Welcome to Bible Baptist Church's Sunday Sermon featuring the preaching from the Word of God by Pastor Sean Magoon. Our sincere hope and prayer is that this message will encourage you to search the Scriptures daily, for they are the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life. Now with this week's message, here is Pastor Sean. All right, Matthew 13 is where we're gonna start, verse 44. First century Hebrew walks alone on a hot afternoon, staff in hand, his shoulders are stooped, sandals covered with dirt, tunic stained with sweat, but he doesn't stop to rest. He has pressing business in the city. And he veers off into the road onto a field. seeking a shortcut the owner won't mind and travelers are permitted this courtesy the field is uneven and to keep his balance he thrusts his staff in the dirt problem is his staff hits something in the dirt thunk and uh... so he stops and he wipes his brow and he pokes it again thunk something's under there it's not a rock traveler was weary he tells himself hey can't afford to linger but curiosity won't let him go he jabs the ground and something reflects silver of sunlight, a sliver of it. And so he drops to his knees, starts digging. Five minutes later, what's he uncovered? A treasure, right? And so he looks at it. He says, you know, it's been there for a long time, maybe decades. His heart's racing. And so he pries off the crusty lock from the lid and opens it. And then gold coins, jewelry, precious stones of every color. And so, what's he going to do? In those days, they could hide the treasure back, go sell everything they have, buy the field, and then the treasure belonged to them. Yeah. And so, some wealthy man must have buried it and died suddenly. And secret of the location, dying with him. Traver, what's he do? Closes the lid, buries the chest, marks the spot. Turns around, heads home, and now he's plotting. And he's skipping like a little boy. What a find, unbelievable. I've got to have the treasure, but I can't just take it. That would be stealing. Whoever buys the field owns the treasure. And so he realizes how much does he has to give to buy the field. He's got to sell everything he has. He's got to give it up. And so from that moment, the joy of his discovery, the traveler's life changes. This treasure captures his affections, his imaginations, becomes a stuff of his dream. It's the reference point. It's a new center of gravity. And he takes every new step with this treasure in mind. He's radically got a paradigm shift. And so here's the point of that story. And you see it in verse 44. Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. then in his joy, that's the key word of this parable, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Well, all your life you've been on a treasure hunt. If you're not a Christian, you don't know it, but that treasure is Jesus Christ. Okay, if you are a Christian, then you've already met Jesus. We're looking, a lot of times we think we're looking for the right person. If I just marry Mr. Right, or miswrite. I love what the one guy said. I knew that her last name was right. I didn't know her first name was always. So we're looking for the right person. We're looking for the right place. But if you're a Christian, you've already met that right person and you're headed toward that right place. But there's a problem. You're not yet living physically with that person. Jesus isn't here physically. Right. He's at the right hand of the father. And you're not yet in heaven. If someone tells me this is heaven, I'm going to be sadly disappointed. You too. Amen. Because it won't be Trump in the White House. It'll be Jesus on the throne next to the father. OK. But here's the problem. Maybe you attend church regularly. You're here. Okay? Maybe you pray. I'm assuming that you do. And you read the Bible. I hope so. But life can still be drudgery. Or am I the only one that happens to? Don't leave me standing up here alone. Amen? Well, it's tomorrow Monday. What a great question. That's a great question. Susie's got it. Tomorrow's Monday. And you dutifully, if you're like me, you put one foot in front of the other and you plot along the hot, barren ground longing for joy that you cannot find a treasure that eludes you. And so Jesus tells the story. Why? Because once the treasure is found, it brings a life-changing joy. That's the whole point of this morning. I'm adapting my sermon from treasure principal Randy Alcorn. Great book. I recommend if you don't have it, if you haven't read it, first one that comes and sees me can have this copy. It's an extra one that I brought. All right. And so what is the point of the parable? Well, that the worth of the kingdom is worth more than it costs to get it. All right. The worth of the treasure in the field. And when we get into communion, we'll talk about not what that treasure is, but who the treasure is, okay? And so this is the point of this morning, this traveler, right? And so if you look at your outline, it's adapted from this book. Each of us has the privilege of storing up treasures in heaven, how? By giving generously and sacrificially now. And then here's the key with