The Householder’s Treasure: New & Old 📜💎 | Matthew 13:51–52

[0:00] Welcome to Ontario Community Church, where we are encouraging, equipping, and engaging lives for Christ.! I'm Pastor Patrick Daly, and each week I share sermons that balance the grace and love of Jesus Christ with the truth of the Word of God.

[0:15] Together, we'll explore Scripture using observation, interpretation, and application. This helps us discover practical ways to live out our faith every single day.

[0:26] Let's dive in together into God's Word. Well, good morning, everyone. We're going to go ahead and get started here as we have been going through the teachings, the parables of Christ.

[0:42] These parables are so simple, yet they are so deep and they are so profound. I want you to turn your Bibles before we go to our specific verses in Matthew 13, 51 to 52.

[0:57] I want us to start to page 972 in your ESVP Bible or your Bible of choice, the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13.

[1:09] It's important for us to see not only the context of the Word of God, but the consistency of it, the underlying lessons of the Word, and how the Word is interconnected with each other.

[1:26] What's so remarkable for those of us, if you enjoy good film or you enjoy a good musical album, is how sometimes songs or movies can be connected with each other, showing a grand narrative, showing pieces.

[1:46] If you ever watch the show Lost, or you ever watch Star Wars, or you ever watch... Well, there's a lot of great movies out there where it's all connected. And it makes a great story where you're like, oh, what happened in season one now makes sense in season seven.

[2:03] And I didn't get it, but now I do. That's what was going on. These things that are happening behind the scenes. Well, the Word of God is not necessarily a film.

[2:13] It is something that is much greater than that. The connections that we find within Scripture are remarkable. And they help us grow in our faith.

[2:24] For those of us who do not know the Lord, it helps us to draw near to the Lord. And for us to receive that invitation and to respond to it accordingly.

[2:36] Now, are we all there? Matthew chapter 13 or page 972? Matthew chapter 13. In your Bibles? It starts off where you have these crowds of people.

[2:49] Where Jesus is speaking in parables. We remember this. We've gone over this. The parable of the sower, which began with the seeds and the soils. And it goes on further where we had the parable of the weeds.

[3:03] Where it was talking about how weeds and wheat will grow together until the appropriate time, the final judgment that would happen at the end. We also had in verse 31, the mustard seed and the leavened.

[3:18] That which is small and expands. Just like as I've mentioned before and I'll mention again, how it is connected with Daniel chapter 2. The stone that grows into the mountain.

[3:28] The seed that grows into something that is much greater. Becomes a grand tree. Or the leaven when it talks about the measures of flour. The one time in scripture really where you see leaven in a positive light rather than a negative light.

[3:43] And then of course we had, we were going on into, I want you to look at verse 36 real quick. When it's talking about the parable of the weeds explained.

[3:54] So first we had these grand crowds that were around where Jesus is speaking to all sorts of people. What does it say in verse 36? Then he left what?

[4:07] The crowds. And went into the house. So it's going from something that is more public to something that is more private. So that was going on into explaining the weeds.

[4:19] The parable of the weeds. And then we have this trifecta that's happening. The parable of the hidden treasure. The parable of the pearl of great value or of great price depending upon your translation.

[4:32] And the parable of the net. And these parables are important because it is leading up to where we are going to be in scripture today. So parable of the hidden treasure.

[4:43] Remember, it's that which is hidden. That which is revealed. And selling everything to obtain it. Much like when we were talking about the parable of the pearl of great value, right?

[4:56] Where someone found a pearl of such great value that he went and sold everything for it. And that is very important for us when we're thinking of what we're about to go into, right?

[5:12] Then we finally have the parable of the net. This language and this imagery of a net that's catching all of the fish. And it's being sorted out. Which is also talking about the final judgment.

[5:26] Much like as we found with the wheat and the weeds. I bring all of this up so that we can see what is happening prior to verses 51 and 52.

