The Priority of Sacrifice in the

KingdomMatthew 13:44 - 46

Challenges in Understanding the Text

What did the disciples understand? “Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they said, “we do.” (Matthew 13:51)

Our challenges today An accurate understanding of the

context Balance in the interpretation

What is most precious in life

and how do we get it?

The Kingdom of God is the most precious in

life and the only access to it

is total commitment

“Total commitment is the channel to God’s best and biggest blessing flows” – Chip Ingram

Total Commitment

Freewill Courage Sacrifice

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of

great value, he went away and sold everything he had and

bought it.”

Freewill Self-determination

Voluntarily

Joyful response

FreewillJoseph, a Levite from Cyprus,

whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:36 – 37)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of

great value, he went away and sold everything he had and

bought it.”

Courage

Foolishness

Courage

Insurance

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RiskTruth

Current NewsFour foreigners; An Egyptian, South

African, a Korean and a Swede who was travelling on a US passport, have been arrested in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on suspicion of being Christian missionaries.

CourageFor the message of the cross is

foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18)

CourageBut God chose the foolish things

of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Cor. 1:27)

Courage David vs. Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

Queen Esther

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of

great value, he went away and sold everything he had and

bought it.”

SacrificeBut whatever were gains to me I now

consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. (Phil 3:7 – 8)

The Calling of Matthew As Jesus went on from there, he saw

a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him (Matt. 9:9)

(Mark 2:14), (Luke 5:27)

Total Commitment

Freewill Courage Sacrifice

Psalms 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.