this. Whereas all earthly treasures will soon be left behind, All eternal investments will never stop paying dividends. So I pray every morning on my way here, Sunday mornings. This morning I was praying particularly, because usually sermons on money don't change people, because we already know what we believe about that. And besides, what Spurgeon said, he said that when revival hits, the last thing it hits is the wallet or the pocketbook. And he talked about some of these knights, you know, with their swords. What they would do is when they were baptized, they would hold their right hand outside of the water. And why? When they went into the crusades and that kind of thing, they could say, this hand was not baptized, and slash people with a sword. And Spurgeon said, it's just like some of these people. They get baptized and they hold their wallet or their purses outside the water. It's funny because you can relate, right? Hopefully not from your own experience though. Okay. So let's look at four things. The money connection. Secondly, are we wise or foolish? Thirdly, a treasure mentality. And then lastly, we'll look at the treasure principle. And I'm going to be very simple and to the point because we have communion this morning. All right, so the interesting thing about this particular parable is that it reveals how many references that Jesus made to money and possessions. In fact, 15% of everything Jesus said relates to the subject of money or possessions, more than all of his teachings on heaven and hell combined. So we have to ask the question, why did Jesus emphasize money and possession so much? Well, because there's a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think and how we handle money. What we try to do usually is we try to separate or divorce our faith from our finances, but God sees them as inseparable. So let's turn and see where that is in the Bible. You can't just pull that out of thin air, Sean. Amen. Everything I say, you've got to search with Scripture. So let's look at Luke chapter 3, and we've been down this road before, but not with this emphasis. So we looked at it in John the Baptist, Luke chapter 3. And people are gathered to hear him, what he's preaching, and to be baptized. And he addresses three groups, because they ask him what they should do to bear the fruit of repentance. And notice what he says. The crowds, verse 10, asked him, what then shall we do? In other words, to prepare for the Messiah coming. And John answered them, verse 11, whoever has two tunics is to share with the one who has none. And whoever has food is to do likewise. The tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, teacher, what shall we do? And he said to them, collect no more than you are authorized to do. The soldiers also asked him, and what shall we do? We, what shall we do? And he said to them, do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation and be content with your wages. Interesting. So everyone should share clothes and food with the poor, verse 11, true? IRS men don't pocket the extra money, right? Interesting. Thirdly, soldiers must be content with their wages and not extort money, right? So each answer relates to money and possessions. Here's a question. Did anyone ask John about that? No. It is asking what we must do. Okay? So why does he talk about money and possessions when they didn't ask him that? Yeah, exactly. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, right? And so, again, money and possessions aren't just important, they're central to our spiritual lives. Why? It's such a high priority to God that John the Baptist couldn't talk about spirituality without talking about how we handle money and possessions. Do you see it or no? I'm not pulling a rabbit out of a hat, amen? It's right there in the text, okay? Okay, we also looked at this. Luke, turn over to Luke 19. We looked at Zacchaeus. Remember his story? The big little man, we called him. I love that story. Zacchaeus was a wee little man. A wee little man was he. Climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed that way, he looked up in the tree and he said, Zacchaeus, come down for I'm going to your house today, right? Okay, you know the song, right? Well, Zacchaeus said to Jesus, you look at verse 8. I love this, what he says to him. Luke 19 and verse 8. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I've defrauded anyone anything, I'll restore it fourfold. The law said he had to restore it twofold, doublefold. He's giving double, fourfold back of what he has ripped people off from in his tax collecting. And verse 9, Jesus said, Well, that's great, but you've got to do more to be saved. Is that what he said? No, hallelujah. Jesus said to him, verse nine, today salvation has come to this house. In other words, his repentance, his making restitution wasn't what saved him, but it was evidence, it was the fruit that he was truly what? Saved. And since he is also a son of Abraham, for the son of man, and this is the whole point of Jesus coming to earth, verse 10, whole point of Luke's gospel, but the whole point of the gospel period, that for the son of man came to seek and save the