Luke 12:13-34, What Do You Seek?

Luke chapter 12 verses 13 to 34, hear the word of the

Lord. Someone in the crowd said to him, teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

But he said to him, man, who made me a judge or arbiter over you?

And he said to them, take care and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

And he told them a parable saying the land of a rich man produced plentifully.

And he thought to himself, what shall I do? For I have nowhere to restore my crops.

And he said, I will do this. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones.

And there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years.

Relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, fool, this night your soul is required of you.

And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

And he said to his disciples, therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.

For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens.

They neither sow nor reap. They have neither storehouses nor barn. And yet God feeds them.

Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life?

If you then are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even

Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so closed the grass, which is alive in the field today and tomorrow was thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you?

Oh, you of little faith. And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.

For all the nations of the world seek after these things. And your father knows that you need them.

Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. May the

Lord add his blessings to the reading of his holy word. Well, in 1987, my brother accompanied me to move from Alabama, my home in Alabama, to a seminary in California, and brought along one tape, just one, on a 2 ,000 -mile journey.

The tape was of a recently released album by a new group called U2. With little else to listen to, we heard that album over and over and over again, including its signature song,

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. That song became wildly popular, hitting number one that year, and this year, 2017, marks the 30th anniversary of the release of that album, and so U2, which is still together, still touring, is doing another

Joshua Tree tour this spring and summer, for which they sold 1 .1

million tickets in the first 24 hours of ticket sales, and in part, large part, because of the popularity of that song.

Now, the song, at first, sounds kind of like a typical love song, you know, I've climbed the highest mountain, I've run through the fields only to be with you.

Oh, so sweet, huh? But then, in the middle, it takes a kind of odd spiritual turn, and is considered partly, actually classified, as partly a gospel song.

And the last two stanzas are openly, but kind of searchingly, Christian.

I believe in the kingdom come, that all the colors will bleed into one, bleed into one.

I assume he means when God's kingdom comes, then there'll be no more racial division. But yes, I'm still running.

You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains, carried the cross of my shame.

Oh, my shame, you know I believe it, but I still haven't found what

I'm looking for. What are you looking for? I think some people are afraid if they invest all their life, their money, their time, their relationships, into Jesus, into the

Lord, even if they believe, they still somehow won't find it, won't find him, find the kingdom they believe is coming, but still seem so far away.

And so, they don't. They give up and they spend their time seeking for other things, things that they're more confident in, that they can find.

Maybe cash, maybe a comfortable retirement, maybe romance, fun times, trophies, whatever, attainable things, the things they believe are attainable.

They might think it's fine that you are willing to seek the

Lord. They might even admire you for being willing to do that right now. But for them, they're not.

They just don't believe they'll find what they're looking for. After all, why seek for something you don't think you'll be able to find?

Others think we don't really start even seeking, really, for spiritual fulfillment until we take care, you know, for God, before we take care of what they think are more basic requirements first.

That is, they think life is kind of like baseball. You know, we find one thing, we get to one base, and then we run to the next thing, the next base, and hopefully at the end, we'll finally be home safe.

Sociologist Abraham Maslow taught that people have what he called a hierarchy of needs. It's kind of like a pyramid.

You start at the basic things and you go up and up, beginning with basic physical ones of food and clothing and shelter.

And then, you know, once you got that, then you need safety. After all, once you get a house to keep the rain off of you, you want to put locks on the doors to keep the criminals out, protect your property, and then you need love, hopefully other people in the house to share with who love you.

And then you want to belong to other people out there in society. Maybe you come to church for that. Then you need esteem.

You want to be respected. You want to be affirmed. And finally, at the very top, what he called self -transcendence.

Otherwise, you're giving yourself to others, giving yourself to a cause that's bigger than yourself, maybe if you're into that kind of thing, maybe into God.

And so people seek different things at different times. You know, like a baseball player first seeks, you know, start out seeking home base, unless you hit a home run, but you start out seeking first base.

And then if you got that, then maybe you'll seek second and you'll third and so on. Some parents, so, will insist for their children, you know, you got to seek that the next thing you need to seek is your career, which you'll get through a good education.

Seek education first to get to your career. And so you can have your house and food taken care of.

And then you can think about marriage. Some of the same parents also advise their children not to get, not to let church get in the way of that first thing you need.

