WEBVTT

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 And let's turn in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 13 and verse 44 to 48.

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 It reads,

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 And he is so worth it.

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 And there was this poor year-and-a-half-year-old, probably thinking, you know, what is wrong with Dad?

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 He's gone mad.

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 But it's true.

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 Sometimes when we make costly decisions, we can wonder, was that worth it?

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 And nowhere is that more true than in the Christian life.

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 The devil and the world and the flesh, all of them will be saying, this is a waste of time.

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 This is stupid.

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 This is nuts.

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 But Jesus has told this parable to teach us that simple truth.

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 The truth that we need to hear, whether it's for the first time or the thousandth time.

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 That knowing Jesus will cost you everything.

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 That he is worth more than anything in the world.

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 Those are my two points for this evening, and we'll work through them one by one.

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 Firstly, knowing Jesus will cost you everything.

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 It's one of the most obvious common features of these parables.

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 Verse 44, it says,

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 Then again in verse 46,

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 Who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had.

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 And the point is, if you want to know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent,

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 they are the pearl, the treasure.

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 There is a sense in which you must sell all too.

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 Now that would be very obvious to us if we lived in somewhere like North Korea or Afghanistan.

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 Where to put your faith in the Lord Jesus so very clearly might cost you.

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 But here it might not be so obvious.

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 After all, many people live in this country and call themselves Christians,

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 and it costs them very little indeed.

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 No, I have done that.

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 We know many people, I imagine.

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 Many people who say to Jesus,

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 You can have my Sunday morning.

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 Maybe even I'd give you a Wednesday evening.

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 I would try and be a nice person too.

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 But how I use my money,

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 who I date,

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 how I bring up my children,

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 what job I do,

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 is for me to decide.

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 Many people in this country take the name of Christian

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 and effectively treat Jesus like a good mate

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 whose advice they can take or leave,

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 or a genie in the sky

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 to grant their wishes

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 and forgive their sin.

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 But Jesus is not a good mate.

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 He is not a genie in the sky.

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 He is the king of heaven.

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 These parables begin,

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 The kingdom of heaven is like,

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 The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of pearls.

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 How does one enter the kingdom of heaven?

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 Well, it's not so much that we go to a geographical place.

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 It's that we submit our lives to the king of heaven,

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 and that costs everything.

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 There are some people whom to know it costs.

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 An obvious example of that would be your boss,

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 if you have a boss.

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 When you enter the boss-worker relationship,

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 you are sucking eggs really,

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 but you promise to do X number of hours,

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 to do Y duties,

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 perhaps even be a certain sort of person,

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 and that costs.

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 Another example would be your spouse.

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 Maybe this doesn't need explaining,

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 but to have a spouse,

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 you have to promise.

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 I will honor you,

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 love you,

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 protect you,

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 and be faithful to you

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 until death do us part.

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 No matter what,

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 all that I am,

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 I give to you,

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 and all that I have,

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 I share with you.

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 And in my case,

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 when I made that promise,

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 it wasn't very much at all,

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 but you know,

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 you get the point.

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 It costs to know your boss,

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 it costs to be married to your spouse,

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 and it costs to know Jesus.

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 And it costs us everything,

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 because the relationship we have with him

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 is not simply that of a worker with a boss,

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 or even simply as a bride of a bridegroom,

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 though he is that to us,

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 but as our king,

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 who demands our life,

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 our souls,

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 our all,

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 everything we have,

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 everything we do,

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 everything we love,

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 he demands rule over.

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 He demands to rule over our work,

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 our school lives,

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 our investments,

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 our money,

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 our relationships to friends,

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 and parents,

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 and children,

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 and spouses.

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 He says,

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 whoever would be my disciple

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 must deny themselves,

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 take up their cross,

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 and follow me.

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 And he tells these stories

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 about men who sold everything

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 to teach us

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 that we must surrender all to him.

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 It may not mean

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 that we literally sell

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 all that we have,

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 but it certainly means

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 that we ask,

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 what would Jesus have me do

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 with all that I have.

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 He even demands of us

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 whatever the equivalent is

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 of the favorite fez

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 with a feather.

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 And I don't know

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 what that might be for you.

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 It might be a collection

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 of cash,

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 would be a common one.

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 Maybe an ambition,

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 a career,

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 a relation,

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 a grudge.

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 I remember very clearly

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 when I discovered

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 that Jesus had to be

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 my king.

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 I'd just gone to university,

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 I had two great loves

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 in my life.

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 One was my girlfriend

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 and one was badminton.

