Introduction: Treasuring God Matthew 13:44. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. I. The problem of getting stuck in the Christian life 2 Peter 1: 5-8 Give all diligence to grow your faith in moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. He has forgotten what God has done as detailed in verses 1-4. John Piper: Sin is what we do when we are not satisfied with God. Heart dynamics: seeking false Saviors worldly treasure, when we do not believe God and His ways will be satisfying to us, or give us what we think we need. The point: If I don t treasure God, I will seek competing treasure and stay stuck II. Treasuring God to Effect Personal Change into Christlikeness. 2 Corinthians 3:18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Beholding: John 14 if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature. Hebrews 12:2 fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Being Transformed: The power to be transformed resides in beholding the glory of the Lord treasuring Him--Who He is, what He has done-- and not in focusing primarily on our own achievements or failures. From glory to glory we are moving closer to the likeness of Christ. The Point: Treasuring God is necessary to effect personal change. 1
III. Ways to Encourage Treasuring God 1. Model it 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Ps 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life;in Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. 2. Explain the Attributes of God a. God is love. You can t do anything to make God love you more. You can t do anything to make God love you less. Romans 8: 35-38 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing (including yourself -- we cannot be separated from Gods love, even by our own sins and failures) will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God s love compels me to change to live for Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ compels us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. b. God is good. Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Luke 11:11, 13 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! He is always up to something good in what is happening in my life and yours. 2
God s goodness seen in Grace and forgiveness 2 Cor 12:9-10 And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 1 Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1 John 1:8-9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Isaiah 66:2 But to this one I will look, (He won t ignore/reject me when I come to Him) To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. Psalm 51 c. God is merciful. Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Mercy defined: (thoughts from Jim Berg). rescuing someone from his miserable condition d. God is sovereign Psalm 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 Yours, O, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O, LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. 12 Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Pro 21: 1 The king s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. 3
If we don t believe in the unchanging attributes of God we will struggle to overcome sin, because we doubt His promises, His love, His grace, our salvation, and we will be discouraged by failure, tempted by false treasure. But recalling them to mind brings us spiritual stability: Lamentations 3: 21-25 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD S loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. Homework Ideas based on the attributes of God: Describe some situations in your life when it seemed that God was not in control. How did you respond to those situations? How might that have been different if you were clearly understanding the sovereignty of God? God is faithful. Read Psalm 107. Notice the cycle of rebellion, discipline, cries for help and God s deliverance. In what ways have you seen this cycle in your life? Re-read all the references above about God s sovereignty (or other attribute you are studying). Choose one each morning and ask: How does this characteristic of God help me in my struggle today? In what ways are you ensnared by sins you do not seem to be able to overcome? To what extent do you doubt God s forgiveness? How discouraged are you by your own failures? In what ways do you fear what might happen in your life? How does reviewing and believing (reckoning them to be true) God s character help you to handle these challenges of life? Pray Ephesians 3:14-21 for yourself. Write down from a concordance all the references to God s love. Read through the list. Choose 5 of the Scriptures that are most helpful for you in your situation to meditate on and memorize. 3. Focus on the work of God in Christ If God never did another thing for us, in His love He has already taken care of the most important thing we will ever need. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 4
1 John 4: 9-10 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. The greatest demonstration of God s love is in Jesus: both in His life and death. God reached out in love to us when we hated Him. 4. Point out the contrasts between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven. Light vs darkness. Beauty vs ashes, Hope vs despair. Wisdom vs foolishness, Knowledge vs confusion; righteousness vs evil; truth vs lies; love vs hate; all fulness vs emptiness; purpose vs futility; grace vs wrath; peace vs strife. In fact: life vs death. The contrast could not be any greater. John 8 points out many of these contrasts. Example of Moses (Hebrews 11:24-26). Jesus in Matthew 6:19ff. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Christ desires not to deprive us of treasure, but to direct us in the choice of it. He says, love the right things. Homework reading: John 8; Psalm 19; Psalm 119. 5. The invitations of God The kindness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4) Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, Says the LORD, Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Isaiah 55: Come, Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk, Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 5
John 15:4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you. Revelation 2:17 The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Matthew 11: 28-30. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Homework: How have you been beaten down (to be weary)? How have you been burdened? Is the heart of God shown in this verse how you have pictured His heart toward you? If not, how is it different? 6. Songs that Worship His greatness Behold Our God Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus How Firm a Foundation Jesus I am Resting, Resting 7. Self-examination Homework: What is it about God that is not satisfying to you, that would tempt you to seek comfort from other sources than God? What are your if onlys. What is it about the Gospel that you do not understand, so that you would seek hope and comfort through other means? What fears do you have regarding God that hinder you from trusting Him? What do you fear that God will not give you? What past disappointments do you have in God that motivate you to seek help through other means? In what ways have you been angry or disappointed toward God. 8. Illustrations: Time to Tan! Time to Eat! Time to Change! The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44 6