. That it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). How is it both a free gift and yet something that costs our life? It is free because we do nothing to deserve it and costly because we can not hold on to Jesus and other things at the same time.
No True Sacrifice in his joy (Matthew 13:44). What then is the difference? Only one of these men saw the value of Jesus Christ. Apart from this, the world, which is passing away will always seem greater than trust in Jesus Christ. The Christian life is therefore full of joy. We are defined by joy, the joy of having found Jesus, the great treasure.
For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. . . . Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice. David Livingstone
