Buried Treasure- Part #1

This is Sam from the masking journey podcast of her goal with the podcast is help you to try to find your way in this difficult world. Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting just seconds to enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. The following is part one of a two-part program. Do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill, you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Sanders will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose in glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose and visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious. Okay, you have your Bible in Luke chapter 6 verses 12 through 2611 title tonight's message buried treasure in a first century Hebrew was walking alone hot afternoon with a staff in his hand. His shoulders were slumped over in his tunic was stained with sweat but it didn't stop to rest the pressing business in the city, he veered off the road to take a shortcut through a field. He knew that this would not be a problem as travelers or allow this courtesy by the landowners have the fear was uneven Bessie to keep his balance. He was taken that staff and hitting the ground with when all of a sudden his staff struck something hard. He stopped what is brown begin.

Something was out of there it was on a rock, so his curiosity worn out as he jabbed the ground in this he did he saw a reflection of light, so he dropped to his knees and started digging.

Five minutes later he uncovered a case surrounded in gold by the look of it in a been there for decades with his hand shaking his heart pounding, he pried off the lot and opened the lid.

What he discover a treasure more viable than anything he could've ever imagined that Chase was feel would go jewelry and precious stones.

He felt himself some wealthy man must buried the treasure and – suddenly taken the secret of his location with him. He looked around, but he did notice that the homestead anywhere. So what he did. He buried the chest and mark the spot.

PCP figured that the current land owner must not have known what was hidden on this property.

That's what he buried what spot he turned to head home. But now, instead of being slumped over.

He was skipping like a child smiling broadly with a song in his heart and as well as face they could not believe his fortune. He knew he had to have happened. Treasure but also knew he could just take it by law. Whoever purchased the field assumed ownership of everything in the land but how could he afford to buy felt himself about a similar form my crops, to all the oxen yes are still everything sure that will be enough. From that moment forward his life. Man was never the same. The treasure captured his imagination, it became his reference Port's new center of gravity, he began to take every new step in life. With this new treasure in mind as he experienced a radical paradigm shift in Matthew 13 verse 44, Jesus tells a similar story lease is the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field when a man found it to hear it again and then in his joy when sold off everything he had and bought that field in his wonderful book the treasure principle which is written by Randy Alcorn. By the way, you should read this book for you.

Gasset don't like the rain it's only 60 pages long and is just a little booklet, Randy Alcorn writes all your life you been on a treasure.

Did you know that you been searching for a perfect person in a perfect place if you're Christian you forget that person was his name and and you're headed to that place heaven. I completely agree with what Alcorn rotates from the moment we are born we are searching for treasure some treasure that will satisfy the inner longings of our hearts and give us purpose, meaning, joy, peace, and even eternal life that treasure is God he is the only one man know this from experience who can satisfy the deepest desires of your heart.

San Augustine like this. You made us for yourself. The Lord in our hearts are restless until they rest in the living ask your question.

Be honest. What is your treasure. Who is your treasure. Jesus said in Matthew 621 for where your treasure is, there also will be your heart is able to look at Luke chapter 6 verses 12 through 22nd. What would I do not is willing to dig for hidden treasure. You ready to follow along with me. Luke writes in verse 12 one of those days she's going out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, because he called his disciples to him and shows 12 of them.

We also designated apostles. Simon renamed Peter his brother Andrew, James and John were the fishermen, Philip Bellamy Matthew the tax collector Thomas Downing Thomas James son of Alpheus Simon who is called the seller, Judas of James and Judas Iscariot can try to think about that. He chose Judas knowing that he was likely a good man so man here last. The first treasure that you will discover on your journey.

Call the Christian life is called what prayer Jesus is God's one and only son he understood prayer. The importance of more than anyone else.

As you stir the gospel, you discover that Jesus prayed often and he pray for long piece of time. Notice to the city.

Pray for how long all night.

You're done that I know what I know and I fall asleep after about 15 minutes to quit my time so that prayer that he prayed that night when he was communion with his heavenly father lasted about 10 hours until the sun came up there.

Why did Jesus as the son of God need to pray in the first place was because he was also the Son of Man. Remember he is the God man with you at the glories of heaven.

Scripture says in applicants 278 that he made himself nothing.

The SP says, he emptied himself, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, what is it me that he injured himself limiting what it does nothing.

It does not mean that he gave of his deity that would be absolute heresy is better than nothing of Christ emptying himself as temporarily setting aside the. The use of some of his divine prerogatives rather than stay on his throne he submitted to his father's will he enter himself, made himself nothing and came a man just like you and me flesh and blood, except he was the God man was with God and man. Thus, his glory one is on earth was veiled to the transfiguration and one day go see him in all his glory, and I came away you think the world is a local glory tonight from our Jesus sees a man Jesus completely submitted himself to the will and wisdom of his father. At this point is really beginning his public ministry, and he knows that he initiate a lot of disciples followed him many many more than the 12 essay. Pray Psalm I is he wants his father's wisdom, on whom he is to choose the price all right is such an important decision. Think about it he's going to have the gospel of these 12, at some point in cement to the world is that he's got three years ways will pour himself into these 12 men, his teaching and himself, his whole life.

