Getting Ready for Judgment Day: Watching and Preparing for the most Important Day of your Life

Have you ever known a prepper? I’ve known one or two in my life. Did you know that in the United States there are millions of preppers, estimates are anywhere from 20-25 million people in the USA are actively prepping themselves and their families for disasters in the future.

In 2023 the New York post reported that Mark Zuckerberg creator of Facebook was building a 260 million dollar bunker in Hawaii.

Millions prepare in different ways for disasters. And they are watchful of the times in which we live.

They watch carefully the news coming out of Ukraine with the conflict there. They are watchful of government power, after 9/11 and the conflict in Afghanistan and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic. They watch carefully, and they prepare carefully.

We’re looking at two concepts this Sunday, watchfulness and preparing. They are concepts closely linked, so I think it’s fitting we study them together.

What does it mean to be watchful? It’s cautiously viewing ourselves, viewing God’s agenda, and the workings of the world system.

What does it mean to prepare? It means cautiously preparing for the conclusion of your life, which is the judgment seat of Christ.

Some theologians would say oh no we Christians won’t appear at that judgment we’ll be at a separate judgment of rewards. That’s incorrect.

2nd Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Whether good or bad, we will all face the judgment seat of Christ, to either be rewarded or condemned.

But we’ll get into that more later.

For these two concepts of watchfulness and preparation, we will turn to Matthew chapter 25.

We’ll be looking at both the parable of the wise and foolish virgins and the parable of the sheep and the goats.

We also will touch briefly on the parable placed between both of these, in the middle of Matthew 25, which is the parable of the talents, because I think all three are linked.

So we have a lot of ground to cover today, so I’m going to move somewhat quickly through these scriptures.

The first says this, (Matthew 25:1-13), “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”

Stop there. First three words, “At that time…” At what time? If you flip back to Matthew 24, you see the entire chapter Jesus is talking about the end times, when his second coming arrives.

So we’re going to see this entire chapter of Matthew 25 is going to be using three different parables to explain what it will be like when Jesus returns and we meet Him face to face.

Way back at the beginning we started with the parable of the prodigal son, which was about how to get into the kingdom of God, the doorway, how it works, mercy and grace of God. Today we’re all the way at the end, what’s it like when your life on Earth concludes and you go and meet King Jesus for judgment.

It makes sense then that Jesus gives the picture of ten virgins coming out to meet the bridegroom.

The bridegroom is Jesus. He is our husband in the body of Christ, and we are like the ten virgins, pure, holy, made new by Him, and ready for His return.

But next it says, “2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.”

Five are wise, five are foolish. Which do we want to be like? The wise ones. It says they took extra oil in jars along with their lamps. Yet still the bridegroom was late in arriving, and they all fell asleep.


It reminds me of the night Jesus was betrayed. He told his disciples to watch and pray, but they all fell asleep. And in the end only one of the twelve stayed with him through his crucifixion.

Next, verse 6-9: 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

We see next that the foolish virgins were not appropriately watchful of the times they were living in. They did not store up extra oil. They were not properly prepared for the coming of the Master.

What do the lamps and the oil represent?

The lamp represents the faith of the believer, and the oil represents the power of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. How close are you with God in the Spirit? How much have you built your life around Jesus? Have you stored up extra oil? Or would the darkness of the end times leave your oil running out and your lamp going out?

Next in verses 10-13, “10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

I believe this parable is also prophetic and points to the end times. 5 were foolish, 5 were wise. I believe this parable is telling us prophetically that 50% of the body of Christ will not be ready when Jesus returns. And they will suffer loss.

Jesus says therefore keep watch, because you don’t know when…

But what does Jesus mean by watchfulness? It certainly does mean being watchful of the world around us. And it certainly does mean being watchful for the return of Jesus. Yet what is often missed in the concept of watchfulness is Jesus is calling us to be watchful of ourselves.

That is the key here for the wise and foolish virgins. Both the foolish and wise virgins fall asleep as they wait for the Master. The difference is the foolish have not stored up extra oil, and the wise have. It was not a question of watching for Jesus. It was a question of how well the virgins had been watchful of themselves.

Be watchful of yourself. Be watchful of your own walk with Jesus. Make an honest and sober evaluation of yourself: Where am I at spiritually? Am I all in for Jesus? Am I clothed and ready for service? Is my lamp burning? And have I stored up extra oil?

We’re to be watchful, prepared, ready at all times, in a soldier’s position with our armor on and ready, our weapon at our side. We should store up extra oil of the Spirit so we’re ready when the master returns.

Like the parable of the two sons, the challenge is action. You may be thinking, “OK great I need to store up extra oil. How do I do that?” I think it’s two things, one, in an honest self-evaluation, would I say that I’m “on fire for the Lord?” Or am I more lukewarm?

Secondly, if I’m indeed on fire for the Lord, is there a load of extra wood stacked up next to this internal fire? Are my spiritual practices active in a such a way that one would say I have an abundance of faith? Or am I operating at minimal levels?

I’ve got a prayer, bible, and church life, but are all three of those areas minimally functioning?

Our faith is fed by our relationship with God, and if we’re not actively engaging with God on a daily basis, the faith fire will die down.

If we’re feeding our faith with rich relationship with God, we will be like the wise virgins, who have extra oil stored up for the deep darkness before the Master returns.

As a believer, I want to challenge you to be watchful in three main ways:

1. Be watchful of yourself. The word of God tells us to judge ourselves (1 Cor 11:31). Soberly evaluate your walk with God, and how you can take it to the next level.

2. Be watchful of God’s kingdom agenda. Through prayer, prophetic ministries, study of the word, and so on, be watchful of what God is doing in the world. Where is he at work? What is on God’s heart? And then follow that.

3. Be watchful of the world system. Watch politics, conflicts, culture war, government surveillance, new technologies, medical ethics, and other areas of the world. Essentially, watch what the spirit of the air is up to. Be actively praying against Satan’s agenda, and the new world orders march forward. We have power in Christ to frustrate, slow down, stop, and even reverse the enemy’s schemes.

Briefly, take a look at the parable of the talents in v.14-30. Consider also, that if God gives us gifts, whether talents we have in our heart, or resources we have outside ourselves, we’re expected to show ourselves faithful by using those gift and talents wisely to bless others.

In verse 23 we get the famous scripture: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Good, this servant is pure in Christ, living out that purity, and they have been faithful with what God gave them. That spells victory on judgment day.