[5:39] Where we were supposed to read together. But by golly, we're going to read it together, right? Let's read it together, church. Have you understood all these things?

[5:49] They said to him what? Yes. And he said to them, therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a what, church?

[6:01] A master of a house who brings out his treasure what is new and what is old. So it's all leading up to this section, right?

[6:13] We have the shift in the audience. We have these parables that are leading up to it. And Jesus is asking, do you understand all of these things? He wants to make sure that his disciples get it.

[6:24] So that he can move forward with this final parable here. Much like how we have been leading up to this parable so that we can understand it. Church, do we understand the treasure of Christ?

[6:39] That knowing Christ and the salvation that comes to him, comes from him, is more valuable than anything that the earth has to offer? Do we understand that, church?

[6:50] Yes. Yes. Then we think of the parable of the pearl of great value or of great price. Finding something that is so valuable. Imagine being someone who is seeking for pearls, right?

[7:04] You're going into the ocean. You're going into the water. That valuable? That it should be cherished that much to the point where we set aside everything?

[7:16] Do we understand this, church? Yes. Yes. Okay. Good. All right. I'm like, wait a minute here. And then finally, right, we had the parable of where we had the fish.

[7:29] The sorting out. The final judgment. Do we understand this, church? Yes. Okay. So now, much like how we've been studying parables, Christ is teaching the disciples.

[7:43] Jesus is talking about a scribe that is trained for the kingdom to a householder who brings out his treasure. I want to go ahead for the slides.

[7:53] Can you go to the Matthew passage real quick? It's towards the end. There's a similarity that we actually find in the gospel of Matthew here. Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his what?

[8:09] His household to give them food at the proper time. It's very similar to what we find the householder bringing out old and new things. Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

[8:23] Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all possessions. So we find there is a similarity, a parallel, as it were, with a householder. In other words, it is much like someone who is a steward.

[8:36] We've talked so much about stewardship and service and generosity when it comes to these parables. And so when we go back to verse 52, a scribe, someone who is trained, someone who has grown in the things of God.

[8:50] Now, first and foremost, we need to understand that we are all called to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is step one. And by golly, that is the greatest step that you can ever make for your life here on earth that has eternal impact.

[9:04] Amen, church? Upon that, we grow. We begin our new life in Christ. We become more like him. We open the Bible.

[9:14] We don't let it collect dust on the shelf. I mean, I know I have some Bibles that do, but I have a ton of Bibles. The idea, though, is we open our Bibles, right?

[9:25] There's a video I saw on YouTube one time before that really stood out to me. It was very convicting to me, is how often do you have a Bible that's been worn and it's been beaten and it's falling apart, but yet it's taking care of you?

[9:40] And how many of us have had the opposite before? Where you may be falling apart, but the Bible is still intact. The idea of that video was showing the importance of opening and reading God's word.

[9:51] Amen, church? There's an importance to that. And so a scribe, then, is one who is studying, right? Much like how we are called to be disciples, we're called to be students, right? We are continuing to learn what it means to be a Christian and to understand the word of God and how powerful and how it transforms our lives.

[10:10] molding us. Saying to God, I want to be more like you. Mold me. And the famous prayer of asking God for patience, right?

[10:20] We have God change our lives. And it's so beautiful, church, when we see people who are being transformed by the gospel.

[10:31] I think I've mentioned to you before a personal friend of mine. I'm not going to mention his name. If he's watching online, he knows who he is. A man who was so angry and bitter and resistant to God.

[10:44] Praying for him. His wife constantly wanting for her husband to change, to come to know the Lord.

[10:56] When you first met him, you didn't want to know him. He was not a friendly guy to be around. He was mean and nasty. But over time, by the grace of God, his life changed.

[11:08] His heart began to soften. He began to exhibit more kindness and compassion. And he finally made a decision for Christ, believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[11:21] And upon that, he became baptized. And he became active in his church community. And he is not the same man that he was when he first began. Absolutely not. And that is a beautiful thing. That is just one of many stories of how God can transform our lives.