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 The Lord very kindly

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 sorted out my badminton for me.

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 I didn't make the university team,

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 I didn't even get close,

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 so that was very simple.

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 But I remember

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 as I came under

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 the preaching of God's word,

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 and what I wanted to say

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 to God was like,

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 look God,

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 you can have

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 all these bits of my life,

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 but you can't have her.

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 I wanted to ring fence her.

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 You can have this,

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 but not her.

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 But of course,

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 Jesus did not

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 accept those terms.

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 And maybe that is

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 you right now.

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 At the start of a new year,

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 you know that there is

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 an area of your life

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 you are trying to say

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 to Jesus,

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 I don't want you

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 to have this.

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 But we can only know

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 Jesus on his terms.

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 And his terms

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 are the terms

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 of a sovereign Lord.

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 He demands everything.

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 Knowing Jesus

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 costs everything.

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 And when you give him

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 everything,

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 that can look crazy.

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 It can look

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 absolutely mad.

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 It's one of the reasons

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 I really love

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 the story.

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 It just brings it out

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 so well.

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 You know,

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 I remember

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 as a child seeing it,

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 you know,

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 there's a man

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 kicking his legs together

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 with a pearl

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 and nothing but his boxes.

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 And you're like,

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 what do you want

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 a pearl for?

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 Why did you get rid of,

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 I mean,

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 the freezer's full of food.

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 He's got sausages

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 and chips.

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 Why would you do that?

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 You can imagine,

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 you know,

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 there he is

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 selling his stuff.

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 Imagine he had a wife.

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 Dear wife,

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 why are you getting rid

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 of the furniture?

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 What do you mean

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 you're selling the house?

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 Are you,

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 to buy a pearl?

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 Are you nuts?

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 And you can imagine

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 her leaving.

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 And I probably don't need

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 to tell many of you this.

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 You already know

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 the cost

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 and the crazy looks.

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 Maybe you come to church

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 every week,

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 read your Bible

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 and pray

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 and your family

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 wonder if you've been

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 brainwashed by a cult.

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 Maybe your colleagues

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 think you are daft

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 for living the lifestyle

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 you do.

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 Maybe you have

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 a very high-powered job

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 but you don't live

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 a high-powered lifestyle.

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 You give so much away

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 and you're kind

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 to guys at work

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 you know one else's

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 and they think

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 you're a little bit nuts.

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 You wonder if you have

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 a screw loose somewhere.

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 Or maybe your friends

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 think you're crazy

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 because you gave up

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 your promising career

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 to be at home

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 with the children

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 and you submit

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 to your husband.

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 What a thing.

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 I beg your pardon.

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 Or maybe it just might be

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 whether it's at school

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 you don't join in

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 the gossiping.

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 You don't join in

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 the drinking.

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 Or you're ready to say

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 you're pro-life

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 or something like that.

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 And there are people

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 like what?

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 What is up with you?

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 Are you mad?

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 Are you insane?

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 Jesus,

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 is he really that precious?

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 I don't think he's

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 precious at all.

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 And sometimes

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 that can get to us.

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 Sometimes we can think

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 maybe I am mad.

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 Maybe this is nuts

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 coming out here

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 on a New Year's Day

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 through the rain

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 to come and listen

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 to a guy

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 you've never met before.

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 What is that about?

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 I mean,

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 Paul didn't tell you that.

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 No,

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 you didn't know that.

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 But this is silly.

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 But the whole point

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 of the story is

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 that in the end,

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 if all your family

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 called you mad

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 and all your friends

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 left you

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 and you lost

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 all your wealth,

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 your career,

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 your home

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 and ended up

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 persecuted

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 and beaten

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 and imprisoned

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 and so all you had

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 left in this world

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 was your boxes

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 and the Lord Jesus Christ

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 and then you lost

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 your life,

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 you would still

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 have everything.

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 At the end of the story

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 both men have nothing

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 but a field

00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:04.899
 and a pole

00:14:04.899 --> 00:14:05.879
 that cost them all

00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.000
 and they are

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:08.120
 over the moon

00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:10.699
 because though

00:14:10.699 --> 00:14:11.360
 knowing Jesus

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:12.539
 will cost you everything,

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:13.919
 he is worth more

00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:14.979
 than anything

00:14:14.979 --> 00:14:16.199
 in the world.

00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.579
 And that is the main thing

00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:18.240
 that this parable

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.039
 wants to teach us.

