Antiquing
My wife and I used to go antiquing all the time or as we say in the Ozarks – antiquin “anteken.” I used to collect rock albums and my wife used to collect millafore boxes and picture frames. It was fun when I found an album that I’d tried to find for a long time and I really loved it when I found one that was priced right. The millafore boxes that my wife collected were really hard to find. So it was exciting just to see one, no matter how much they were asking for it, but we’d get really excited if we found what she collected in the price range that we could afford.
There are still several antique stores in the Springfield, MO area, but not like there used to be. I think the poor economy was to blame for the drop off in antiquing. For my wife and I, it’s mainly that our priorities have changed. I gave up collecting albums years ago and my wife really doesn’t go antiquing anymore. If she does go, she just goes to look, not with the intention of buying anything. Why? Because the material things that we used to highly value are no longer valuable to us. They don’t mean what they used to mean. You see when you focus on material things, you are never satisfied. Enough is never enough. You always want more. It is a short term pleasure and you never reach the point where you’ve gotten enough. You always want one more. Collecting anything can become an insatiable habit or hobby.
Oh, but when you find the one thing that truly satisfies, everything else fades quickly in the background. Jesus told some parables about this. The first one is found in Matthew 13:44: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that is hid in a field. Several Bible commentaries say that this treasure is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those of us are saved, who are born-again believers have this Gospel truth. We have this truth hid within us that is more precious than gold or silver. It is more precious than all the money in the world. Jesus Christ is my all. He is Lord of my life. I have bowed my knee and surrendered my life to Him.
This Gospel treasure is hid. The little g god of this world has blinded those who are not saved. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (2 Corinthians 4:4-7).
Those of us who are saved have the Gospel hidden within us. When Jesus saves you, the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. It is supernatural. You live in Christ and Christ Jesus lives in you through the Holy Spirit. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:19-20).
But this glorious Gospel is hid from those whom Satan has blinded. That’s why we come out here and preach the Gospel because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14). We want you to come out of the darkness and into the light. Our desire is for the glorious Gospel to shine unto you.
Jesus says in the parable that the man goes away joyfully and sells all that he has and buys the field. We have such a great of salvation that we are filled with joy! No one can take away our joy in the Lord! We are gloriously saved. We have repented from our sins and put our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved! Saved! Saved!
When you are truly saved, you forsake all. The apostle Paul said But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3:7-9).
Oh, when you are a follower of Jesus, you are willing to forsake all for Him. He suffered, bled and died for your sins .God drew you to Himself through the power of the Holy Spirit. You are so grateful that God saved you from your sins, from eternal damnation, that you gladly forsake all. You confess and forsake your sins. You say Lord, I’ll go where You tell me to go. I’ll say what You tell me to say and I’ll do what You tell me to do, even if that means to stand on a street corner and look foolish to the world.
In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus told the parable about the pearl of great price. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
You can search for material things, you can collect or you can go antiquing, but material things never satisfy. Enough is never enough. A person who loves money, never has enough money. Millionaires want to become billionaires. Billionaires want even more billions. They are never satisfied. Riches do not satisfy and riches profit not in the day of wrath. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
Don’t chase after riches. Don’t chase after temporary pleasures of the flesh. Don’t chase after material goods. Don’t chase after alcohol, drugs, sexual immorality or pornography. Come to Jesus Christ. Come to the One who is better than anything else. Come to the One who paid the sin debt that you owe. Come to the sinless Son of God. Come to the One who satisfies. Come to the One who takes away your sins. Come to the One who sets you free from the bondage of sin.
Come to the One who is the pearl of great price and you will look no further. Again, when you surrender your life to Jesus, you give Him your all. You hold nothing back. If you come to Jesus and try to hang onto your pet sin; that sin will drag you to Hell after you die. Jesus is the pearl of great price.
He is worthy of all of our praise. He is worthy of all honor and glory. He is the perfect One and He will not be Lord of part of your life. You must surrender fully and completely to Him. If you hold on to anything at all, then you are not fully surrendering to Him. A partial surrender is also partial rebellion. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humbly come to the Savior. Sell all out for the Lord. Give your life completely to Him. Confess and forsake your sins. Turn to Jesus. Do this today and be saved.
I used to go antiquing. I used to search for that next great find. What are you searching for? What are you looking for that you think will make you happy? Are you looking for pleasures of the flesh? Temporary pleasures? Riches? Fame? Fortune? I used to seek for worldly pleasures in all the wrong places.
But I no longer search for that next great find. I no longer go antiquing. I no longer seek alcohol or other temporary pleasures of the flesh. I have salvation. I have found the glorious Gospel. I am soundly saved. I have eternal life. The only thing I need in this world is to share the Good News with others. There is no greater honor in this life. Seek the Lord while He is near. Come to Jesus. Repent and believe the Gospel. Do this today and be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on March 18, 2016)