Next, Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

The first parable had to do with what will happen just prior to Jesus’ return, the virgins coming out to meet him. Now this parable has to do with what happens after Jesus returns, and we stand before him at his throne.

There are two categories here, sheep and goats.

Think about what sheep and goats are like. Sheep provide a harvest of wool, and are followers of the shepherd.

I know I’m generalizing here, but goats are a bit more resistant, they don’t follow, they resist, and go their own way. And they don’t provide a harvest the same way a sheep does.

While the first parable dealt with internal watchfulness, living closely with the Holy Spirit, this parable deals with external practice of our faith. Taking practical actions to produce a harvest.

In verses 34-36: 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Think back to the preppers we talked about. They do two things. They are watchful, they are constantly viewing the news, checking the stock market, and making sure they have the right knowledge for survival.

But if they only did that, they would be watchful, but not prepared. To be prepared means they buy freeze dried food supplies, have a generator, weapons, ammo, a supply of gas, water filters, and other supplies for an emergency situation.

Similarly, we as Christians can be watchful of ourselves, and the world, but if we don’t take any actions, we won’t be prepared.

How does a Christian prepare? By storing up ammo and canned food and anti-biotics and anti-radiation pills? No, we as Christians get prepared in a much different way.

We get prepared by feeding the hungry, giving someone a jacket, praying with someone who is sick, visiting someone in prison, inviting in a homeless person, and sharing the gospel with the unsaved.

In verses 37-40: “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Every time you serve someone who can’t serve you back, you are getting ready for judgment day. Your faith is being expressed in acts of service.

But let’s see what Jesus says to those on the other side, verses 41-45:

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”

There are two destinations here, in verse 46 it says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Either heaven or hell. And it’s contingent on two main factors: Did we store up extra oil? And did we live out our faith in practical actions to those in need?

The goal is that when we meet Jesus face to face, he would see our faith in Him, that was tested through the fire, and see that it manifested itself in practical service. It manifested in providing food, drink, housing, clothing, and visitation to those are who in need.

The kingdom system worked! God changed us, we responded by walking boldly in that change, and the victory is completed.

The end result is Jesus rewards us.

Or the other outcome is also possible. We received the great gift, but we didn’t live it out, we grew lazy, we didn’t really serve, it was just words, it didn’t manifest in actions, and in the end, we’re condemned with the world, because we did not provide food, drink, housing, clothing, and visitation. We heard the message, but we didn’t apply it. And in the end, it brings destruction.

The choice is ours. Will we walk in the blessing? Or will we slip back into our old ways?

Watchfulness, and preparation. Observe carefully your life and who you are, and also observe what is happening out there in the world. Then, having watched, prepare your life for His return. Prepare yourself to be judged by Jesus. Make sure your sins are washed in the blood of the lamb, and your faith is being lived out in practical ways. God loves you. He wants you. So Jesus will help you every step of the way, every moment, to be who he’s called you to be. Watch and prepare. Jesus is coming soon!

Applications:
A. Pray and ask God for help to store up oil for the journey to heaven. Read Richard Foster’s ‘Celebration of Discipline.’

B. Study the work of The Salvation Army in practical ministry, along with other prominent Christian charities, and mimic their activities.

C. Consider your growth process in Christ, does your fruit match what Christ describes in this parable? Write down an action plan for the future.

Discussion Questions
1. What does it mean to be watchful today?

2. What practical ways can we store up extra oil as we await the return of Jesus?

3. Make a sober evaluation of your current walk with God. How “on fire” are you?

4. When you look at your life, do you fulfill the mandates to provide for those in need?

5. Describe what you think it will be like at the judgment seat of Christ.

The Parable of the Faithful Servant

"Fred Craddock, in an address to ministers, caught the practical implications of consecration. "To give my life for Christ appears glorious," he said. "To pour myself out for others. . . to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom -- I'll do it. I'm ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. "We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking $l,000 bill and laying it on the table-- 'Here's my life, Lord. I'm giving it all.' But the reality for most of us is that he sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $l,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid's troubles instead of saying, 'Get lost.' Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home. Usually giving our life to Christ isn't glorious. It's done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at at time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it's harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul." -Darryl Bell.

Today we’re talking about the topic of faithfulness.

Every believer has a faith in God. You lean on God. You trust in God’s son Jesus Christ, that he really died for your sins. You trust that God will guide you through each day. You believe in Him and trust in Him.

As you should. 

Because God himself is faithful. He is faithful to himself. He is faithful to his promises to us.

The scriptures say, Lamentations 3:22-23, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness"

Very simply, God can be trusted. We know it in our mind. But do we know it in our heart? God really is trustworthy.

God really does love you. It said it in Lamentations, that his love is steady, constant, it never ceases being poured out to you.

His mercies each day, they never come to an end. They continue on into eternity.

We’re looking at a challenging parable from the life of Jesus. So its super important that we understand all of this is couched in God’s incredible love for you.

It flows freely each day. But we have to tune ourselves to receive it. It’s being poured out, but we have to make sure our bucket is under the waterfall to receive it.

Many of us have been Christians for years. And we’ve gone forward into deeper things. But let the intro today be a reminder to do something Jesus said to the early church: Return to your first love.

Jesus has been repeating that to me a lot. You’ve gotten so deep into the different facets of the faith, return to the simple love you had when you first got saved.

The love of God everyday, all the time.

Now that we understand God’s faithful love for us that never ceases and is always flowing, we can talk about our response today, which is to be faithful in response to God’s faithfulness.

He’s training us saints. He’s getting us ready for heaven.

You can open in your Bibles to Luke chapter 12 in verse 35, it says this: “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”

Jesus is comparing the faithfulness of Christians to that of a servant who works with a wealthy man. The wealthy man is away at a banquet, but the servant is waiting carefully for his master’s return.

Be dressed and ready for service.

Every day I pray a prayer in the morning called the armor of God, it’s from Ephesians 6. Each day, I want to be dressed and ready for service. 

To have faith is to love Jesus with all my heart.

To be faithful, or exemplify faithfulness, is to take that heart faith and put it into action.

I also want to keep my lamp burning. What does that mean? It means my faith doesn’t just grow on it’s own.

God feeds my faith through worship, prayer, bible reading, and service to others. Are you letting God feed your flame, to make it brighter?

Guard your flame, feed it, or it may go out.

Next, verses 37-38: "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.”

The master, which is Jesus, underlines this important truth: Be watchful in your faithfulness. As you serve God, be cautiously watching for the return of the Master.