Thus he saw the father's guidance before he chose the 12 and then he commissioned them to be his apostles bought 135 Sears very early. I love this verse was the best time to pray. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place. We prayed you have a prayer closet somewhere when you get alone and pray. Luke 516 says, but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed she Jesus understood this great treasure man that God gives to his children catch that you give it to his children prayer that in this prayer. This is why Jesus prayed long and often his heavenly father. Did you know that prayer is a gift from God is reserved only for his true children unbeliever stone that had a bright and only properly that they that God hears of an unbeliever is when the crowd Lord save me and did he say stem.

He becomes a heavenly father and that they can experience what it wants.

Like that is incredible fellowship with God the father 24 seven you take advantage of the gift of prayer is a great treasure Sandra Chadwick says the one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying he fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion, he laughs at our toll marks and wisdom. But Satan troubles me on when we pray a man on his knees is the most powerful man in the world. Thomas Watson said I love this prayer to light.

Think about is God's of the listing to you mean when you pray this is pretty Elijah got severe, it melts his heart. It opens his hand.

God cannot deny a praying soldier here that I got news for you if you got something there's a burden what to him tell us today.

Take it to the Lord in prayer. He's going to say yes no awake if he says no, he shall give you a reason for some point you understand it, take it to the Lord in prayer.

When I wake up in the moonlight, which is one of the more often for o'clock in the morning waterway. I just try and if I'm worried about something you didn't like time we were more. Don't wait for data set by the daylight drops away silly fierce when I'm alone and not in my bed and I'm awake and crazy sleeping I just start asking the Lord for his help. This life is difficult because you noticed it now owners to dig now for the greatest treasure of all. Look at verse 17 says he went down with them. Jesus did and stood on a level place.

This could have been gas this summer on the amount sought on the Mount.

All this could have been another sermon that he gave an owner on a plane that was similar to the civil amount either way is pretty much the same sermon is the sermon on the Mount is a large crowd of his disciples with what was there and a great number of people from all of Judea, from Jerusalem and from the coastal region around Tower and Sidon who come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases were to gotten out those troubled by evil spirits were cured and the people all try to touch them because power was coming from him and hearing them all over the bleeding woman who touched the cloak of Jesus, and she was healed instantly and he said how his escape, you touch million seven. Lord, you got a thousand people here and the woman said I was the one faith you are nothing but a touch from the master looking at his disciples. He said Blessed are you who are poor assessed really blessed if you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who wait. Now you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate she would ask Gallucci and insult you and reject your name as evil because nurses now. If you're really been an evil person that got another one God, but if there were excluding you and insulting you. Because of the name of because of the son of God because of Jesus this summer to rejoice about Jesus has a way man to give notices of turning worldly ideas in man-made philosophies upside down. What the world calls good. Jesus calls evil and lots of what the world calls evil. Jesus calls good. What the world puts forth his wisdom. Jesus calls forces and who the world holds up as a role model Jesus to test first for the chapter 1 verse 18 to 21 is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible that Ince prescribed in chapter 2, wisdom listen to what Paul writes to the church in Corinth for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, you're here that the will think you're crazy, but to us who will be in say it is the power of God.

If you experience that power man for it is written.

This is God speaking. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, the intelligence of the intelligent. I will frustrate and then publish remarks where's the man of the world. Where's the scholar where's the floss of the sage who has God is not God made foolish the wisdom of the world was sits in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him.

Catch this God was pleased to the preaching to the forces of what was preached to save those who believe in a more timely coaching. ACC said he didn't see what Amanda data across 2000 years ago has any relevance to his wife, trying to be a Christian.

Jesus truly turn the world upside down with the heretical teaching source heretical.

But what he says in this text will hit list 2010 as follows, especially for explicitly marked especially insulted and then he says he tell his followers not to pursue the shiny objects of the world treasures of the world the glories or why because those objects those things in the world that you can touch and see they were never meant to satisfy they never did that.

They date. They were like broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Jeremiah 213 says my people have committed two cents.

This is God speaking to the Israelites, but the same thing applies to United States of America that the they have forsaken me country the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold so what are some of the broken cisterns that we in America are pursuing the pursuit of wealth, the pursuit of pleasure. The pursuit of power.

The pursuit of popularity and yes, even the pursuit of religion.