lost. I love it. Okay? So Zacchaeus' radical new approach to money proved that he'd been changed, he'd been transformed. And then we see the same thing, you flip over to Acts chapter 2, we're taking excursions, you notice your outline says various texts at the top. I don't usually do this, you know me, I like to stick with one text, but today we're going everywhere preaching the gospel. These new converts in Jerusalem eagerly sold their possessions to give to the needy. Acts 2 and verse 45. It says, and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. Sounds like communism. No. It's not by compulsion, somebody forcing you to sell your stuff. It's by compassion. It's the Spirit working in your heart. No one will ever say to you, you have to give. You will never hear me say, God needs your money, because He doesn't. How much belongs to Him? More blessed to give than receive, right? And you notice all these quotes I put in there from this book, which is wonderful, in the bulletin, you know, the principles, God owns everything. I'm only his money manager. Second, my heart always goes where I put God's money. Interesting, not my money. Third, heaven, not earth, is my home. Fourth, I should not live for the dot, but for the line that is not for this short life on earth, but for eternity. Fifth, giving is the only antidote to materialism. You're not going to give anything away if you're in bondage to having it. Amen? In other words, I can't hang on to that. and give it away too. I love the monkey, the story of the monkeys, the way they catch them in Africa. What they do is they have this melon, okay? And the monkey loves the seeds. So they cut off the end of it and the monkey comes and he gets his hand to get the seeds and he won't let, the greedy little monkey won't let go of the seeds. How do they catch the monkey? He can't run with the melon on his hand, but he can't get his little paw out of the thing because what? He won't let, oh, I love it. And so his greed, what? Not just capitalism, his greed kills him. Okay? So again, giving is the only antidote to materialism. And sixthly, God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but my standard of giving. I like to say, well, what about, you know, for your kids? Don't you want to leave them an inheritance? Well, you don't know what they're going to do with it. I like what one guy said. He said, do your living while you're giving, then you're knowing where it's going. Okay, so it's funny, but there it is, right? And then, you know, the Ephesian occultist. We see this in Acts 19.19. It's very interesting. We'll flip over there. And I'm flying through, I know, but you're with me. I'm not going too fast, am I? Okay, good. Someone's shaking their head. No, someone else is shaking their head. Oh, yeah, you are. All right. Acts 19.19, easy one to remember. A number of those who had practiced magic arts, says Luke, brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them, these books, and found it came to 50,000 pieces of silver. I love verse 20. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. We already know the story of the widow's two mites, right? She steps off the page of scriptures by giving two small coins. Jesus praised her. He said she out of her poverty put in everything. She gave more than all these people that were giving lots of money. Jesus spoke of a rich man who spent all his wealth on himself, and he planned to tear down his barns and build larger ones. You remember, that's in Luke 12. I'm just referring to these things, but you can turn if you want. But he said to this person, this guy planned to tear down his barns, gonna build larger ones, gonna store it for himself even more so he could retire early and take life easy. But God called the man a fool, and he said this very night, your soul, your life is demanded of you. then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? That's the greatest indictment against him was, and the proof of his spiritual condition, that he was rich toward himself, but he was not rich toward God. Matthew 19, this guy in the parable, by the way, in Matthew 13, is contrasted, he's meant to be contrasted, really, with the rich young ruler. So we'll look at that, and I've preached on this before too, but the rich young ruler, Comes to Jesus and he says teacher Matthew 19 verse 16 What good deed must I do to have eternal life Jesus said to him? Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good God as if to say are you calling me God? If you would have eternal life, or if you would enter life, keep the commandments. And he said to him, which ones? And Jesus said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father, mother, and notice this last one, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Young man said to Jesus, all these things have I kept, what do I still lack? Jesus said to him, If you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Jesus said to the disciples, Truly I say to you, Only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Amazing. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, with man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. Okay, so this man's obsessed with earthly treasures. Jesus calls him to something higher, heavenly treasures. Jesus knew that money and possessions were the man's God. Small g, God is idol. And so he realized that the man wouldn't serve God unless he dethroned his money idol. But the seeker considered the price too great, unlike the guy in the parable who went and sold everything he had to buy the field. And sadly, this rich young ruler walks away from real treasures, true treasures. Okay, secondly, So, under this first point, God sees that our faith and our finances are inseparable, though we like to compartmentalize our lives, right? Okay, are we wise or are we foolish? You could say smart or stupid, but I don't like to use the word stupid. Sometimes when you say stupid, people say, I'm not listening to anything you have to say, preacher. So let's just say wise or foolish, okay? The young man wasn't willing to give up everything for greater treasure, but our traveler in the field was. And why? Because the traveler understood what it would gain him. Sometimes we can feel sorry for the traveler. After all, I mean, his discovery cost him everything. Aren't we to pity the man? No. The Bible says we're to envy him. When it says that little word joy, for the joy he went and sold everything he had, that joy is finding true treasure, okay? That's what we're to do. We're to envy this guy and want what he has in a good way. His sacrifice pales in comparison to the reward. I mean, consider the cost to benefit ratio. The benefit of God's kingdom that he's gaining through Christ is much more, it far outweighs the cost of everything he had to sell. Okay? You say, cost him everything. Right, but it gained him everything that really mattered. Okay, everything he owned for everything that really mattered. And so if we miss this phrase in his joy, we miss everything in the parable. The man wasn't exchanging lesser treasures for greater treasures out of this dutiful drudgery, but out of the joyful exhilaration. Okay? And he would have been a fool not to do exactly what he did. Okay, what's the point of this story? Well, the treasure in the field is an object lesson concerning heavenly treasure. Of course, no matter how great the value of the earthly fortune, it would be worthless in eternity. I love the story about the guy who supposedly brings gold to heaven in a backpack. You heard that? And the angel says, what are you doing with that? That's pavement up here, it's asphalt. It's apocryphal, but you get the point. So the point is, it's exactly this kind of treasure that people waste their lives pursuing, money. And Jesus is appealing to what we do value, what's that? Temporary earthly treasure, in order to make an analogy about what we should value, eternal heavenly treasure. If you jot it down, note Psalm 119 verse 62, the psalmist says, I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil or great treasure. So God's promises are eternal treasures and discovering them brings great joy. We saw this again in Matthew 6, you don't need to turn there but I'll read it. This is what Jesus said, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Why? For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Okay, so consider what Jesus is saying. Don't store up for yourself treasure on earth. Why not? Because earthy treasures are bad? Answer is no. The answer is because they won't last. This is what Proverbs 23, 5 says. It says, cast but a glance at riches and they're gone. for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." What a picture. I mean, the next time you buy that prized possession, imagine it sprouting wings and flying off. I mean, sooner or later, it's going to disappear. And so, when Jesus warns us not to store up treasures on earth, it's not just that wealth might be lost, it's because wealth will always be lost. Either it leaves us when we live, or we leave it when we die. No exceptions. Let me give you an illustration of this, and I think it's really important. Imagine you're living at the end of the Civil War, and you're in the South, but you're a Northerner, and you plan to move back to the North as soon as the war is over. But while you're in the South, you've accumulated lots of Confederate currency. Now, suppose you know for a fact that the North is going to win the war and the end is imminent. What would you do with all the Confederate money? What would you do? You'd buy something, you'd trade it in for real cash, right? I mean, if you're smart, I mean, that's what you're going to do. Why? Because that confederate currency is going to be worth nothing when the war is over. Okay? And so you might keep enough confederate currency, money, to meet your short-term needs. As a Christian then, you have inside knowledge of an eventual worldwide upheaval caused by Christ's return. What does that mean? That this is the ultimate insider trading tip. What do you mean? That earth's currency will become worthless when Jesus returns, or when you die, whichever comes first. And either of those could happen at any time, okay? Investment experts, known as market timers. Susan would tell us this. I love having a banker with