Then we get this amazing picture of Jesus returning, and it’s astonishing what he says here.

The master, which is Jesus, will dress himself to serve, and will have you, the servant, the Christian, recline at the table, and Jesus will come and wait on you. Wow!

Many believe this refers to the marriage supper of the lamb, at the second coming of Jesus, where we will celebrate with Jesus, having overcome the world (through faith in Christ).

The master will dress himself to serve the servant at table. That would be unthinkable in the ancient world, for the master to serve his servants. Yet we see it right here.

Next, we get a warning from Jesus. Verses 39-40, “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

The Lord knows that our tendency as humans is to become complacent. We start to rest on past victories. We start to drift away from church. We begin witnessing less and less. Pretty soon we’re watching TV more than praying or reading the word.

Jesus gives us an example of a man who has a house. No one knows when someone might try to break into their house. At first the man is doing well, keeping it locked, watching the cameras, but after a while he gets lazy, leaves the door open, cracks the window and forgets to lock it later, forgets to replace the batteries in the cameras, and sure enough, a thief breaks in.

Jesus is saying we must be ready at all times. Many Christians I’ve known, they start well, but they begin to lose focus and they drift after a time. So many people would join the last church I pastored, and they would do well for a year or two, they focused in on God, bible study, prayer, serving others, volunteering, but after a year or two they would begin to drift, get bored with it, and eventually fade off. Don’t let that be you friends.

We talked last week about commitment. Make sure your commitment to Christ is strong. And you’ve counted the cost. Stay excited about your faith. Let the love of God and the fear of the Lord motivate you daily.

Alright, so far we’ve seen God is faithful. We as humans have faith in God. Now, we’re learning to walk out our faith in faithfulness. Faithfulness is being a good steward of what God has entrusted to us.

To one who is given something from God they must show themselves faithful (1 Cor 4:2). One simple word: Faithfulness. Yet it’s implications are so vast. We’ve all been entrusted by God with certain things: Property, friendships, family, children, lost souls who need Jesus, and much more.

The servant who is waiting, dressed for service, and keeping their lamp burning, they are the faithful servant Jesus points to in the parable.

Now, we’ll see the topic adjusted as Jesus begins to explain what this means for leaders in ministry.

In Luke 12:41-44 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.” 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

Jesus is talking about shepherds and leaders in ministry here. He compares them to a manager of his household, who he has put in charge of his servants to give them food. The word of God is food to us, don’t you see.

Jesus says similarly, just like a Christian, a Christian leader should also be watchful for when the master returns.

The reward Jesus offers is to put them in charge of all his possessions. Isn’t that beautiful?

Yet we ministry leaders also get a warning in verses 45-46, “But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.”

This leader begins to get drunk, he’s cruel to the people under his or her leadership, and it says the master will come unexpectedly to him, and cut him to pieces and assign him a place in hell.

We see the stakes are very high.

It finishes in verses 47-48, “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

These verses are talking about degrees of punishment in hell. If someone has heard the gospel many times, they’ve known of God and the word, and yet they backslid, their punishment in hell will be severe.

But suppose someone didn’t have such opportunities, yet they still sinned against God, their punishment will be less severe in hell.

And the last line is very telling as well, you as a Christian have been entrusted with certain things in your life, so you must show yourself faithful with the things God has entrusted to you, whether your family, friendships, people in your community, your skills, and your resources. It says if you’ve been given much, much more will be demanded of you.

If you’ve been given little, not as much will be demanded of you.

Similarly, a pastor or church leader whose been entrusted with many lives and resources, they will also be asked more of, to show themselves faithful with what God gave them.

You might be feeling like how can I be faithful with all that God has given me?

Remember the scripture from Lamentations, his love is what feeds us everyday. Great is His faithfulness. Jesus loves us dearly and the love of God is poured into our hearts each day. That’s why we can be faithful.

We have a Triune God with us everyday. The Father orchestrates the plan of our lives. He weaves the strands together.



Jesus Christ walks beside us on the road of life each day, encouraging us and washing away our sins.

Not only that, the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, changing us from within into the person we were always meant to be.

With the love of the Father, the love of Jesus, and the love of the Holy Spirit, how can we fail?

So in conclusion today, we should ask ourselves, how can we fulfill these mandates? The Kingdom of God system is all about actions that flow from beliefs.

The faithful Christian is watching carefully the times they live in and observing the world and the church. And they are praying along those lines.

They are also dressed for service. The faithful Christian has a strong belief in Jesus Christ, a faith that they feed with truth, prayer, and fellowship.

The faithful Christian keeps their lamp burning. Jesus has lit the light within our hearts. Indeed, the disciples hearts burned within them as they spoke to Jesus on the Emmaus road. But we’re told to shepherd that flame, keep it burning, keep it fueled, so we can walk the road of faithfulness, continuously burning brightly with the faithful love of God within.

“The tendency of fire is to go out; watch the fire on the altar of your heart. Anyone who has tended a fireplace fire knows that it needs to be stirred up occasionally.” -William Booth. 

The tendency of the fire of our hearts is to go out. So we should feed the flame consistently, to keep it burning brightly. Encountering God is what feeds the flame of our heart.

Will you show yourself faithful? The believer has been given much, and they must steward it faithfully.

Jesus makes no apologies about the consequences of disobedience and unfaithfulness. The servant who shows himself unfaithful will be assigned a place with the unbelievers. The punishment level assigned is based on how aware the servant was of the master’s will. If they were unaware, their punishment is less, if they were well aware, their punishment is more severe.

Those who are given much, must show themselves faithful. Those who are entrusted much, also must show themselves faithful.

We also see the tenderness and kindness of Jesus in this parable. He says that the servant he finds at work and clothed, he will, as the Master, dress himself to serve, and serve that person at the table. What a humble and loving Master we serve!

For the one entrusted with ministry, in the example given to Peter and the disciples, if they are found faithful, they are given authority over all the Master owns. What a generous gift from the Master!

The Blessing: The blessing is that Jesus serves the faithful servant and gives authority to the one who has shown themselves faithful.

The Challenge: The challenge is the threat of Jesus to those who would show themselves unfaithful, they are condemned.

Next Steps:
How do we live out this parable?

A. A faithful servant shows himself faithful by keeping his lamp burning through seeking encounters with the Living God

B. A faithful servant shows himself faithful by watching and waiting for the return of the Master, diligently watching the times and seasons they live in. 