[11:35] Amen, church? That is the power that we find. That comes from God. That comes from his word. We grow. We are a work in progress. Is anyone here perfect?

[11:45] Let's raise your hand wide and high. Yes? Okay, I don't see anyone raising your hand. So we're good there, right? But we are a work in progress. That we continue to grow.

[11:56] When we think of plants that are growing and they're going to produce fruit, sometimes there is pruning process that has to happen. That's not an easy thing to talk about. But it's a reality that is a truth that comes from the word of God.

[12:10] And so a scribe, a student, someone who is trained for the kingdom. I don't know about you, but when I read that language, I want to be trained in the kingdom. I want to be able to respond.

[12:21] If Christ ever asked me, do you understand these things? I want to be able to emphatically say, yes, Lord, I understand these things. I'm ready for more. And I hope that for all of us here, we can have that same heart and that same intentionality, that same desire to grow in the things of God and the things of his word.

[12:42] And so a scribe, right, is a scholar of the law, right? In Christ's kingdom, a scribe would be a disciple. Because remember, Christianity is so very young and very new, speaking to, well, a more Jewish audience.

[12:58] And the householder then, the master, right? Now, we think of this idea of being a steward. And we've talked so much about this within parables, that God gives us our very lives.

[13:10] He gives us our time, our talent, and our treasure. And I even mentioned, I think a week or two ago, our testimony, our ability to be able to use what God has given to us for his honor and his glory.

[13:24] If God gives us everything, can we not even give a little bit back to him? That is something for us to think about. And that can be very convicting, especially if you're someone who likes to keep things and hold as much as you can, right?

[13:38] If you get the imagery of someone who's holding their treasure, right? You got to run out of your house real quick. What happens to all your coins? Are they all in your arms? No, they fall on the ground, right?

[13:49] And you got to run away, right? Just giving you an example. How many blessings has God given to you? We thank God for what he has given to us, our very life. Now, granted, in life, there's a lot of things that happen to us in life.

[14:05] Sometimes we have storms. Sometimes we have the eye of the storm, right? When things are calm and things are about to get a little rocky, let's be honest here. And sometimes in life we have those hills and we have those valleys.

[14:18] We have trials and tribulations and even the testing of our faith. But may our faith be laid upon the foundation, the solid rock in Jesus Christ.

[14:29] Amen, church? That we will not be shaken and we will not be in the sinking sand, as I've previously mentioned here. And so the householder, being someone, a master or a steward of a household, being able to share in that which is new and that which is old.

[14:47] And the treasure, right, its valuables, it represents God's word and the insights that is gained from it. What I mean by that, we have in Scripture the New Testament and the Old Testament, right?

[15:02] The New Covenant and the Old Covenant. How beautiful is it when we start to, first off, read our Bible. Second off, we begin to understand it.

[15:13] But we begin to see the connections. What do you mean this is in Isaiah? What do you mean? I think I mentioned it in another sermon where Ezekiel 34 was talking about the sheep and the goats.

[15:29] What? That shouldn't be there, but yet it is. And it's powerful. And it helps us with our understanding. It's as though we're eating of the word, right?

[15:39] Much as Scripture says to go from milk of the word to solid food of it. And so this parable is showing the benefits of having that hidden treasure.

[15:54] The benefits of having the pearl of great value. Because there are many of us in this world who seek for truth. They seek for meaning and purpose in their life and they search in the wrong areas.

[16:09] Many, some of you may identify with that. Don't raise your hand, by golly. Right? Some of you may identify of times when you searched in the wrong places to find purpose or to find God.

[16:23] But when you find the Lord, when you find out who he is, who Jesus Christ is, that he is more than just a cool guy with long hair, that he's more than just a guru, that he's the Messiah, that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the cornerstone of our faith.