Don't let it get in the way of your grades. Don't spend too much time on it. Little religion's fine, but don't spend too much time on it so that it distracts you from preparing from your career, that it gets in the way of your love life or if you're

Chinese, of your future family, just another way of putting it. In this culture, I think some people here would think it's just bizarre the way

I object to youth, especially girls, dropping their church commitments to go dating on Sunday mornings.

They just think it's odd that you think that's odd, that I think that's a distortion of priorities.

Mary's mother advised her not to get baptized when she was a teenager, when she got converted, because Mary's mother said that might get in the way.

If you got baptized, that might get in the way of a non -Christian, particularly a Buddhist husband wanting to marry you if you're baptized.

And she said, that's not happening. I'm not marrying a non -Christian, and so she got baptized. Someone on a pastor's search committee once said to me that he couldn't imagine a youth, a teenager or young adult, being focused on seeking

God. He said, when I was youth, I had too many other things I was interested in. I thought youth should be the time when it's easiest to be passionate about seeking

God. You know, before you're tempted with the bills due and the practical things, you're tempted to seek first dollars or houses or the relationship.

Of course, many think it's okay whatever you're seeking, just as long as you're not seeking to hurt anyone else.

So seek whatever you like. If you want to be rich, that's fine. Then go into business, fine.

If you're looking for a partner, good luck to you. You know, keep your eyes open. Go on a website if you need to.

If you're seeking God, more power to you, fine. There's churches for that. But here

Jesus says, there's one thing first and foremost that we should above all seek.

And he promises, if you're really looking for it, you'll find it.

And we see that here in three major parts. First, the request, then the requirement, and finally, the resolution.

Is that good, Noah, three R's? All right, yeah, you're more paying attention. You got to get my alliterations.

I do them for you, in part. First, there's a request. A man is looking for something from Jesus, but he's not going to find it.

He requests, teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. And Jesus responds, man, kind of cool.

Who made me a judge or arbiter? Literally, the word there means divider over you.

It's not really a question, okay? He's not asking the man, who made me? He's not asking for information back.

He's saying it really in another way what he said in the Gospel of John. I have not come to judge the world yet.

Not this time. Judging, dividing, the sheep and the goats will be divided, but that's not my purpose right now, is what

Jesus is saying. But that's what this man wants out of Jesus. He's one of the thousands who are flocking, sometimes even stampeding, to come hear

Jesus, and he calls Jesus, teacher? It probably was rabbi, originally.

If you're Chinese, it would be lao tzu. It's a term of respect. And he was, so he addresses

Jesus with a term of respect. And in that day, it would be common to ask a respected spiritual leader, like your favorite rabbi, for help, for advice of all kinds.

Not just about spiritual things, but you know, tell my brother to intervene in this case. And so this man would consider himself, just the fact that he addresses

Jesus like this, the fact that he asks Jesus for this information, for this help, shows that he considers himself a follower of some kind of Jesus.

But what is he really seeking? Well, he's seeking money. He's seeking property.

Seeking some inheritance. His greedy brother is keeping it all, cutting him out, and he wants

Jesus to intervene and tell that rascal to let him have his fair share. But Jesus came to seek sinners, not to help sinners seek stuff.

Now, just here, much modern religion would be on the side of the inheritance seeker.

You understand? They would understand the man, what he's after.

They would think God exists, as many people think, to help me get the stuff

I want. That's what he's for. That's why we have our religion, to help me get what

I want. If you want health, then you pray. Is it that why so many prayer meetings are concerned with requests for healing?

Isn't it? If you want wealth, God will help you get it.

Now, the prosperity gospel, if we just put it, is simplistic, and it's honed this to a simple quid pro quo contract.

You know, you give so much to God, and he'll give you more back. But most people kind of know better than that's, that that's kind of a, you know, that didn't work like that.

But many people, more sophisticated, think, well, if I just arrange my life in a good way, it will come back in, you know,

I'll generally get a good physical material return back. So even me and many people who know better than that think

God is useful to me, insofar as he can help me get the stuff

I want. So he'll help keep me healthy, or he'll give me the job that will supply my health insurance, which will help keep me healthy, that he'll give me a comfortable life so I can have the stuff

I want. Now, we might be interested in what he has to say, you know, because you got to, you want to learn the terms and conditions of the contract so you don't void it, right?

You don't accidentally mess up. And so we want to stay on his good side and get the stuff that helps us get the stuff that we're after.

And if we have to pay him a little bit, you understand that, that's the way life is.

It's like premiums on your health, on your insurance, insurance of all kinds. You got to pay back God, got to pay his premiums on his insurance.