C. A faithful servant stays active in their faith walk, engaging in prayer, fellowship and study of the word

Discussion Questions:
1. What have you been given in life? Or what has been entrusted to you?

2. Share a time you showed yourself a faithful steward.

3. Share a time when you showed yourself unfaithful in some way.

4. Why does Jesus give the warning about unfaithfulness?

5. Why does Jesus give the encouragement about faithfulness?

The Parable of Counting the Cost

Pavel Poloz was exiled from Russia in 1987 for being a Christian. He said this about American Christianity, “In Russia, Christians are tested by hardship, but in America you are tested by freedom. And testing by freedom is much harder. Nobody pressures you about your religion. So you relax and are not so concentrated on Christ, on His teaching, how He wants you to live." 

-Pavel Poloz, exiled from Russia in 1987, Moody Monthly, April, 1989.

Millions of the great Christians throughout history, from the first century AD were tested through persecution. They faced imprisonment or death if they did not renounce their faith in Christ. 

What’s amazing is that so many stood firm through those persecutions. But in the United States we face a different challenge. We face the test of freedom, of abundance. 

The average American spends 4 hours and 37 minutes per day on their smart phones. Gen Z, that’s the younger generation spends an average of 6 hours and 5 minutes per day on their phones. 

I confess brothers and sisters, I will wake up on my day off, and spend endless hours on my laptop, or my smart phone, and I find it sometimes very difficult to pull myself away from it to pray, or read the word, or do something productive. This is the battle we face. It’s not persecution (yet), its endless distraction. 

Believe it or not brothers and sisters, this statement is fact: These distractions make war on our souls. And hang up before the pit of hell. Lord help us. 

Jesus was walking among great crowds of people who had begun following him. And he seemed to know he needed to challenge them. They wanted the benefits, but they didn’t understand the challenges of being his disciple. 

In Luke 14:27 we see Jesus speaking to the crowds. He has just challenged them, that being a disciple of Jesus must come before even their families. 

Then he said this: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” 

What is the cross that you must carry? Here’s a hint, it’s not the punishment for your sins. Jesus has already carried that cross for you. But, there are temptations we all face. And there are ministries we are called to. 

I think bearing your cross each day comes down to two things: First, it’s guarding against the sins of the past coming back. 

What sins are you most weak to? For me, it’s drinking, lust, pride, and selfish ambition. For you it might be something completely different. Maybe for you it’s violent anger, unforgiveness, and faction. Or maybe it’s envy of what others have, or a tendency toward depression. Maybe it’s murder, or theft. 

It’s the thing God says through Jesus: Carry your cross. Keep that weakness in check.  

That’s the first part. Second part is this. 

What has God called you to do? For me, it’s being a minister. Sometimes I love it. It’s amazing. Other days I really struggle and just really don’t want to write the sermon or try to give it, or wrestle with the budget, or social services, or managing the staff. 

God has called you as well. What has God called you to? Some days you’ll love it, other days it’ll feel a bit heavy.

Thankfully, Jesus has also said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The reason it’s easy and light is because Jesus has already carried the brunt of it, when he went to the cross for us. 

Next in verse 28, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

So first Jesus tells us to carry our cross, next, he connects it with the concept of planning to build something. So the idea here is taking the idea of carrying our cross, and projecting it into the future. 

Yes, the Christian life is one day at a time. That’s wise. However, there should also be an aspect of planning. I do live my life one day at a time, but I also have a calendar in my office where I plan dates and times months into the future. 

Jesus is saying the Christian life is like a building a tower. Think of someone building a tower. They would build it one level at a time slowly upward. 

This parable is called “Counting the Cost.” 

So during this service we are looking into the future, and considering all it will take to be a disciple of Jesus, for the rest of our lives. That’s a big look. So, let’s try to stay calm about it. And not overwhelm ourselves.

At the same time, if you want to live a Christian life, if you want to go to heaven, you need to count the cost. 

I worry that many of us here have not fully counted the cost, and looked into the future, and considered all it will take, to live a successful Christian life. 

So let’s do that. 

Look into your future. What would it look like fifty years from now? You faithfully followed Jesus all those years. You kept yourself from sin. You raised your children to know Jesus and to follow Jesus. You used your money to honor Christ. You cultivated a rich prayer life. You made it your life mission to know the Bible. You made the Bible your roadmap for life on planet Earth. You plotted your marriage to resist the temptation toward affairs and pornography. You fought for your relationship with God by resisting distractions like television, social media, and overworking. You built a life upon the rock of Jesus Christ, and as a result, you grew to be an old man, or an old woman, full of days, and entirely devoted to Christ. 

That’s what I long for by the way. I want to look back and say wow, I really did follow Jesus, keep him first, love him totally. An old man, gray hairs, thinking, wow it’s really true. 

Now, that will feel overwhelming and hard if your looking into the future thinking about your own ability. Because in your own ability you could never bring that about. You would fail.

Good thing you won’t be alone on this journey. Jesus Christ will be with you every step of the way, guiding you along the pathway. 

So, we picture a future where Jesus is with us now, will be with us every day ahead, and is facilitating the building process. 

At the same time, the main focus remains, you are the builder, count the cost, what will it take? 

Well, we don’t fully know what it will take. In fact it’s often said, God does us a mercy by not telling us what it will take. So, I think what Jesus is saying here is, it takes commitment. 

Commitment says I’m in for anything. I’m completely devoted. And I’m willing to face any challenge for my walk with Christ. 

But what happens if we don’t count the cost? We assume, this will be a cakewalk, we get arrogant, we don’t take precautions. 

Jesus tells us what may happen: Luke 14:29-30, “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.”

I’ve been walking with Jesus now for almost twelve years. And many people in my hometown watched very carefully when I went from sinner to saved. And I’m sure many of them waited and are still waiting for the other show to drop, that it was all just a scam. And I want to make sure that day never comes. 

I remember growing up we had neighbors down the road who had a house that still had exposed siding. And for years my mom and dad used to joke that some day they’ll get it finished. But they never did. In fact I visited my hometown recently, and it was still not done. 

Jesus says, if we don’t count the cost we may end up like this situation, where someone tried to build a tower, but they didn’t have the necessary funds and materials. And then the tower sat incomplete, half a tower, and I’m sure eventually crumbled. 

The antidote to this disaster is a firm commitment. How does commitment work? 