[16:41] That is a much more powerful thing. When somebody asks you, hey, Jesus is a cool guy, let that be an opportunity for you to say, yeah, but he's much more than that. Amen?

[16:53] So we continue here, this connections here. And what's interesting about this specific parable is that it's so small. Just two verses here. But in order to understand it, we have to look at what's leading up to it.

[17:06] And so it is kind of one that is typically overlooked, unfortunately. But by golly, we're going to go over it. Amen? Let's go to the interpretation then.

[17:16] So here at Ontario Community Church, what I want all of you to know is our approach when we go to Scripture. That Scripture is our source.

[17:28] The O representing the observation, the reading of the text and looking at what exactly is going on here. The I is represented by the interpretation, what we can learn from the Word.

[17:39] And this is important for us, especially as we're growing in Christ. And then finally, there's the A, which is the application. And that is what we do about this. It is so important for us to turn to the pages of the Word of God and to learn it and to grow in it.

[17:57] But we have got to be moved to act upon it. And so when we go into this interpretation then, what does it mean, number one, church, to know Christ when?

[18:08] Before stewardship. Before service. And before sharing. You have a lot of people out there in the world that are focused on the good that they can do in the world, right? We know this.

[18:19] There are people that are so focused on doing good in the world. When it comes to Christianity, what matters is having faith in Christ first and foremost. That is the most important thing.

[18:32] And upon having that, we serve our church. We serve the community. We make a greater impact upon our friends and our families. We steward what God has given to us and we share.

[18:45] We share in the gospel message. We share in the words of our testimony. And sometimes we even just share by being present with those that are in need. You know, this week I went on a pastoral retreat where there was a bunch of other pastors we all gathered.

[19:03] It's called the Replenish Retreat. We all came together. And we prayed for all of our congregations. Was it all the same denomination?

[19:14] No. Some were more charismatic. Some were more reformed. But what mattered was the intentionality of praying and being present with one another.

[19:27] Knowing that we didn't even have all the answers. But it was still showing up. And I say this because part of sharing in the gospel obviously is the words that we speak and the actions that we do.

[19:39] But we also can add being present with people. Especially in times of crisis or in a time of need. How many of you, you know someone who went through a really bad time and you did not know what to say?

[19:55] Don't raise your hand. Right? You may have been through that situation. And it's important. Maybe just sit next to them. Pray with them. Offer to read scripture.

[20:05] But you don't even have to do that. Just being there is but an example of sharing in the light, life, and truth of Christ. So, when we think of Jesus' question, have you understood?

[20:19] It shows that there is a journey that we are to be on. Let us remember, when you believe in Christ, when you receive salvation through faith, that is the beginning of your life.

[20:32] It is not the end. It's the end of your former life for sure. But it's the beginning of your new life in Christ where now you're an infant. Now you're a baby. And you've got to grow, right?

[20:43] Anyone here want to remain a baby forever? Okay. Good. Right. And so, in that, it's showing that our spiritual journey begins with understanding the gospel message and responding to it.

[20:58] Part of that also is being like a scribe, as mentioned here in the text. And some of you who know the Bible more, being a Berean, right?

[21:09] Someone who is so trained and understands scripture, the things of God, that's so important. A scribe that is trained for the kingdom studies and internalizes scripture, that it transforms them.

[21:24] It's a matter of the heart. It's much like when we pray. It's a matter of the heart when we are communicating with God. When we're reading scripture, ask, God, how do you want to speak to me today?

[21:40] Think about your heart. That's important. The second thing then, church, is treasuring only the new covenant. Treasuring only the old covenant.

[21:54] Right? Or I should put testament up there, right? It's treasuring both of them, just as the language was showing of the householder that is bringing out that which is new and that which is old.

[22:05] Because when we think of all of scripture, it always disappoints me. When you meet people who, they don't like Paul. The apostle Paul.

[22:17] Or they don't like James. Or they don't like Lamentations. Right? Or they don't like Leviticus.