But make no mistake about it, we're no more seeking him, God, than we, you know, than we seek to love and worship all state, our farm bureau, our progressive and whatever your insurance is.

We don't, we don't do that. We don't love them. I love you, you know, flow the progressive insurance lady.

No, they're just part of our strategy to get what we want. And so Jesus warns in verse 15, you notice it's a double warning because he emphasizes it, repeats it with emphasis, take care and be on your guard.

You think just one of these would be enough, but he's really slowing us down and you make, pay attention, take care and be on your guard.

A double warning against something that if we're careless, we'll let slip by.

If we're not on our guard, we'll slip into against all covetousness.

Now notice how sweeping Jesus's terms are, be careful and alert for, you notice he doesn't say against excessive covetousness or acquisitiveness or whatever you want to call it.

He doesn't say, don't be overcome by purely selfish greed.

You know, in contrast to that good greed, you can, don't worry about that. You know, they can help you in business.

He doesn't say, watch out that you don't go overboard. Otherwise a good thing.

Just don't, you know, just don't take your seeking wealth to an extreme. That's many people think what

Jesus was after. He doesn't say that. He says, be careful. Then repeats for emphasis, be on your guard against all, all.

Okay, all means all, every kind of covetousness. In other words, there's no, there's no kind of desire for things or for money, for wealth that you can see it's just kind of safe.

You can let your guard down against it. That you can kind of put behind you.

You can take your eye off because it's, it's safe. It will never hurt you.

Understand there's no kind. So it's like fire in your house. There's no kind you just let burn thinking, and well, it's not going to cause any problems.

Well, so many people think, sure consuming greed for millions and wanting to have a private jet to take me to my winter home in the

Bahamas. That might be sinfully selfish. You know, that I need to watch out for.

Maybe yearning every year for that expensive vacation while I give a token to the church. That is something

I should guard against. But just, you know, just wanting to upgrade my vehicles. A little extra money.

Maybe getting the newest gadget that Apple or Samsung is putting out. That's okay, right? That's the safe kind, right?

Notice exactly Jesus's language. First, the alarming double warning that we got to be alert against all forms of covetousness.

Every form of it. Every kind of it. You know, greed, desire for more, however you want to put it, put a nice spin on it.

Just looking for a better future. Notice though, he doesn't say, he doesn't say it's all bad.

Okay, but I think what he's saying here is like, you could say, watch out for all dogs. Now that doesn't mean that all dogs are bad.

There are nice dogs, but they could all become bad, couldn't they? If they're treated the wrong way. Here, he'd be very careful about seeking stuff.

About money. Every motivation to keep up with your neighbors.

You have the newest and the best. Even what may be the right desire to have your share of the inheritance.

Maybe this man is really the innocent victim of a greedy brother who's being shut out. But Jesus takes this opportunity to warn against covetousness.

Beware. Now, sure, it's not always evil, but it, any kind of it, can always become evil, especially if you aren't careful.

It's like fire. It can be good. It can keep you warm and cook your food. But if you're not careful, it can burn down your house and leave you with nothing.

Fire makes a great servant, but a bad master. So too with some kinds of covetousness, or what do we call it?

Desire for money, for things, or more innocently, you know, the profit motive, seeking a better life.

It can be a good servant. Some kinds can be a good servant, but all kinds are bad masters.

There is no kind of desire for material things that is not a potential danger to us.

So be careful, very careful. But you could protest, you know, what in the world are you talking about?

That's the way the world works. You know, people are motivated by getting stuff. That's what drives them to study, so they'll get a career, they'll get a job and make money.

That's what gets them out of bed in the morning, so they'll go to work. Greed is good, the capitalist says.

And capitalism is a great way to make money. It's just a horrible way to live.

It's a bad way to live because in the second half of verse 15, one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

We think we know this, but you know, our language, our culture totally shows that we've forgotten it.

Look at our language. We talk about someone's net worth. You know, so -and -so is worth so much money, a million dollars, really?

That's how much they're worth? So I can buy them for that much money then if that's what they're worth.

No, of course, okay, we've outlawed that, treating people like things that can be bought and sold.

But we still think and talk like that, don't we? That our life can be reduced to a price tag like our value increases.

The more stuff we have, the more money we have in the bank, the nicer our house is, the more buildings we have a title deed to.

And so we so we make and we hoard or maybe we invest so we can have more, be worth more.

And we insure it all, of course, because we don't want to lose any of it because that would be the ultimate tragedy, wouldn't it?

If our worth is measured with a dollar sign. Then losing stuff is the worst thing that could happen to you.