Commitment grows from small victories. Our commitment grows when we don’t give up through a trial. Commitment grows when we turn to Jesus and pray when we’re struggling. Commitment grows as we seek God in small group and church settings. Commitment grows as we seek godly counsel. 

Commitment dies through small compromises. Commitment begins to die as we live in secret sins. Commitment begins to die as we forsake fellowshipping with other believers. 

Our actions build, or they tear down. The rock is Jesus. Build on the rock. And all will be well. 

What does it mean in essence? Taking the teachings of Jesus from the page and putting them into action in our lives. 

Another parable is telling, it starts like this, from Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

The life you build as a Christian will be built on Christ. Not grace, but on Christ himself. Too many churches teach a grace-heavy message. But here we focus on the words of Jesus. The Apostle Paul’s letters are built upon the foundation of Christ. We don’t build on Paul here, we build on Christ’s words. 

All this building begs the question, what are we building? It’s all well and good to tell people of the metaphor of building a tower or a house, but what does that actually mean? 

Your building is your life. The foundation is Jesus Christ. And everything you do each day is building the house/tower. 

God is there through all of it, directing your construction efforts. You will sense His nudges in different directions. Follow His leading, and Jesus will weave the strands of your life into a beautiful tapestry. 

Let me make this very clear: You are not building on your own. Jesus loves you so completely. He loves you dearly, as if you were the only human who ever existed. And you can hear from Him everyday. He will direct you through His Spirit, toward what is right. Learn to carefully listen for His leading. His love will guide you beautifully, if you let Him. 

Every time you read your Bible, every time you pray, every time you listen to a Christian podcast or Spirit inspired sermon, or help someone with a flat tire, or attend a conference, or work hard at your schooling or your job, unto God, you are building on that foundation of Christ. 

Yet notice also, that the building will be tested. Rain came, streams rose, wind blew, but it did not fall, because it was built on the rock. It had the right foundation. 

The parable finishes this way, in verses 26-27, “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

A second scenario indicates someone who listens a lot, but doesn’t actually apply it. Their house came down with a great crash when tested, because the teachings of Jesus were heard, but never applied. 

“Are you saying that could be me?” Yes. This is your life. Take it seriously. The world tells us it’s some pointless game. It’s not, it’s a gift from God. And your actions matter. 

How committed are you to the Master? Notice that Jesus indicates it’s not enough to simply hear his words. The real challenge is putting His words into action. 

Many committed Christians come to a struggle in life that causes them to leave behind Christianity. What event in your life might be too much? 

If we build our lives on the rock that is Jesus, and center our actions, our lifestyle on the teachings of Jesus, then when the storms come and beat against us, we will not fall. We will stand the test.

Did you know, this parable comes at the very end of the greatest sermon ever preached, the sermon on the mount. 

What matters most about everything Jesus taught? That we put it into practice through a steadfast commitment. Otherwise, none of it will matter. Someone can preach the most beautiful sermon imaginable but if we don’t apply it, it matters little. 

I want to draw in one more scripture. It’s from 1st Corinthians 3:10-15. It says this: 

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." -1st Corinthians 3:10-15

My goal is that you would be a wise builder, that you would take this Christian life seriously, and apply the teachings of Jesus. 

It’s very easy friends, hear me on this one, to just show up to church, and think that’s enough, and kind of fall in with other church goers, who are not really taking this Christian thing too seriously. Don’t assume just because others are doing it that it means you’re safe in lukewarmness. It’s not true. 

Let the Spirit of God convict you. And make a commitment today. All of this today has been a challenging message. But it’s a true message. Let all the uncomfortable emotions that this might be drawing up, lead you toward Christ. 

If you feel convicted right now, come to the altar and surrender to Jesus. Remember the song this morning, “I surrender all.” You can’t do it, but if you invite Jesus to lead your life, and and if you surrender your heart to Him completely, he will guide you to build as a wise builder. 

The Blessing: If we count the cost and build upon the rock of Jesus our work will yield great reward.

The Challenge: Building our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ demands the most firm commitment to acting out what Jesus said.

Next Steps:

A. To live the parable of the wise builder is to write a journal of your walk with Jesus to learn and grow from past experiences.

B. To live the parable of the wise builder is to take notes during sermons and bible study.

C. To live the parable of the wise builder is to make a plan for personal growth. 

Discussion Questions: 

1. Share a time when your faith was tested.

2. How has God grown you in the last few years?

3. What actions build commitment?

4. What actions erode commitment? 

5. Think of yourself at the end of your life: What would the best outcome look like?

The Parable of the Two Sons: Practical Action Unlocks the Kingdom

Have you ever wrestled with God on something? I’m sure most of us here have done that. God tells us to do something and we don’t want to do it.

There comes a fear and a resistance to what God is saying. This fear and resistance to God is a result of the fall of man in the garden of Eden.

We try to play God, and so we distrust what God is saying to us. We want to do it our own way.

But have you ever heard the saying: everything you desire is on the other side of fear?

It’s always kind of scary when we try something new, whether it’s accepting Jesus as our savior for the first time, or letting go of a sin in our lives, or taking a step of faith.

Push through the fear. Dare to trust in God. And dare to do what God is asking you to do.

Today we’re going to be looking at the parable of the two sons. And we’re going to see how practical action unlocks God’s kingdom. Our words matter, but our actions matter just as much.

Every one of these parables we’ve looked at so far unlocks a different door of God’s kingdom.

The same is true here.

Let’s get into it. In Matthew 21:28: “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

There are three primary persons in the parable Jesus is telling us. The father, the first son, and the second son.

So we’re going to break it down and look at each person in the parable and what it means to us today.

Firstly, the man. He’s the father of the two sons. And he is the owner of the vineyard.

He is God almighty in this parable. And he has given us commands in his word. And those commands tell us to and work in the vineyard. The vineyard is the world.

The father gives the command to the two sons, “Go and work today.”

Notice that word, today. The Christian life is one day at a time. You can’t stress about following God tomorrow. Focus in on today. You can serve him today.

Let’s see how the sons respond.

Verse 29, the first son says: “I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.”

The first son says no. And he leaves. But he sits down and thinks about it. He weighs the pros and cons, he wrestles with God about it, and finally decides, you know what, I’m going do what dad said.

So a bit later, he goes out and starts working in the vineyard.

For a lot of us today, we’re like the first son. We initially said no to God, we said no to the gospel, and we did our own thing. But God kept speaking to us, kept working on our heart, and eventually we realized, I need God, and I need to serve God.

So we changed our mind.

