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Matthew 13:44-52 ESV

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

I. TWIN PARABLES
A. One man finds treasure by accident. He sells everything to possess the treasure he found.
B. The merchant is looking for treasure and finds it. He sells everything he has to possess it.

II. SEEKERS AND STUMBLERS
A. Some are looking for Gospel. They are seekers. (John 1:35-42)
B. Some people are not looking & the Gospel collides them almost out of nowhere. They are stumblers. (Acts 9:1-9)

III. FORGETTING STUMBLERS TO PURSUE SEEKERS
A. Seeker churches do everything to attract seekers.
B. Goal of church should be to bring glory to Jesus in the way we relate to one another and love and empty ourselves out for our city.
C. It is not relevance seekers long for but the Gospel and Jesus.
D. God has revealed Himself to both the seeker and has come to the stumbler. The church must do both to reflect the nature of God.

IV. THE GREAT BARGAIN
A. To believe rightly one must change what they believe about what it takes to make God & us happy.
B. As an act of divine love, God refuses to allow us to be satisfied with less than Himself because it is only in Him that we find ultimate joy.
C. Jesus offers us, Himself, and all it requires is that we sell off lesser treasures, which amount to garbage. (Phil 3:8-11)

V. THE NET (40-43)
A. Like fish answer to fishermen mankind answers to God, & not all will embrace the bargain of the Gospel.

VI. NEW AND OLD TREASURES
A. The 11 would be responsible for taking what Jesus had taught them and teaching it to others one day.

APPLICATION
A. Jesus sees you as valuable because of what you can become by His grace, so He leaves everything, to come and possess you.