Dear Christian friends:

What is the most valuable thing in your life? People have various answers to this question.

Some will say, "Good health is the most valuable thing in life," and, true, good health is valuable. Others will say that a good friend is most valuable, and a good friend is precious. Some people will say that money and social position is most important.

However, because you are Christians, I'm sure that you will agree with me that Jesus Christ and His kingdom is the greatest treasure.

But, while we agree that Jesus and His kingdom is the greatest treasure does our daily life show it? I suspect that we often fail to show that we love Jesus more than anything else.

Jesus wants us to show by our daily living that He is our greatest treasure.

The three parables in the Gospel Lesson, which I read to you before, Jesus encourages us to have Him as


Have you given up everything for Jesus? The man in the first parable gave up all he had for the treasure hidden in the field. (verse 44) We have perhaps given up some things for Jesus, our greatest treasure. We give up some things when we come to church each Sunday.

If we come to church on Sunday morning we can't go golfing or fishing, or do other fun and exciting activities. Also, when you give money to support your church you are making a sacrifice for Jesus. If you give money for Church, you will not have that money to buy some things such as fine clothes or go out to eat at a fine dinner.

When you accept an office here at church you give up some time and energy you could spend for your family or for your own pleasure. Yes, church members give up some things for Jesus and Jesus sees that and is pleased to see us do that to show our love to Him, our Savior and Lord. But are we willing to give up everything for Jesus' sake?

We often fail to give up everything for Jesus as the man in the parable gave up "all he had" so he could have the treasure hidden in the field. (Verse 44) Jesus says in Luke 14:33, "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."

One day a rich, young man came to Jesus and asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me." (Matthew 19:21) The rich young man refused to do that. He loved his money and possessions more than he loved Jesus.

Often we are the same as that young, rich man. We fail to give help and give money to those in need. We fail to give to church and the needy as we are able. And when we do give help, we may fail to do it with joy and eagerness. The man in the parable gave up everything with "joy" and eagerness.

So, we often fail to sacrifice everything for Jesus, our greatest treasure. We are sinners. But, thank God Jesus did not fail to sacrifice everything. What we have failed to do, Jesus has done for us. This we learn from the second parable in our text. (verses 45-46, read it!)

The "merchant" is Jesus, the Son of Man. The pearl "of great value" is the church. As the merchant sold everything he had so that he could buy the pearl of great value, so Jesus gave up everything so that He could redeem, buy back, the Church from sin and Satan.

Jesus bought the church, not with money, but with His precious blood, which He shed upon the cross. 1 Peter 1:18:19, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Jesus gave up His life and blood to save us sinners who often fail to give up our things and life for Jesus and His kingdom. Also, God the Father sacrificed His dear Son to save the church. St. Paul says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all." (Romans 8:32)

God the Father and Jesus, His Son love us, the church, like the merchant in the parable loved the pearl of great value. The church is precious to God. God gave up everything. Himself, to save the church.

If we believe in Jesus, His sacrifice becomes our sacrifice. His love becomes our love, His holiness is our holiness. We are His bride, without spot or blemish.

Paul writes: "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27)

And Christ makes sure that we have faith in Him. He feeds His Church through the Word and Sacraments by which the Holy Spirit comes to us daily forgiving our sins and keeping us believing in Him.

Therefore, we can store up treasure in heaven, not fearing judgement day. Jesus shows that with the third parable in our lesson, The Parable of the Fish Net. (verses 47-50)

When men throw the net into the water the net catches both good and bad fish. Whey the men pull the net on land they separate the good fish from the bad fish. They keep the good fish but throw the bad fish away. Jesus says, "This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (verses 49-50)

Who are the "the righteous?" Those who confessed their sins and trusted in Jesus for their Savior. By faith they have put on Jesus' perfect righteousness. Jesus is their greatest treasure. We are the righteous ones. Jesus has made us that!

Therefore, we can store up treasure in heaven, not fearing the judgement that is coming any time now.

With love for Jesus we eagerly do what He tells us to do in Luke 12:32-34, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Jesus has bought us from slavery to Satan that we be His brothers and sisters and sons of the Father, that we may live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him, not in slave like fear but as free heirs of the kingdom. He helps us to turn from the deceitfulness of worldly wisdom and wealth, that we may give up all that we are and have for the sake of the Kingdom.

Here on earth we are as poor and as having nothing because we have not yet received our inheritance. But there in heaven we will be rich. We will have riches that are never exhausted, that greedy C.E.O.'s cannot steal, that moths and rust cannot destroy.

In these three parables (compare stories) Jesus encourages us to serve Him and sacrifice everything we have because we will have treasure in heaven. In Jesus our services are not sacrifices, but "storing up treasure in heaven."

Amen.