But the truth is that our life is not made of stuff that is made. Now, to prove that,

Jesus tells a story, a story about the requirement. A rich man, notice, that's how it starts in verse 16.

He's already rich to begin with. So he's not done what Abraham Maslow said people would do after taking care of physical needs and needs for security that that he would move on to higher, maybe even spiritual needs, maybe even start caring about God.

Maslow's hierarchy doesn't really work. Maybe that's for some people, but not for many other people. There are lots of wealthy people who never seem to grow past caring for anything other than their money and what it can buy.

That's the way they live their whole life. And there are poor people who don't have to have the nicest car or a big house or able to eat out at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, but will give their lives to the

Lord and will serve him and put his kingdom first. Well, this rich man had a bumper crop.

Maybe let's say he's a restaurant owner. He's already made a bundle from his restaurant business. But then he has an especially good year.

So good that he can now retire. He can move to Florida with a big house and a boat. Now, here in this parable, he's had such a bumper crop that he needs bigger barns to put it in.

And so he says to himself in verse 18, I will do this. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones.

And there I will store my all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, what kind of advice is he given to his soul?

So you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, be merry.

Notice how many times he talks about himself. In Greek, the pronoun I is used here by him eight times, my four times.

And the one time he says you, he's actually talking to himself. He displays an ingrained selfishness and inflated ego.

Now, is it wrong? Get this story. Is it is it wrong to build bigger barns if you if you need them because you've had a great harvest?

Is it wrong to deposit more into your savings account if you make more money? Is it wrong to open a second restaurant if your first one is doing so well to expand?

No, that's not the point. The point is, is what he was seeking.

You know, he's had he's rich already. And what does he seek when he gets more? Just stuff, eat, drink, relax.

Retire to spend his years eating, drinking, relaxing, having a good time. What we would now call retirement.

At least that's how many people now think of retirement, isn't it? Many people's idea of life now, their whole view of life is what you do is you work for as long as you have to until you have enough in your barns or your 401ks or your

IRAs or your pensions are stuffed in a box under your bed. Then once you have that, you live a life of ease until you die.

That's the plan. That's life. An entire large retirement planning companies, you know, now make their living and prosperously so living off of that dream and to help people live like that.

Jesus says, you fool. You forget the requirement.

There's a requirement for every one of us, for him, this man here this night, your soul, you know, the same soul that this rich man.

I've been talking to the soul that the rich man was telling that now you can relax and eat and drink and party all the rest of your life.

His soul this night would be required of him. God is now demanding his soul. And what's he going to have to show for his life?

Look, God, I made it big. I got rich and made so much. I could have relaxed the rest of my life.

You would only let me live longer. You think God will be impressed with that, with the sound business planning of a good capitalist?

You think that's what God's looking for? Something, you know, when

I make when I finally make the money. When I have enough, then

I'll relax, maybe then I'll even start seeking God, you know, maybe in between seeking golf balls and seeking fish or whatever.

For now, I'll seek more money. And Jesus says that's foolish. Don't you know that God will require your soul from you?

What what are you going to have to show for it? Are you rich toward God?

How do you get rich toward God? What does that even mean? And with that, we come.

Jesus answers that in the resolution, you know, to say be rich toward God sounds, you know, really spiritual.

But what's it mean? We know what it means to be rich in cash after all, don't we? You know, somebody we say somebody's rich.

We know what that means. A lot of money in the bank account is as rich in property is successful in business. It means multiple big homes, expensive new cars, maybe boats, maybe even planes with your name on it.

It means a big number after a dollar sign on it in your bank account. We know what that means.

What's it mean to be rich toward God? It means to have a soul that God counts as wealthy.

It's successful to him. Well, then how do you get rich toward God? Same way you get rich in money and in things.

You seek it or him. And the man asking to intervene with his brother was seeking an inheritance.

The rich man here in the parable was talking to his soul about bigger barns. He was seeking to keep his wealth, laying up a treasure for himself.

That's what he was doing. And the business person maybe seeks money makes. He's got to seek to make a profit.

We work seeking to make a living. You get rich toward God by seeking his kingdom.

That is his rule over you. And you seek it first, even more than you seek money.

Indeed, you seek money so you can use that money to seek God's kingdom. And your money will show whether you're really seeking

God, being whether you are becoming rich toward God. Your money is drawn to your loves like iron is to magnets.

If you want to make money, you want to know if you're rich toward God. It's not so hard. Take out your bank book and see where your money has been going.