00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:19.659
 Verse 44,

00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:20.599
 the kingdom of heaven

00:14:20.599 --> 00:14:22.139
 is like treasure

00:14:22.139 --> 00:14:24.679
 hidden in a field

00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:25.919
 which a man found

00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:26.620
 and covered up

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:28.139
 then in his joy

00:14:28.139 --> 00:14:29.479
 goes and sells

00:14:29.479 --> 00:14:30.219
 all that he has

00:14:30.219 --> 00:14:31.099
 and buys that field.

00:14:31.199 --> 00:14:31.399
 Again,

00:14:31.479 --> 00:14:32.139
 the kingdom of heaven

00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:32.979
 is like a merchant

00:14:32.979 --> 00:14:34.319
 in search of fine pearls

00:14:34.319 --> 00:14:36.339
 and finding one pearl

00:14:36.339 --> 00:14:38.120
 of great value

00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:39.399
 went and sold

00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:40.439
 all that he had

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:41.679
 and bought it.

00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:43.299
 It's funny,

00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:43.740
 you know,

00:14:43.939 --> 00:14:44.539
 joking about,

00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:45.799
 it was a joke

00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:46.199
 in my head,

00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:47.219
 but joking about

00:14:47.219 --> 00:14:47.899
 it costing

00:14:47.899 --> 00:14:48.859
 to know your spouse.

00:14:51.479 --> 00:14:52.599
 It's a strange thing.

00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.319
 Having a spouse

00:14:54.319 --> 00:14:55.000
 is very costly.

00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:55.799
 Even a wedding

00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:57.699
 is very costly.

00:14:57.859 --> 00:14:58.759
 It's very expensive.

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:01.199
 And it costs a lot

00:15:01.199 --> 00:15:02.339
 as you go on.

00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:02.539
 I mean,

00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:03.240
 when you have kids,

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:04.000
 boy,

00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:05.659
 that's a costly thing.

00:15:06.479 --> 00:15:07.279
 But have you noticed

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.620
 that weddings

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:10.899
 are very rarely

00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:11.879
 mournful occasions?

00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:13.139
 Here they are

00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:14.059
 making all these costs,

00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:14.980
 paying all this money,

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:15.639
 saying all these

00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:16.379
 hard promises

00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:17.580
 and people aren't

00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:18.059
 miserable.

00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:20.639
 They're rejoicing.

00:15:21.439 --> 00:15:22.500
 This is good news.

00:15:22.860 --> 00:15:23.519
 Same when you have

00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:23.939
 a child.

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:24.539
 People don't say,

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:24.759
 ah,

00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:25.519
 people didn't say

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.019
 to my mom,

00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:27.679
 I'm so sorry,

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.220
 Pauline.

00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:30.039
 Ed is going to be

00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:30.980
 so hard work,

00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:31.639
 which mom likes

00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:32.200
 to remind me of

00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:32.500
 regularly.

00:15:32.700 --> 00:15:33.600
 Even with me,

00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:34.419
 they didn't say that.

00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:35.539
 I'm sure they didn't

00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:36.659
 say it to your parents.

00:15:36.659 --> 00:15:37.559
 They would say,

00:15:37.699 --> 00:15:38.419
 congratulations.

00:15:40.339 --> 00:15:42.339
 Because some things

00:15:42.339 --> 00:15:44.079
 are worth the cost.

00:15:46.319 --> 00:15:47.319
 And knowing Jesus,

00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:47.659
 well,

00:15:47.699 --> 00:15:48.339
 what does Paul say?

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.539
 I consider all things

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:50.539
 lost compared to

00:15:50.539 --> 00:15:51.719
 the surpassing greatness

00:15:51.719 --> 00:15:53.899
 of knowing Jesus Christ,

00:15:54.419 --> 00:15:55.120
 my Lord.

00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:57.759
 With a wedding,

00:15:57.899 --> 00:15:59.519
 we celebrate something

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.519
 that's so good

00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.439
 that all the costs

00:16:01.439 --> 00:16:02.039
 are worth it.

00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:02.339
 Indeed,

00:16:02.439 --> 00:16:03.279
 sometimes the costs

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:04.240
 themselves aren't bad

00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:04.539
 for us,

00:16:04.579 --> 00:16:05.240
 but really good.

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:06.440
 you think about

00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:07.639
 what does it really

00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:09.060
 cost you to know Jesus?

00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:11.899
 For one thing,

00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.039
 it costs you your sin.

00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:16.519
 Your sin that was

00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.019
 ruining your life.