These are all empty systems that cannot and I never will bring nourishment to your soul. You believe that's true in verses 20 through 26. Need to understand that Jesus and Jesus audience is primarily the 12 apostles, but is also still a great number disciples that gathered there listening to him and obligate many of those are still trying to figure out if the room will follow him and do some of this stuff that he's talking about it if I goblet at minimum will turn away if you look at John chapter 6 it says that his DTC became so difficult that many turned away, so he looked at his disciples and said you will turn away to what Peter say he said the Lord you're the only one I think he said this, not exactly why this book think this is close, you're the only one who has eternal life. Where's can we turn towards Jesus teaching here what principal fortress ethic. The parade report once a call the first one. The calling when we Jesus is describing the heart of a man that God calls to follow Jesus second explains the cost. Jesus tells them right up front. The heavy price they will all pay it any justice warning he issues a warning to those who pursue the pleasures of this world. Also look at each one of these briefly and separately. So in describing the type Amanda got calls Jesus offers for Beatitudes there just blessed sayings that contain a nugget of truth. So these please Beatitudes provide a picture man of the dual heart.your heart because looking for who will comprise his kingdom is a condition man that he promises will bring eternal spiritual blessings, and sometimes physical blessings but is mainly talk about spiritual blessings now want to take a look at the Matthew version because it messages a little bit of more detail that Luke for some reason the myths suffer.

Matthew five I want to show you that these Beatitudes are clearly talking about their describing a man's heart. Think about your own heart as I go through this. Matthew five verse three Jesus is blessed all the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven first full Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted for six Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be field of inverse tenses.

Blessed are those who persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

How do we know that he's describing a man's heart because of the phrases he uses in spirit is a reference to a man's soul or his heart who hunger and thirst for righteousness supports to the inner desire of the heart who wants to please God and who persecuted because of righteousness describes the heart of a man whose Ashley striving to live a godly life is laying on the Holy Spirit help them.

So what kind of man God looking for figure, ready a man with a humble and contrite heart a man who grieves over his own personal sin and the sins of the world that he sees all around him yet. We should be good reading about our own sins, but also the sins of the world and look at our look at her for our country has run from God, a man who looks at his inner sinfulness. Denver pants man and he turns to Jesus for salvation and that he syncs with the spirits help to obey God's words that describe you. Therefore, because of his humility before God before God and man.

And because of his disarming to live a life of obedience to Christ. This man should not expect to win the world's award for the most popular man in town was that as I could hear right now.

If you are there right now and really make a stand for Jesus and the and you really are you not made obnoxious on me that your living for Christ and you make no bones about it.

Your family knows it and your friends know what that you I follow Jesus and how should you expect to be treated. You can expect to be excluded. To be rejected, to be insulted, perhaps to be hated and persecuted and for some to A.ugliness, to America this what Jesus said anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it. That's the person I do try to find life in the world, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it you to find life lose your life again. Jesus turning worldly philosophy on its head, take up your cross die lose your life who will say that this will set up for that as well say live your best life now eat drink and be merry. Don't worry, be happy there's a song that came out in 19 1986 and I should say I love the melody but the lyrics are horrible.

I want to be rich.

Government has no it's got a great melody. But is this lyrics or bases and I want to be rich, rich Rich is all about the money with the cross was symbolic of death, Jesus, take if you cross it symbolized what he's trying to get at me and she wants our total commitment to the total commitment is disciples and he was warned them that death was, in fact, the 10 of them. They all died as martyrs yellow to didn't worry Judas who join himself and John a God who is X out allow the Patmos I got news for the same is still the same call for commitment is still true today. If you're to be a true follower of Jesus, and you gotta be all in return for the football team.

We all in return for the best voting for you all in. We go to a basketball game. You know what is Carolyn in Google carillon and state are some of your two major competitors are you cheering as loud as you can for you thing you fill it with Jesus.

That's what it means to be committed with your heart you Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic red if you study his life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer read his book, the cost of discipleship. He gave his life in Germany is going to preach the truth and plotted to kill Hitler and he was a minister he got sent to concentration camp where he was hung just a few days before the war ended, he wrote what Christ calls a man he bids him come in.so masculine and I have to ask myself this what is Garcia look in your heart.

Remember the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance of the Lord looks at what your heart is all about the heart man is all about your soul, I told you this before were not bodies with a soul with souls with a body is the soul that will live forever.

You have a cuticular so and Jesus only wanted to take care of it now for the warning. Figure verses 24 through 20 64102. Usual rich you've already received your comfort. Woe to you home will fit. Now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and wait woe to catch this one when everyone speaks well of you that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. They spoke well about them. These three verses, Jesus is describing the vast majority of people.

We've all been there, relentlessly pursuing the pleasures and shiny objects of the world. So what is Jesus gives such a strong warning other two reasons.

First, Jesus Morse and he knows more so than anyone else, that this world holds nothing, nothing, man. They can truly satisfy not well not health, not education, not religion and not pleasure negligent exercise, but that the exercise just helps you feel good for that day you get to the next day I get out exercise. But I will keep own.

So why were these things not satisfied, they can they can deliver what they promise true joy, true peace and everlasting Jesus will recover one of the well during this war will never satisfy you always reverse living well the first is a living will. Jesus being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ. You've been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources@writingpurpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

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