Luke 12:13-21; 16:1-9; Matthew 13:44-46
This is the halfway point in the series, so here’s a quick recap of what we’ve learned:
Two overarching truths:
The Kingdom of Heaven is wherever the King rules.
The Kingdom of Heaven is already here, nut has not arrived in full.
Four truths from the first four sermons:
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a party with an open invitation.
The Grace of the King is what allows us to be part of the Kingdom.
There is a high cost to being part of the Kingdom. The price is obedience to the King and the opposition of His enemies.
Life in the Kingdom requires we serve our neighbor and love our neighbors as ourselves.
Now for today’s sermon notes.
The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than anything else. The wise person invests his or her life in the Kingdom.
The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21). … A contested will can bring out greed in many of us. Jesus warns us that life is not about having many possessions. Then Jesus tells a parable about a man who stored up riches on Earth to serve him for years to come. This man had a great retirement plan, but he was too focused on himself, storing up things for himself, but not being “rich towards God”. We are warned that we should invest in God and l;ife after death instead of the life we have right now.
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-9). … Why would Jesus tell a parable where a dishonest man is the hero? Well, it’s not to encourage us to be dishonest, but to tell us to be shrewd, to be clever, with our investments. He tells us to use worldly wealth to make friends and to turn worldly wealth into eternal wealth. We should take every opportunity and every dime to show others Christ and build up treasure in Heaven.
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Value (Matthew 13:44-46). … Jesus tells us that Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure. It’s a treasure that requires we give up everything else and go all in to get it. It is a treasure so valuable we joyfully give up everything else in order to obtain it.