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.539
 We can think

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.220
 that obedience

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:21.639
 to Jesus Christ

00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:23.560
 is going to weigh us down.

00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:25.580
 But what we tend to find

00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:27.120
 is that when we start

00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:27.580
 to obey,

00:16:28.180 --> 00:16:29.000
 it's similar to what

00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:29.659
 it must be like

00:16:29.659 --> 00:16:30.919
 for a whale

00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:32.259
 who spent all its life

00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:32.899
 on the beach

00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:34.919
 finally making its way back.

00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:35.899
 to the ocean.

00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:37.159
 It is true,

00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:38.379
 obedience requires us

00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:39.379
 to deny ourselves.

00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:42.440
 But in a sense,

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.500
 in denying ourselves,

00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:45.680
 we find ourselves.

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:47.580
 At the heart of self-denial

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:48.759
 is love.

00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:50.720
 And by loving,

00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:51.899
 God restores us

00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:52.779
 in his image.

00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.539
 Submission to the king

00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:55.039
 of heaven,

00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.060
 it fits us for heaven.

00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:58.899
 And it makes us

00:16:58.899 --> 00:16:59.399
 heavenly.

00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.579
 my wife,

00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:02.799
 if you asked my wife,

00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:02.980
 Hannah,

00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:04.539
 who is the person

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:06.000
 who has the most influence

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:06.639
 you in your life,

00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:07.200
 she would say,

00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:08.980
 without even thinking about it,

00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:09.420
 she would say,

00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.920
 my grandma.

00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:13.720
 That's her mother's mother.

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:16.379
 She was called Rosemary.

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:18.400
 She went to India

00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.500
 to be a missionary doctor.

00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.480
 She spent about 18 years

00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:22.139
 out there.

00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:23.700
 While they were there,

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.600
 they saw absolutely

00:17:24.600 --> 00:17:25.519
 no one converted.

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:27.319
 Zilcho.

00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:29.960
 It cost them

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:30.920
 a huge amount to go.

00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:31.819
 It cost them a lot

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:32.660
 to come back again.

00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:34.660
 I only met her

00:17:34.660 --> 00:17:35.460
 a couple of times.

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:38.299
 She was one of the most

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:39.319
 patient

00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:41.039
 and lovely people

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.500
 I've ever met.

00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:42.380
 One of the things

00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:42.860
 that particularly

00:17:42.860 --> 00:17:43.420
 I remember before

00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:44.180
 is always offering you

00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:44.580
 a biscuit.

00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.160
 If you were around

00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:45.720
 at her house,

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.660
 you were not allowed

00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:47.120
 to be there

00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:47.720
 if you did not have

00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:48.759
 a biscuit in your hand.

00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:49.720
 That was very memorable.

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.759
 But I never saw her angry.

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.299
 I always saw her grateful

00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:54.740
 even though she was

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.400
 in a lot of pain

00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:55.920
 at the time.

00:17:56.420 --> 00:17:56.900
 And wonderfully,

00:17:57.059 --> 00:17:57.960
 the Lord eventually

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.900
 used their work

00:17:58.900 --> 00:18:00.200
 and brought many to Christ.

00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.200
 But obedience to Christ

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:04.220
 is no loss for you.

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:07.279
 Becoming like Jesus

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.539
 is a great gain.

00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:10.160
 It costs you your sin.

00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:12.119
 It costs you your ease.

00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.180
 But you were not made

00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:14.879
 to live an easy life.

00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:17.460
 And to come to Jesus

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.579
 sometimes costs you

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:19.440
 good things.

00:18:19.900 --> 00:18:20.940
 Good things.

00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:22.259
 But the reality

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:23.240
 is that these things

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.360
 can never satisfy.

00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:25.600
 And these things

00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:26.660
 we will lose anyway.

00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:27.740
 It's a great irony

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:29.299
 that the very things

00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:30.500
 we try and ring fence

00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:31.340
 from the Lord Jesus

00:18:31.340 --> 00:18:32.340
 are things that will be

00:18:32.340 --> 00:18:33.299
 lost to us anywhere.

00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.559
 I remember another story.

00:18:36.320 --> 00:18:37.299
 Another guy I knew,

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:38.700
 he, well,

00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:39.400
 at university,

00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:40.700
 he fell in love

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.259
 with a man.

00:18:42.900 --> 00:18:43.799
 He was a Christian.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.220
 He walked away

00:18:45.220 --> 00:18:45.920
 from Christianity

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:47.220
 to go and be with this guy.