[22:29] I'm getting some laughs here, right? We can have some fun here, right? There are difficult parts in scripture. And when people say, read the Bible, by golly, we got to do it.

[22:43] But is it easy to understand? Well, there's some parts that are very difficult. There's some parts where there's controversy in it. But it's so important for us as Christians to take the whole word and let it transform us.

[22:57] Are there underlying lessons that we can find in the Old Testament? Absolutely. Is there instruction and things that we can learn when it comes to the New Testament?

[23:08] What about that big book called Revelation that everyone's divided over? What about that one? All of these books, just like how we talk about how the word is living and active and how it's all connected with one another.

[23:22] We use the word of God to mold us and to shape us into who God wants us to be. That is so important for us. So let's not neglect God's word. Let's not just say, yeah, I've got Jonah open here, right?

[23:38] Let's just remove Jonah, right? There's some people like that. We are blessed to have Bibles in our hands. We are blessed to have all the translations and the commentaries, the technology that's out there.

[23:55] We are absolutely blessed. So let us never take the word for granted, much like we should never take our faith for granted. All of this is so important.

[24:05] So when I say here, treasure the old and the new covenants, just as Christ said, he did not come to abolish the law.

[24:17] Some of you may know this verse, but to what? To fulfill it. To abolish, to destroy it. To get rid of it. To eradicate it. But yet Christ is saying it's to fulfill it.

[24:30] And there's such importance for us. We've got to wrestle with the text. Has every lesson that God has taught you been easy, church?

[24:43] Say no. Right? There have been easy lessons and there have been some very difficult lessons. And there have been repeating lessons, right? There have been some lessons you keep learning and you're like, God, this is like the fifth time I'm learning that.

[24:56] And it keeps going on. But we're being molded. And when I talk about that imagery of the potter and the clay and the work of God's hands, much like how when Scripture says that the Lord knitting us before we were born, well, God is still working in us.

[25:12] He works in us before we were born. He knows us before we are born. You think God's just going to stop? He's going to keep working on us every single day.

[25:22] Through our own lives, the people that we interact with, the people that we meet. It can be overwhelming for sure. But we trust in the living God.

[25:35] To continue to work in us so that we can be those ambassadors for Christ. That we can represent Christ in what we say and what we do. Being salt and light.

[25:47] Being a light to this dark and broken world. Is this world perfect, church? There's a lot of sin. A lot of evil.

[25:58] A lot of division. And quite honestly, this world needs the love of Christ. This world needs Christ, period. And there's still people even outside of our church doors that don't know the Lord.

[26:14] Let us be a church that prays for the empty chair next to you or the empty pew next to you. Let us pray for our families that they may come to know the Lord.

[26:26] Much like how we're called to pray for politicians and government agencies and those kind of things. When we went over Ezra, we learned about how God stirred the heart of pagan kings and changed their mind.

[26:43] I don't know about you. I'd like God to have a stirring in some people out there. Can I get an amen on that? Maybe a little bit, right? Maybe. So, in that though, the full counsel of God, all of the word, even though it may be difficult, even though it may be hard, it's still God's word.

[27:03] And we can all learn something from it. Much like how many of you have read the same verse over and over, and then one day it hits you like a ton of bricks. I didn't see that before.

[27:14] It's like how God continues to work through that. And the third thing, then, is to steward and share for the benefit of others. This is the householder who is a steward, essentially.

[27:28] The householder does not hide. He's not hiding away. And nor is he hoarding all of the treasures. He is sharing the new and the old. That kind of imagery that we're seeing, bringing things out of the household to share with other people.

[27:45] Now, in that, as we learn, as we come to faith in Christ, you've got to share it with others. As we learn new revelation, as we learn new insight and wisdom from the word, it's got to be consistent.

[28:04] We share that with other people. We share it how God is speaking to you and how God is working in you. Some of you here send me emails or messages on Facebook or even call about things that you've learned.

