Our passage: Matthew 13:44-46 (OT Reading: Exodus 20:4-6).

GCW Sermon – Preacher: Ian Bayne, 02/02/2020.

Recap

We can make applications for this passage in three ways: applications to lookers, liquidators and lovers (or seekers, sellers and storers if you prefer).

Last week we were looking at the first application around looking or seeking: only those who seek will find. We have to search for the right things, for the right reason, and prioritise the search.

For example:

• If you’re looking for wealth, don’t follow Jesus: He died a poor man
• If you’re looking for health, don’t follow Jesus: He was killed at age 33.

Having found true treasure, our passage shows that seekers will readily liquidate all they have for God’s kingdom. To liquidate means to convert an asset into something that can easily be sold or given away, in this case: to God.

Last week we looked at Ecclesiastes 2 which tells us about Solomon seeking leisure, treasure (wealth) and pleasure – he failed to find meaning in any of these things. These things prevent us from obtaining the Kingdom of God; not because there’s anything wrong with leisure, pleasure and wealth in of themselves. But for us as believers having liquidated these things, they are no longer our ultimate aim.

• Leisure allows us to recharge so we have energy to serve God
• Treasure allows us to direct resources for God’s work
• Pleasure is a gift of God, giving us a taste of heaven

Ultimately what are we seeking: the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:44-46) or idols (Exodus 20:4-6)?

Further implications

Whilst we can draw parallels between the time of Solomon and people today idolising these same aims of leisure, treasure and pleasure, there are also circumstances unique to the times we live in that affect us differently from previous generations.

Having looked through the aims of our life which are forward-looking, describing what we’re ultimately seeking from life, today we’ll look through 4 more immediate aspects of our lives:

• Opportunity – what opportunities are available to our generation?
• Accessibility – which of these opportunities are actually available to us?
• Possibility – what choices and options do we have?
• Existability – what is our timeframe for success?

Let’s have a look at each of these:

Opportunity

Moreso than previous generations, we have a huge number of options created for us by wealth and innovation. In New Zealand, Wellington, we have the highest income per capita in NZ, and live in the 9th wealthiest country in the world.

We can travel, we can choose how and when we work, we can learn whatever we like. Technology and connectivity has enabled these things. It has also made it harder than ever to unplug.

With the opportunities out there, we must remember that we have been called to not be of the world (John 17:14-19), and to flee from sinful opportunities.

Accessibility

Not all opportunities are available to everyone. We’re fortunate that we have access to more than most. What, of these opportunities can we actually get our hands-on? What opportunities are we praying for God to give us access to?

It can be tempting to be disheartened that we don’t have abundant wealth, or health, or time and envious of others. Our circumstances are unique and God-given.

Possibility

Possibilities describes the choices available for a given, accessible opportunity. In previous day’s choices tended to be simpler and less frequent: what to work on or eat that day. Life-changing decisions were mostly made for us, for instance children carried on in the family-run business. Contrast this to today’s gig economy with micro contracts for even just an hour’s work.

Some choices have got easier thanks to technology advances: a hundred years ago brave people would spend months on a sailing boat to get to New Zealand – they would have to pay for their passage and food for months with little possibility of earning. Nowadays we can fly anywhere in a couple of days, so it’s not such a big decision to come.

It’s a privilege to have so many choices, but the reality is that it clogs our lives and too many choices can be a real burden. How do we know we have made the right one? How much time do we need to spend researching and understanding each option?

The most successful people in our society are the ones who can adapt to change quickly, and this is becoming more difficult. Is it a wonder that there are more challenges with mental health when we’re faced with such complex lives? The first sign of depression is an inability to make choices. Given how frequently we need to make choices, this can be self-perpetuating.

An understanding of the Bible and Godly wisdom helps us narrow down choices to those that are pleasing to God. Prayer helps us see His way through them.

Existability

The vast majority of people have an expectation we have a very long life ahead of us. Death is foreign to us and we have a lot of faith in modern medicine. We don’t typically expect ourselves, or anyone in our family to die soon. We are not exposed to death as much as in days gone by: infants in our community don’t typically die.

This can make God seem distant and unnecessary to society. The opportunities and choices can keep us away from God and the reality of our eternal existence with Him.

We need to trust each breath we take to God, and thank Him for giving us life. This should give us purpose as we look at our opportunities and choices.

Application

How do we examine our opportunities and choices?

This year is an election year in New Zealand, and so we’ll use a political example: that of an inquiry or royal commission.

What are our aims? Leisure, pleasure and treasure have a purpose: we have been given them and need to use them for the sake of the Lord.

When we liquidate these things from being fixed sinful assets, to being freely given to God for His use (like the man and the merchant do in Matthew 13:44-45), we enable His work to be done. We are not saying that we’ll throw these things away, but that we’ll seek to use them for the glory of God.

The aspects of our life: our opportunities, our possibilities/choices, our existability, should likewise be aligned to His will: choices are no longer our choices, we should trust God for every breath we take.

In New Zealand, a royal commission inquiry is the highest form of public inquiry for when something bad or corrupt happens, where the matter cannot be trusted to the government to investigate, so is instead investigated by the Governor-General outside of the government. We are essentially sinful: bad and corrupt. We cannot be trusted to investigate ourselves, therefore should hold our own royal commission by inviting Jesus to look into the church of New Zealand and our own lives.

When you concede defeat you give the winner the right to rule over what has been conceded. We should give Jesus the mandate to rule in our lives.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17 ESV

He is the king and the ruler of the world. If we liquidate all we have, concede defeat and hand it over to Him, both in our lives and in the church, then we can be free of the worldly anchors that prevent us from accessing Him.

What are we holding on to?

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