00:18:47.660 --> 00:18:48.740
 After one month,

00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:51.039
 they broke up.

00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:52.480
 I was so gutted.

00:18:54.859 --> 00:18:55.680
 And even then,

00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:56.599
 he didn't wake up.

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.460
 But even if they'd had

00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:58.380
 a long and happy,

00:18:59.099 --> 00:18:59.420
 I don't know,

00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:00.500
 relationship together,

00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:02.620
 they just all lost

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:03.779
 each other in the end.

00:19:04.059 --> 00:19:05.000
 Everything we try

00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:05.640
 and ring fence,

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.099
 we will lose in the end.

00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.940
 But he is no fool

00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:09.640
 who gives

00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:10.740
 what he cannot keep

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.380
 to gain

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:13.099
 what he cannot lose.

00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:14.219
 and you will never,

00:19:14.439 --> 00:19:15.719
 ever lose Jesus.

00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:16.980
 And I don't know

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.159
 what you guys love.

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:19.279
 I don't know you guys

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.019
 very well at all.

00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:23.240
 And I don't know

00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:23.659
 what you've had

00:19:23.659 --> 00:19:24.539
 to give up for Jesus.

00:19:25.659 --> 00:19:26.079
 There may be

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.480
 all sorts of people here

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.000
 who've given up

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:29.000
 all sorts of things

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:30.199
 for the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:33.879
 There may be reputations

00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:34.519
 or careers

00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:35.159
 or countries

00:19:35.159 --> 00:19:36.059
 or family members.

00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:37.279
 Think about the thing

00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.419
 that Jesus Christ

00:19:38.419 --> 00:19:39.539
 has cost you most.

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:45.940
 And if it's a person,

00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:47.079
 because people

00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:48.099
 are the most precious,

00:19:51.159 --> 00:19:52.799
 think they are lovely

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.359
 and beautiful

00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:56.139
 and funny

00:19:56.139 --> 00:19:58.039
 and you have memories

00:19:58.039 --> 00:19:59.099
 of joy together.

00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:01.759
 If you ask the question,

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.740
 from where did they get

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:04.440
 their beauty,

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.079
 their loveliness,

00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.779
 their joy from?

00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:10.659
 The answer is

00:20:10.659 --> 00:20:11.539
 always

00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:14.700
 from the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:18.220
 If you sacrifice

00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:19.379
 anything for him,

00:20:20.399 --> 00:20:21.700
 you have in him

00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:22.839
 the source

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:24.059
 of whatever it is

00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:24.899
 that you sacrificed.

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.799
 You have the one

00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:27.500
 who painted

00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.259
 their beauty.

00:20:29.139 --> 00:20:30.059
 You have the one

00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:30.720
 who imagined

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.440
 their humor.

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:32.879
 You have the one

00:20:32.879 --> 00:20:33.559
 who gave them

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.899
 their personality.

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:36.639
 From where does

00:20:36.639 --> 00:20:37.359
 their loveliness,

00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.000
 their goodness,

00:20:38.159 --> 00:20:39.079
 their truth come from?

00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:40.139
 If not from him

00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:41.319
 who is eternal

00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:42.899
 and infinite love,

00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:44.059
 truth and goodness.

00:20:44.399 --> 00:20:46.019
 How lovely must he be

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:47.240
 who is the source

00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:48.000
 of all goodness,

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.199
 truth and beauty.

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:50.199
 If you have

00:20:50.199 --> 00:20:51.419
 the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:52.659
 you do not simply

00:20:52.659 --> 00:20:53.399
 have something

00:20:53.399 --> 00:20:54.279
 in this creation

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:56.099
 but the creator himself

00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:57.539
 who now mediates

00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.699
 his goodness to us

00:20:58.699 --> 00:21:00.159
 in a million of ways

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:01.000
 if we could only

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.279
 have eyes to see them.

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:04.399
 But one day

00:21:04.399 --> 00:21:05.460
 we will see him.

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:08.299
 and that one look

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:10.680
 will make up

00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:12.140
 for all the sorrows

00:21:12.140 --> 00:21:13.400
 that we face

00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:14.600
 in this life.

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:17.160
 My friends,

00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:17.960
 if we had our heads

00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:18.420
 screwed on,

00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:19.600
 we would not ask

00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:20.960
 is following Jesus

00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:21.720
 worth it?

00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:25.259
 Of course it's worth it.

00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:27.480
 Of course he is

00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:28.759
 the pearl of great price.

00:21:29.620 --> 00:21:30.940
 Of course we want him.