us. This is wonderful. Because I used to have two CPAs in the other church, the financial advisors, you know. They were sharp as a tack when it came to money. All right? They tell us, these market timers, they read the signs that the stock market is about to take a downward turn. And then they recommend switching funds immediately into more dependable vehicles such as money markets or treasury bills or CDs, right? Certificate of deposit, in other words. Jesus functions here in our text as the foremost market timer. and he tells us to once and for all switch investment vehicles. He instructs us to transfer our funds from earth, which is volatile and ready to take a permanent dive, to heaven, which is totally dependable, insured by God himself, and is coming soon to forever replace earth's economy. And so Christ's financial forecast for the earth is bleak, but he's unreservedly bullish about investing in heaven. where every market indicator is eternally positive. question is there anything wrong with confederate or earthly money answer is no as long as you understand its limits you realize its value is temporary and should radically affect your investment strategy so to accumulate vast earthly treasures that you can't possibly hold on to for long is equivalent to stockpiling confederate money even though you know it's about to become worthless okay according to Jesus storing up earthly treasures isn't just simply wrong it's foolish I don't want to use the word stupid. It's just it's an income poop. It doesn't make any sense. Okay Okay, so storing up earthly treasures isn't simply wrong. It's foolish Thirdly you get the money connection. God sees our faith and finances are inseparable. Are we wise or foolish? Are we storing up treasures in heaven or on earth thirdly the treasure mentality? Okay, Jesus doesn't tell us I mean, he doesn't just tell us where not to put our treasures He tells us where to put him store him up in a Now, here's what's interesting. It's not just that he's suggesting, okay? He's commanding. He's all for it. He has treasure mentality. He wants us to store up treasures. He's just telling us to stop storing them up in the wrong place and start storing them up in the right place. Now, here's what most people do not see when they look at this text. Store up treasures for who? For who? for yourself. Sounds pretty selfish to me, Pastor. No. He's talking about your new self, your spiritual self. Okay? It's not selfish to store up your treasures in heaven. God expects and commands us to act out of our Enlightenment self-interest. He wants us to live for His glory. But what is to his glory is always for our good. Again, Piper puts it, John Piper. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. And so, this is why the bulletins are printed upside down, by the way. I'm going to use this as an illustration. I messed them up, but it's a great illustration. What do you mean? Selfishness is when we pursue gain at the expense of other people. But God doesn't have a limited number of treasures to distribute. How much belongs to him? Everything. So when you store up your treasures for yourself in heaven, it doesn't reduce your treasures available to others. In fact, it is by serving God and other people that we store up treasures in heaven. Who gains at that point? Everyone does. Who loses? No one. And so Jesus is talking about deferred gratification. What do you mean? The man who finds a treasure in the field, he pays a high price now by giving up all he has, but soon he'll gain a fabulous treasure. As long as his eyes are on the treasure here, he makes his short-term sacrifices with joy. As long as his eyes are on the treasure in heaven. The joy is present, so the gratification isn't entirely deferred, but joy comes from anticipating that future joy. Now, here's a question. Some people ask it practically, and let's get right to it. What is this treasure in heaven? Okay, let me mention three things the Bible talks about, okay? It includes power. And you say, well, what do you mean by that? Well, I probably should read these verses because I can't just say what they are. Luke 19 and verse 15. When he's returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. This is the parable of the 10 minas. The first came before him saying, Lord, your mina has gained 10 minas more. And he, the king said to them, well done, good servant, because you have been faithful with very little, you shall have authority over 10 cities. Okay, it's power, right? Verse 18, the second came, saying, Lord, your mina has gained five minas. And he said, You are to be over five cities. Then another came and said, Lord, here's your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow. He, the king, said to him, I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant. You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank? And at my coming, I might have collected it with interests. And he said to those who stood by, take the mean from him and give it to the one who has 10. And they said, The Lord has 10 minutes. And she said, I tell you that to everyone who has more will be given from the one who has not even what he