[28:20] And that is a beautiful thing. Absolutely. To see something you haven't seen before or how something is connected. I remember about a year ago, I was reading scripture.

[28:33] And there's, I want to say it's in Proverbs. I'm trying to pull it off the top of my head here, so forgive me. Where there's a verse that says, While the earth was created, I was there.

[28:47] Which is showing the presence of the Holy Spirit in the creation account. Completely just out of the blue.

[28:57] But that helps. It's just another piece in helping build up my faith, your faith. We continue. We share in that. Much like how scripture talks about the building up or the equipping of the saints.

[29:13] We help each other. We celebrate when someone gets baptized. We come together in love and in unity when we partake of communion, right?

[29:24] The bread and the cup together. Or when we pray for one another. When someone is going through sickness or health. Or if someone is going through marriage problems.

[29:37] Relationship problems. That's important for us as the body of Christ to work together. And so, the householder again does not hide or hoard.

[29:50] He brings out the treasure for the benefit of others. Being a disciple is being a steward of grace and truth. And we have got to share with others. And bringing out the old and the new means, Let us connect the prophecies with scripture.

[30:09] Let us connect the promises, history and wisdom, And how it all points to Christ. In this, we're going to go to the application. I realize I'm going over on time.

[30:20] That's alright though. How should we live then? Church, what does the first one say if you're still awake? Alright, let's try that again. Seek salvation first and grow in him, right?

[30:33] Believe in the Lord and be saved. 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1-4. Believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. That he was a fulfillment of the scriptures, right? According to the scriptures and grow in him.

[30:44] Be on a journey, right? Respond to the gospel. As I've mentioned so many times, The invitation to the vineyard or it's the RSVP. Have you responded to the gospel?

[30:55] Place your faith and trust in the Lord. In that, commit to get one of these. If you don't have one, I'll get you one, okay? Get a Bible. Start reading it.

[31:06] Begin having spiritual practices. Meditate on the word. I know that's a scary word sometimes when we hear the word meditate. Oh no. Consider the things of God.

[31:18] Be in prayer, right? Fill your mind with the things of God. I'm not saying other things. God and his word, okay? I want to make that clear. We think about that, right?

[31:32] Studying the word. Reading it. Being in a church community is important. Growing in faith. Have you been baptized before? Have you, how is your prayer life?

[31:45] Or how is your action? Meaning, do you live in love like Christ? I know that's a very convicting one. How many of us, after we leave church, we might get angry out of the blue.

[31:56] We might fight with our spouse. That's never happened to any of us here, right? Never. Never. The reality is, things like this do happen. But we continue to grow.

[32:08] We're a work in progress. And we are by no means perfect. But we believe in the God who is perfect. So commit to reading. Find yourself, you know, time of prayer.

[32:23] Being together. And when you read scripture, sometimes you may not understand what you're reading. And that's okay. It's okay to have questions.

[32:33] But it's also okay to ask your brothers and sisters. Even ask me. How can you understand the word? And most importantly, ask the Lord to understand scripture better.

[32:48] The second thing then is to value the what Bible? Am I saying the KJV? The NIV? I'm saying the entirety of Bible. I know. I'm having a little fun here, right?

[33:00] We value the entire scripture and what it has to say. Right? Both the new, and this is specifically what I'm talking about. We're not going to neglect God's word.

[33:12] We're going to value the old covenant or the old testament and the new covenant, the new testament. All of it in its entirety, even though it might be difficult.

[33:23] How many of you have read through, I keep using Lamentations as an example. How many of you have read through Lamentations? You don't have to raise your hand, but just think about that, right? That's a difficult one, isn't it?

[33:35] Or do a, let's do a study on numbers sometime, right? There's some more difficult ones. It's just reality. So, read both the new and the old testament.

[33:49] Read through the psalms. Go through Ecclesiastes. Go through numbers. Even though you might come out of it, I don't understand. Pray to God that you will understand. Have that hunger and that desire to know God and to know his word better.