00:21:31.059 --> 00:21:32.000
 He is the life

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:32.819
 of our lives.

00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:34.139
 He is the light,

00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:35.419
 life of our lives,

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:36.299
 the light of our eyes,

00:21:36.379 --> 00:21:37.619
 the treasure of our souls.

00:21:39.159 --> 00:21:40.539
 The question we would ask

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:41.759
 is why on earth

00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:43.000
 would he,

00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:44.359
 the king of heaven,

00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:45.439
 want anything

00:21:45.439 --> 00:21:47.299
 to do with me?

00:21:48.919 --> 00:21:49.659
 A sinner

00:21:49.659 --> 00:21:51.019
 who has done

00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:51.919
 wretched things,

00:21:52.419 --> 00:21:53.039
 who has ignored

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:53.980
 and disobeyed him,

00:21:54.419 --> 00:21:55.059
 who has continued

00:21:55.059 --> 00:21:56.119
 to treasure things

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:56.960
 more than him,

00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:58.259
 who deserves nothing

00:21:58.259 --> 00:21:59.480
 but the fire of hell.

00:22:01.379 --> 00:22:02.439
 But the wonderful thing

00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:03.259
 is there's another way

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.740
 of reading this parable.

00:22:04.840 --> 00:22:05.340
 The main way

00:22:05.340 --> 00:22:06.160
 is so obviously

00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:07.400
 to give up all

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:08.200
 to take Christ

00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:08.680
 the treasure.

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:11.100
 But in another sense,

00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:13.259
 Christ is the one

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:15.259
 who sold all for us

00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:18.500
 to make us his treasure,

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:20.360
 us of no worth.

00:22:21.360 --> 00:22:22.559
 Not ceasing to be

00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:23.259
 what he was,

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:25.519
 he became what he was not.

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:27.580
 The eternal made in time,

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.140
 the infinite made finite,

00:22:29.140 --> 00:22:30.620
 God become man.

00:22:31.040 --> 00:22:31.840
 And his family

00:22:31.840 --> 00:22:33.620
 did call him mad.

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:36.140
 And all his friends

00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:37.120
 left him.

00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:39.480
 He had no wealth,

00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:40.940
 no place to lay his head.

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:42.160
 He was persecuted

00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:42.820
 and beaten.

00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:43.780
 He was mocked

00:22:43.780 --> 00:22:44.500
 and slandered.

00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.460
 His clothes

00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:46.420
 were stripped from him

00:22:46.420 --> 00:22:48.100
 and his career

00:22:48.100 --> 00:22:49.540
 led to a cross.

00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:51.640
 But there he died

00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:53.120
 for our sin

00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:55.719
 to make us

00:22:55.719 --> 00:22:57.019
 his treasure.

00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:00.359
 He died to bring us

00:23:00.359 --> 00:23:01.779
 who deserve hell

00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:03.500
 to the loving arms

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:04.099
 of the Father

00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:06.699
 and save us forevermore.

00:23:07.479 --> 00:23:08.139
 He died

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:09.859
 that all who believed

00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:11.039
 shall be his

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.919
 and he

00:23:12.919 --> 00:23:14.479
 shall be ours.

00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:15.319
 And so, my friends,

00:23:15.439 --> 00:23:16.859
 there is no greater treasure

00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:18.059
 than the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:20.339
 this year,

00:23:20.419 --> 00:23:21.339
 let us put our trust

00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:21.879
 in him.

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:25.099
 No matter who we are,

00:23:25.179 --> 00:23:26.139
 no matter what we have done,

00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.399
 let us come to him

00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:28.119
 as our Lord

00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:28.779
 and our God.

00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:29.980
 Let us follow him,

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.399
 submit our lives to him,

00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:33.579
 no matter what it costs,

00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:35.139
 because he is worth

00:23:35.139 --> 00:23:36.200
 everything.

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:40.200
 And if we find ourselves

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:40.960
 disheartened

00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.119
 and discouraged

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:42.799
 at the loss,

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.059
 let us remind ourselves

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:45.619
 we have

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:46.960
 the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:49.519
 the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.559
 He is ours.

00:23:51.140 --> 00:23:52.140
 And we are his

00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:52.860
 and in him God,

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:53.700
 Father, Son,

00:23:54.100 --> 00:23:54.940
 and Holy Spirit

00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:56.880
 who is worth more

00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:58.160
 than anything

00:23:58.160 --> 00:23:59.500
 in the world.

00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:01.559
 Let's pray.

00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:01.559