You too can change your mind whenever you decide you want to. God will help you of course. But, I’ve done it a million times in my life.

You don’t have to stay stuck on your old opinion about God, the Bible, and Jesus. You can change your mind, based on data, based on evidence, and say, you know what, I’m in for this Jesus thing.

It’s just that simple. Change your mind. Decide that your old opinion is gonna change.

We do this all the time. We think one thing, then we get some new data, and we realize, actually, my old opinion was wrong, and I’m going to embrace a new opinion.

Usually it’s hard because we don’t like to admit that we weren’t correct about something. So we tend to do it quietly. But it’s fine. We change our mind. For years I felt college was a waste. But my girlfriend at the time tried to convince me that it would be good for me. And eventually I changed my mind. I used to not believe in God. But eventually I saw God working, people shared the gospel with me, and I changed my mind, when I realized, there really is a God.

It often takes wrestling though. I’m sure the first son wrestled in his heart and mind about what to do, do I go to the vineyard, or do I not go?

Invite God into your wrestling. Invite God to reveal himself to you. If you’re wrestling, or stuck on something, invite God into the struggle. He will show up and work on your heart and mind.

Take a look at the diagram. We all wrestle with God. Where are you at in your wrestling?

Next, in verse 30: “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.”

So the second son is told by the father to go into the vineyard. And the son says “yes!” But then he never shows up. It reminds of many people I’ve invited to church and they say yes, but then they never come. And I don’t condemn them, I understand it can be a bit intimidating to walk into a new place. Joining a new church can be daunting. But I hope we here will always be very welcoming to new people.

If you see someone new, introduce yourself. Ask them about themselves. Get to know them better.

The second son said yes, but never actually went. He is a hypocrite. He said one thing, and did another.

Many people in the church who claim to be Christians aren’t actually in it. They are religious. They are moralists. But, they aren’t really believers. They don’t really know Jesus Christ and His love and truth. They in fact are trying to do it without Jesus. They are trying to prove to God that they don’t need God. They are trying to be good without God. And that is not the way of Christ. That is the way of death. We can’t ever succeed if we try to be good without God. We need God to live within us, and make us good through Jesus.

Jesus is specifically calling out the Pharisees, the religious leaders of his time. They had seen all he and John the Baptist did, but they refused to believe. They claimed to follow God, but it wasn’t really true. Just like the second son, who said yes, but never went.

Hypocrites. Its tough, but, by the way, you don’t have any right to hate a hypocrite. You should pray for them. That they would accept Jesus. God can do anything. Love them.

So Jesus poses a question to the Pharisees:

Verse 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

The Pharisees respond by saying: “The first,” they answered.

The first son did what the father asked. Similarly, we today want to be like the first son.

This parable is all about practical application. It’s all about obedience and follow through.

Do I really believe what I say I believe? Then it will be evidenced in my actions. We have to figure out how to take what the Bible says and apply it to what we do when we leave on Sunday after church is over.

Go and work in the vineyard. You can show up to church as much as you want. What are you doing the rest of the week? Are you sharing the gospel with others? Are you using your Facebook and Instagram to glorify God? Are you giving food to the homeless? Are you visiting the elderly and the orphans? Are you volunteering here at the corps?

I want to live out my faith in real ways. I’ve wrestled for years to understand what does it mean to live a Christian out there in the world. So many Christians hardly do anything. I mean virtually nothing. I refuse that path. I’m going to help others. I’m going to serve. I want to make sure I’m really living this, otherwise I’m like the second son, who said yes with his mouth, but never actually did anything. He stayed home. Not me!

I’m supposed to serve Jesus, pray for people daily, and meet needs as I’m able. If my heart belongs to God, and I’ve put God’s word into my heart, I will want to do these things. If I’m lukewarm, it will be a battle. If I’m spiritually supercharged, doing the big three, then I’ll be energized for service.

So if you think to yourself, I’m not energized like I should be. We have to look at the big three.

Let’s take a look at the diagram on the screen. The big three are these: Prayer, Bible Reading, and Church attendance.

So if you’re thinking to yourself, I want to be more energized in my faith. I want to want to do these things, then let’s get into the growth chart here. How do we grow? Step by step, as we seek God, we will grow.

Lord, help us to pray. We struggle to pray. Help us God to slow down and pray. Build our prayer times, from a few minutes, to an hour and longer, in Jesus name, amen.

Lord, help us to dive into the word. Lord make it jump off the page into our hearts. We admit we haven’t studied your word like we should. Give us a hunger for it God, in Jesus name, amen.

Lord, help us to get more involved in the church. We admit we’ve stayed on the sidelines too long. Help us to dive into ministry work. In Jesus name, amen.

Lastly, we see in verse 31, Jesus explains to the Pharisees what he’s been saying to them through this parable.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.”

These are the religious leaders, they fast twice a week, they tithe on every penny they have, they have memorized giant chunks of scripture, they do everything just right. But their hearts are so very far from God.

They don’t really love God. And I had to admit recently that my heart was upset with God. Angry with God.

So recently I simply had to pray and ask God’s forgiveness and help, to reset my heart, to soften my heart toward him.

Having a hard heart means we resist what God is saying to us. We may even try to act religious, but our heart is disconnected from God. We refuse to believe what God says.

Jesus continues in verse 32: “For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

The tax collectors and prostitutes repented when they heard John the Baptist’s message. The religious leaders however did not believe John’s message. Yet even when the Pharisees saw the most sinful people becoming faithful, they still refused to believe the message of truth.

We’ve seen how Jesus changes people’s lives. Millions of Christians have testimonies of what God did in their lives, myself included. We’ve seen the evidence, it’s real. It’s not perfect, people make mistakes. But, the change is real. Jesus is real.

Let’s not make the mistake of the Pharisees, and refuse to believe this simple message of salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ask Him to be your savior. Let His love come in. Open your heart to Him now. Believe in Jesus. He is the real savior!

In conclusion today, this whole scenario reminds me of certain people in recovery groups. One man would go on and on about how great and blessed recovery was. He was so excited, talking about faith, hope, and renewal. But the next week he was gone, he’d relapsed on the drink.

Then there was the second guy, he was kind of irritable, kind of tired, but he honestly talked about his struggle. He said I don’t really want to be here, but I know I need to be here. I’m doing the program, but I don’t fully understand it.

We’d all expect the excited guy to stay sober, but actually, the second guy is the one who stayed sober. He was honest, he was real, he wasn’t playing games, and that authenticity is a huge asset in recovery.