[34:06] And once you discover things, share it with others. That's the whole premise of this parable. And ask yourself the question, am I avoiding certain books of the Bible? Am I avoiding certain genres?

[34:18] I don't like apocalyptic literature. Let's get rid of that. Some of you may completely identify with that. Some of you say, I may not like the law. I don't know about that. Ask yourself that question.

[34:30] Is there a certain genre that's just you don't like? But keep in mind that it's still important in the eyes of God.

[34:41] That's the whole thing. And so, how can I let the Old and the New Testament enrich my understanding of how God has worked in the entire narrative?

[34:54] In the entire story. And finally, last but certainly not least, church, let's read it together. Be a what? Be a faithful householder, right?

[35:06] Steward what God has given to you. Right? Be a steward of time, talent, treasure, and your testimony. Let us share in the gospel message with others.

[35:16] Let us teach our friends and our families. Let us teach our children and encourage friends. Let us mentor young believers. Let us discuss scripture. Let's think about these things.

[35:30] Maybe you need to post on social media just the typical John 3.16. That's fine. Maybe you need to meet up with some friends and just talk about how God has changed your life.

[35:42] How you answer that is unique to you. Ask yourself the question, who can benefit from what God has shown me?

[35:53] Who else can learn of your story? Because here's the thing. Your story is unique to you. Your story is not like mine.

[36:05] It's not like the person next to you. Your story can speak to someone in such a way that it will have a profound impact on their life.

[36:16] Do we even realize? You don't have to answer this. Do we even realize the profound impact we have on others just by the day-to-day activities?

[36:27] The interactions with our co-workers, right? The people we see at the grocery store. Or even the guy that ran the red light and you just don't understand.

[36:37] He needs prayer too, right? Whatever it is. Your life has a profound impact on people. And so, who can benefit from what God has shown me?

[36:52] Think of that today. And so, as we close, let us respond to the gospel. Believe in Christ. And when we think of this parable, may we be like the disciples and respond if Christ ever asked us, Do you understand these things?

[37:11] May we be on a journey to be able to say yes. Now, again, we won't understand everything. But we can certainly understand the simplicities of the gospel message and Christ's teaching.

[37:26] Amen, church? And treasure the word. Embrace the full story of redemption from Genesis to Revelation. And see how Christ is at the center of all of it.

[37:41] And bring out the treasure then. Live generously with God's truth. Share in your testimony. Share the gospel message with others. And I have one final verse, if you want to turn there real quick.

[37:53] From 2 Timothy. Continue in what you have learned. From infancy you have known the holy scriptures. What are they going to do?

[38:05] To make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. You have to understand the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

[38:17] So that you can respond to the gospel. And in the same way as being infants, we continue to grow and grow. I want to be a householder. And I sure hope you do as well.

[38:29] And so in closing, when we think of the new and the old treasures, may we be trained. May we respond. May we be trained.

[38:41] And may we live and love like Christ. Let's pray together. Father God, we thank you for this time together as we're going over these two verses. But they are so connected with the parables that we have gone over in the gospel of Matthew.

[38:56] And the parables that are throughout scripture. We're grateful for your word. Lord, and I just pray that we will all come to know who you are. That we will respond to the gospel message.

[39:10] That we will be on a journey to live and love like you. Through having that relationship with you. Through knowing your word. And in all of this, be moved to live and love like you.

[39:23] Being that salt and light. Radiating the light that comes from you. You are one amazing God. And we thank you for everything that you've done.

[39:37] But most especially your son, Jesus the Christ. The cornerstone of our faith. It is in the name of Jesus that we pray.

[39:49] And we all say together, can I get an amen church? Amen. Thank you for listening for this week's message from Ontario Community Church. I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened in your walk with Christ.

[40:04] For more sermons and resources, visit OntarioCommunityChurch.org. May God bless you as you live out his grace and truth every single day.