has will be taken away. Again, it's just a profound parable. So, what is treasure in heaven? It is power. Secondly, it's possessions. Right? And how so? We saw it in Matthew 19. I'll read it again. Matthew 19. and verse 21, this rich young ruler we just talked about, right? Jesus said this, if you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure. In other words, you'll have possessions in heaven and come follow me. So power and possessions. And then the third P is just wonderful. This is Psalm 16, one of my favorite verses and verse 11. It says, at God's right hand there are treasures, right? And pleasures forever more, right? And so there's pleasures. Now who's at God's right hand? Who is? Jesus, exactly. You make known to me the path of life, King David says. In your presence there's fullness of joy. At your right hand there are pleasures forever more. So there's power, eternal treasures, heavenly treasures. There's possessions, eternal treasures. And there's what? Pleasures. Okay? So, I think that's the point here. And Jesus says, when Peter says, we've given up everything, what will we get? And Jesus says to him, those who have given up, you know, houses, all he said, they'll have a hundred times as much in heaven. Okay? A hundred times as much is ten thousand percent. Okay? And so, of course, Christ himself is the ultimate treasure, okay? All else pales in comparison to him, and the joy of knowing him, we see that in Philippians 3. Paul says, I've counted all things lost, that I might know who? Christ, that I might gain Christ. So a person, Jesus, is our first treasure, a place, heaven, is our second treasure, and possessions, eternal rewards, are our third treasure. Again, I'll say it. A person, Jesus, a place, heaven, and possessions. Eternal rewards. Here's a question, and we'll move on to our next point. Are you ready? What person are you living for? You can't live for Jesus and yourself at the same time. OK, secondly, what place are you living for? You can't live for heaven and for earth at the same time. And what possessions are you living for? Can't be earthly possessions and eternal ones. You say, I don't like this preaching. OK, it's right to the point, isn't it? Store up treasures in heaven. Why? Because it's right? No. Because it's smart. And because it's going to last. And so Jesus is arguing from a bottom line. It's not an emotional appeal. It's a logical one. Invest in what has lasting value. You've never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. The headline read, car lover takes it all with him. George Swenson. was buried in his Corvette. His wife said, people say you can't take it with him. George took it with him. George. What George didn't realize is what? You can't take it with you. It reminds me of like the pharaohs, right? In the pyramids. They got all that stuff in there with them, right? They don't listen to the psalmist, Psalm 49, verses 16 and 17. Do not be over odd when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases, for he will take nothing with him when he dies. His splendor will not descend with him. You know, I probably don't even need to say it, but you remember that line, John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men who ever lived, when he died, someone asked his accountant, how much did he leave? The answer is? All of it, amen, because you can't take it. And that brings us lastly to, and this is really key, you ready? So God expects us to act out of enlightened self-interest for the new man, the new woman. And then the treasure principle, number four, lastly, which is you can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead. All right? That's what Jesus is really getting at here. It's that simple. And if anyone, if it doesn't take your breath away, it's because you don't get it. When people look at my wife and they're not in awe, they don't get it. Hello? So I'm delivering berries and vegetables. I'm delivering berries and vegetables, and these Mexican guys are there. No offense against Mexicans. I love everybody. It doesn't matter. I don't care what color. I don't care anything. But I'm talking with the guys, and I want to share the gospel with people. And I tell the guy, you know, he goes, so where are you going? Are you going to go party tonight? I said, no. I pull out my wallet, and I show him a picture, and I go, mi esposa. Woo-hoo! And then I'll do this, I'll do this, Jesus Cristo, en mi corazon, feliz. You know, if you're not Spanish, you don't know what that means, okay? Jesus Christ is in my heart, and I'm what? Feliz Navidad. Feliz Navidad. I got Christ in my heart, and I'm happy, and the guy goes, no, no. He goes, you know, beer. I'm like, no, I'm not chasing after beer. Women! I pull out my wallet, I show him, and he goes, yeah, that's your third wife. I go, uno! No mas! And he's like, ah! Listen, they cannot argue. The best apologetic is your joy in Jesus. It's your love for people. You can't argue with that! What makes you so happy? And they're accepted because they're not. Are you trying to make them frustrated? No, listen. Listen, if you hear this, you can't take it with you, but you can send it on the