Words don’t matter in the kingdom as much as actions. I can talk all day about how much I love God, or how much I love sharing the gospel. But my actions speak volumes.

Action isn’t always easy. We see it on the page, we want to do it, but we don’t know how. That’s why mentorship in the body of Christ is so important. If we see someone else doing it, we can mimic what they are doing. The Apostle Paul said imitate me as I imitate Christ (1 Cor 1:11). The example of a godly man or woman is like gold. If you want to make a difference, model an action to another saint, let them see you do it, so they can learn to do it too.

When I see a Christian handing out a tract, or speaking on a street corner, or writing a blog, or making a video, it gives me permission to do it too.

The Blessing: The blessing is that God calls us to work in his field which is the world.

The Challenge: The challenge is that words are not enough, action unlocks God’s kingdom, and translating the word into action isn’t as easy as it seems.

Next Steps:
A. Invite a fellow Christian to go do ministry with you, or volunteer somewhere with you.

B. Read the Book Evangelism Is… by Dave Earley & David Wheeler to learn more about methods to share the faith.

C. Read the word of God with the mindset of constantly considering how the truth in question can be lived out in your daily life.

Discussion Questions:
1. Describe a time when you had a hard time translating a biblical truth into practical action.

2. Share about a time when you shared the gospel with someone.

3. Why is practical action so important in God’s kingdom?

4. Why are words alone not enough?

5. How can you help other Christians translate their faith into action?

Hidden Treasure in a Field: The Kingdom of God

I’d like to tell you about an enemy I’ve faced my entire life. Even before I was born he tried to destroy me through abortion, but God made sure my mother was wise enough, and trained in medical understanding, so she would know the two doctors who told her to abort me were wrong.

After I was born, the enemy tried again to damage me with sexual abuse that took place when I was a child. But God delivered me, all be it damaged, I would have a stutter the rest of my life. 

In my early years the enemy tried to destroy me through wicked friendships that taught me mockery and sexual perversion and bullying.

In the next phase the enemy tried to destroy me through the public education system, attempting to estrange me from my faith upbringing, manipulate me with propaganda and scientism, and a secular curriculum meant to exclude God from every aspect of life.

In my teens he tried to destroy me through bullying, prescription pills, and strife in the family. Yet God protected me.

In my twenties he tried to destroy me through drugs, drinking, pornography, and sexual immorality. Yet God spared my life in overdoses and suicide attempts.

In my late twenties the enemy experienced his worst failure when I called upon the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins, and began a whole new life.

In my thirties the enemy has attempted to endlessly fight me in my mission of winning souls to Christ. He fought me endlessly in Owosso, attempting to defeat and minimize every victory we achieved in Christ. Yet God brought victory.

In my late thirties the enemy has tried to destroy me through depression, brutal spiritual warfare, temptations, and even mockery and gossip from fellow believers. Yet God has always brought encouragement and hope and victory when defeat seemed inevitable.

Today we’re talking about the hidden treasure in the field, and believe me, you know you’ve faced the same enemy I’ve faced, and he has tried to destroy you. He has tried to keep you so far away from that treasure in the field. He’s tried to keep you focused on other things. He’s tried to keep you locked up in pleasures.

But it didn’t work. You’re here today. And the eyes of your heart are opening.

The enemy likes to keep us focused on self. Caught in the grind of life. Always stuck in a tunnel vision, never looking up toward the light of the God who made us.

Stop and look up brothers and sisters, see the Lord God Almighty the one who loves you so completely. Slow down and focus your heart on Him, even right now. He loves you. Open the light, Open the door to Him. Let the Lord of Glory into your soul. He will change you forever.

Our scripture starts today with Jesus speaking to the people two thousand years ago, and he tells them something that we can understand just as easily today as then.

It starts off like this, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…” (Matthew 13:44)

I didn’t know it was there. Honestly, I did not. Maybe you can relate today. You don’t see it there. That beautiful treasure chest full of priceless gold. But it’s there, just as plain as day.

But the enemy keeps us blind to it. Our flesh keeps us blind to it. Because we’re so caught up in the things of this world.

The treasure of God is waiting for us. But we’re stuck on something else. We’re stuck on chasing money. We’re stuck on chasing power. We’re stuck in chasing after popularity. We’re stuck on the hunt for strength, or romance.



I played the rat race for many years. I tried to become more and more attractive, working out, finding the right clothes, going on dating sites to try to climb that ladder, and no matter how high on that ladder you get, it never ends, and as time goes by, you slide down. It’s exhausting and empty.

I tried climbing the ladder of popularity, social media, clicks, friend groups, and again, no matter how high you climb, there’s always another level to try to get to, it’s empty, it’s exhausting.

I tried the workout scene, going to the gym, doing P90X, Insanity, yoga, all that stuff, again, it never quite leads anywhere.

I tried chasing girls, dating scene, chasing empty relationship after empty relationship again, never got anywhere, left every relationship more broken and more empty and more frustrated.

For you maybe it’s money, you think if you just get enough money, if you can just get rich you’ll finally be happy, you’ll finally be satisfied.

For others it’s work, they work constantly, endless hours, they are workaholics, but again, that climbing, it doesn’t end up leading anywhere.

Now don’t get me wrong, none of these things are bad in themselves. We should work, we should earn money, we should date and get married, we should exercise, we should have friends and connections, but it’s when we make these things our goal in life, we make them our god, that they end up being empty and exhausting.

Keep God first. Let God reign over your money, your romance, your health, and he will guide you, so that it never becomes a god, and idol over you.

It’s the climbing ladders of this world. And there’s only one ladder I want to climb today, and it’s the ladder that leads to heaven. And that ladder is Jesus Christ the King.

We get so focused on money, romance, power, popularity, and work that we can’t see the treasure hidden in the field. Do you see it today? It’s right there. It’s the kingdom of God. And it’s all around us. It’s real.

If you can’t quite see it today, don’t worry, keep seeking, keep showing up, it took me years before God finally opened my eyes, and I saw that treasure.

And when I saw the treasure of God, well, everything else became secondary. I wanted that treasure. The enemy did everything he could to stop me from seeing it and getting it. Same with you:

You have an enemy in the world who wants to keep you distracted from the treasure available to you.

To access the treasure available to us, we need to understand how God’s kingdom system works.

How does God’s kingdom system function? That’s the key question here. We saw the prodigal son, the goal is to bring you home safely. We saw the concept of transformation, you must be born again. To be part of God’s kingdom we must be made new by Jesus. We talked about the good Samaritan, in God’s kingdom, we take on the role of bringing others into the kingdom. Now today we settle in on God’s kingdom like an immense treasure hidden in a field.

Jesus tells us the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Next, verses 45-46: “When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

This guy was out walking one day. And he’s crossing through the country, on a path maybe he’s taken many times. And one day he’s crossing the valley and he stops and something catches his eye.

It’s shiny, it draws him. And he walks over, and sure enough ,it’s a chest. He flips the chest open, and inside he is shocked to find thousands of gold coins. It’s a priceless treasure, worth more than he could possibly imagine.

That is what it’s like when we first discover the gospel of Jesus Christ. We realize we can have all our sins forgiven. And we can receive eternal life. We can live forever. We don’t have to go to hell. We don’t have to suffer eternal wrath from God. We can be saved.

What could be greater than that? Nothing on this planet. Nothing. It’s a gold treasure worth more than we could imagine.

So this man finds the treasure. And he hides it again, and leaves. He finds the owner of the field, and he asks the price to purchase the field.

The price he finds out is going to be high. Very high.

It will cost him everything he owns. So the man says, you know what, it’s a high price, but, I’m going to do it, because the value of the treasure is so astronomical.

Next point here, when we see the gospel of Jesus, forgiveness of our sins, new life, eternal hope, we are very excited. But there is also a price we pay as well.

It’s a free gift, don’t get me wrong.

Yet the challenge is that we have to give up our old life, and embrace an entirely new life. We have to give up our sins.

Many people I know will come so close to the gospel of Jesus, but when they find out they have to give up the drugs, or the sleeping around, or the selfishness, or the pride, they turn around and decide against it.

But a wise man or woman knows the value of the treasure. They are willing to give up everything. And they do.

The man who found the treasure realizes its worth it. So worth it. So he gets to work selling everything he owns.

He sells his house, his donkey, his possessions, everything. And after he does, he realizes, “I’ve got just enough for the field.”


So he goes and buys the field. And he digs up that treasure and he celebrates. He’s done it. It took giving up everything he had. But finally, he has that priceless treasure. And He celebrates.

That’s the first example we get from Jesus. Treasure hidden in a field.

There is a second example. It comes immediately after in verses 45-46: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Similar situation, we have a merchant who is in search of pearls. He finds a beautiful pearl that is more beautiful and perfect than any other pearl he has ever seen. So he went away, sold everything he had, and bought that pearl.

Believe in your heart that what you’ve found in Jesus is more precious than anything in the universe. Because it’s true.

Now, the question remains, we’ve found it, it’s here. But how can we fight ourselves? Because myself is saying, keep it off to the side. Keep yourself in charge. Just kind of come to church and listen, but don’t really change your life.

Here is a powerful illustration… “To bring to the place where you live only the best and most beautiful-what a plan for one’s life! This is well within the reach of everyone. Think of using one’s memory in that way. As one lives from day to day, there are all sorts of experiences, good, bad, beautiful, ugly, that become a part of ones past. To develop the ability to screen one’s memory so that only the excellent is retained for one’s own room! All kinds of ideas pass through one’s mind, about one’s self, about the world, about people. Which do you keep for your own room? Think it over; which areas do you keep for the place that you live? It is well within the mark to say that the oft quoted words of Jesus, about laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, deal with the same basic idea. The place where you live is where your treasure is. Where your treasures are is where your heart is. Where your heart is, is where your God is.” -Howard Thurman, Deep is the Hunger.

We have to eliminate distractions. That’s the enemy’s great trick is to keep us constantly focused on television, internet, parties, texts, working, dates, and we never have time for God. The battle occurs in your mind. That’s where it must be won.

One of the mistakes many make is they treat Christianity as something to be added to the side of their life, like another hobby, or some new thing to try for a while. But Jesus leaves no space for us to treat the faith as some moderately important venture.

C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

What we’ve found hidden in the field is beyond anything we could think or imagine. It is the answer to the meaning of life itself.

The human mind will want to keep Christianity off to the side. Particularly in the west we attempt to take Jesus and bring the world with. We try follow Jesus and keep our sins in a backpack with us along the way. But there is no hope for such a venture, it only leads to double-mindedness and shipwrecked faith.

Many Christians lament the lack of enthusiasm in the churches. Many Christians lament the sin found in the churches. Many Christians lament the revival that tarries.

But we need look no further than the mirror to find the problem. We attempt to keep Christianity on the side and treat it as moderately important. Such a double-minded faith walk has left modern Christianity weak and compromised.

Instead, we must keep Jesus first in everything. Anything we lose or give up for the sake of the kingdom is nothing compared to what we will gain.

There are millions of distractions in life that threaten to disrupt our ability to keep a pure focus on Jesus Christ as the first importance of our lives. We must learn to fight ourselves, and wrestle within to keep Jesus first in everything.

What is the difference between a set apart saint and a compromised saint? They’ve fought the battle of entire consecration to the Lord. Everyday, make a decision to give a little bit more to Jesus. And one day it will be all.

“General William Booth was once asked to reveal the secret of his success. After some hesitation, tears came to his eyes and he said, “I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I have, men with greater opportunities, but from the day that I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus could do with them, I made up my mind that God should have all of William Booth.” It was this which led Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, the questioner, to remark, “I learned from William Booth that the greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” -J.G. Heck (Heck, 2003, Encyclopedia of Illustrations #12616).

In conclusion, the blessing is, we’ve found the greatest treasure imaginable, hidden in a field, the forgiveness of our sins in Jesus Christ.

The challenge is that given that we’ve found such a great treasure, our response must be no less than to keep Jesus Christ as the most important focus of our lives.

Next Steps:
How do we live this parable?

A. Living the parable of the hidden treasure means seeing God’s kingdom as a beautiful treasure available to us.

B. Living the parable of the hidden treasure means Jesus is the most important part of your life.

C. Living the parable of the hidden treasure means leaving behind any distractions that could disrupt your walk with Jesus.

Discussion Questions:
1. Why does Jesus compare the Kingdom of God to treasure?

2. What distractions in your life are preventing you from going all in for the kingdom of God?

3. How do you treat your Christian faith? Low importance, moderate importance, or of the highest importance?

4. Why does the parable mention the need to sell everything to receive the pearl or treasure?

5. What practical ways can you keep Jesus first in your heart and life?