head and it doesn't take your breath away, you're not getting it. Why? Anything we try to hang on to here is going to be lost, but anything we put in God's hands will be ours for how long? I love the way, this is the way Alcorn puts it, insured for infinitely worth more than 100,000 by the real FDIC. He calls it the Father's Deposit Insurance Corporation. Isn't that great? Listen, if we give instead of keep, okay, if we invest in the eternal instead of the temporal, if we store up our treasures where? In heaven, that will not stop paying us dividends for all eternity. And so whatever treasures we store up on earth are gonna be left behind when we leave. Ah, but whatever treasures we store up in heaven, they'll be waiting for us when we arrive. And so, I mean, I think about Susie, but I think about my buddies, Jeff, I think about the other guys, Steve, these CPAs, people that think like this, and it's really good. Financial planners tell us, when it comes to your money, don't think three months or even three years ahead. They say think 30 years ahead, am I right? Yeah, and they'll say, you know, and if you're a certain age, you've got to do this. If you're younger, these are the things you do. If you're older, these are the things you've got to do, right? I know people have told me this. Christ is the ultimate investment counselor. And he takes it further. He says don't ask how your investment will be paying off in 30 years. Ask how it will be paying off 30 million years from now. All eternity. Now let me close with this thought. And I'll appeal to you. Suppose I offer you $1,000 today to spend however you want. Not a bad deal. Okay? After the service, you'll come and see me. And you'll say the same thing like I said in that movie, show me the money. Right? Okay? But suppose I give you a choice. You can either take the thousand dollars today or you can have ten million dollars five years from now. Question. Wouldn't a fool take the thousand? Okay. Okay. You're with me, right? No, I want the grand now because I want to go buy a big lunch, Sean. It's a true story. I was preaching in Vancouver a few weeks ago, and I took a buddy with me, and I came out to the car, and he said, he said, we're going to lunch. He said, and you're not buying, and I'm not buying. What are we doing, ripping the restaurant off? I mean, what? He goes, somebody came up and gave me 40 bucks to take us out to lunch. God is good. Amen? Well, Only a fool's gonna take the thousand dollars. And yet that's what we do whenever we grab onto something that will only last for a moment, foregoing something that's far more valuable, that we can enjoy later for far longer, okay? And so the money in God entrust to us here on earth is eternal investment capital. And every day is an opportunity for you and I to buy more shares in God's kingdom. Again, we can't take it with us, but we can send it on ahead. Revolutionary concept if you embrace it. I guarantee it will change your life, okay? But don't take my word for it. Listen to King who? Listen to King Jesus. Amen. Exactly. And as you and I store up our heavenly treasures, we'll gain an everlasting vision of what the man in the treasure found in the treasure in the field. And for the joy of that treasure joy, there's a keyword. He went and sold all that he had so he could buy that field. Amen. Now what are you going to do? You got a choice. That's what I say to people. This week I was writing and I'm realizing what I need to do. I need to listen because it really proves that I love the person. I need to find out what that person believes and they need to find how it's inconsistent. And I need to point out lovingly the inconsistency of their beliefs and therefore their life. And then I say, now you got a choice. What are you going to do with that inconsistency? We were all the way down the beach back with a guy. He's politically left, and so I know he's wrong. Anyway, I was showing him my hand, but I showed him the holes. But then again, we met in the middle, and we talked about what we agreed on. But I didn't want to talk about politics. I wanted to talk about who? Jesus. But he just believes all religions are the same, so we got to that point. And I showed him why his was inconsistent, why he was wrong. But then I invited him. Would you do that to me too? Would you listen long enough? You show me that you care, listen to where I'm wrong, and point out my inconsistencies, because I'm still in process too. It's called humility. And I got far too less of it, and I'm learning and growing. So please pray for your pastor. Thank you for listening to this week's message from Bible Baptist Church. If you'd like to contact us, you can reach Pastor Sean at seanmagoon and the number one at yahoo.com. If you'd like to join us for worship on Sunday mornings, we meet beginning at 10 a.m. every Sunday on the second floor of the McMinnville Community Center at 600 Northeast Evans Street in McMinnville, just one block north of the courthouse. Ample parking is available across the street, and we would love to see you this Sunday. From all of us at Bible Baptist Church, we pray that the Lord may bless you this week. Mmm.