Are you rich toward God? Well, what are you seeking? Jesus has a verse 22 be rich toward God and notice the connection next.

Therefore. Consequently. If you're seeking that kind of wealth.

Being rich toward God, then the result. Do not be anxious about your life.

What you will eat or about your body, what you will put on. Don't worry about that.

If you're seeking to be rich toward God. You know, you know, you're anxious when what you're seeking is threatened.

OK, I never get anxious watching a football game when I don't care about who wins on either side. I don't get anxious at all.

But if it's Alabama and Clemson is driving down the field once I got to go, I'm anxious because I care about that.

You're worried when what you're hoping for, what you're depending on is in danger.

And so if your life is is all about your body. You know, but your things, then you'll be worried if you're not sure you'll have enough to eat or clothes to wear, you know, a big house to live in.

Jesus tells us in verse 23 not to worry about that, because first notice first thing life is more than food in the body, more than clothing.

That's that's the first idea. He doesn't even promise first that we'll have enough food and clothing.

That'll come, that comes next. He does make that promise eventually, but that'll come. But first he wants us to understand that we shouldn't worry about food and clothing because life is more than that.

Now, a smart could respond. Yeah, but it's sure not less than that. You know, we need food and clothing for life.

But Jesus's point here, I think, is. No, you don't. You need it for your body to live, at least in this life.

But you are looking at yourself far too materially. If you think

I have to have food and clothing to live, but to have a life. No. Our life is far more than what can be starved or frozen.

So don't worry. To prove to us not to worry, Jesus mentions four things, four proofs that we can see the ravens, the lilies, the nations, and then.

Mysterious group called a little flock. First, if you're tempted to think life is all about seeking survival, you know, taking care of the next meal, then consider the ravens.

You know, they don't plant crops. They don't go to college to learn a skill and open a business.

And yet you don't see them starving to death, do you? Ever seen a raven on the side of a corner of a road with a sign?

Please help need food. No, God feeds them. If he's feeding the birds, how much more is he going to feed you?

You're worth more than many. Sparrows, first now ravens, whatever kind of bird you like, you're worth more than many of them.

Don't worry, then it doesn't do you any good to worry. You don't add a single hour to your life by worrying where your next meal comes from.

And then look at the lilies. You know, you've never seen a plant with a sewing machine, sewing a flower to put on.

Or maybe shopping at Ross's or maybe even if it's really poor, you know, down at Goodwill hoping to get some second hand clothes.

They don't work at their wardrobe, do they? But Jesus says in verse twenty seven, perhaps he was even picking up a flower at that right at that moment as he spoke.

Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. Talk about best dressed, you know.

Who are you wearing? The tabloid press should ask the flowers on the red carpet. Now they're doing the

Oscars tonight. They'll be asking the stars as they're coming in. Who are you wearing? How are you flowers? Who are you wearing?

They'll say back, God. God is their designer and their tailor.

Now, since he does that for plants that fade away and assume good for nothing, but to be burnt, you know, cut down and burn for fuel.

Then imagine what he'll do for you. Your life is more than food and clothes. And you can be sure he will feed and clothe us since he does it for the birds and the flowers.

He's going to do it for you, isn't he? You don't have to worry. Oh, you of little faith.

Jesus calls his audience us. I don't think he's scolding here.

He's more probably with a smile. Oh, you have a little faith, you know, as if to say, what are you so worked up about?

You foolish people. Why are you so desperate? Look around you. The evidence of their father's abundance is clear for all to see.

So in verse twenty nine. Here we come to the resolution where this is really all been heading.

Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink. Don't make your life all about that.

Don't be worried about that. But people will say back, no, it's easy to say, but, you know, if I only make enough, get enough savings,

I get enough of my bank account, everything's paid for, then I can relax. Then I can not be worried.

But the reality is you're never going to have enough. If you think like that. I know someone who made a windfall of three hundred thousand dollars in March of a year.

And by June, four months later, was panicking that she didn't have enough. They have enough.

Don't worry, Jesus says, not because you have three hundred thousand dollars. That'll go away.

I can't go away. But don't worry, because the ravens and the flowers and the father. Who takes care of them all?

They'll certainly take care of you. Oh, you have a little faith. Don't worry.

In verse 30, because the nations, that's what literally is the term their nations.

Notice there's theologically there's just two groups of people. There's those Jesus is speaking to whom the father will take care of.

And then there's these others, the nations who are looking after other things. They they they seek all that kind of stuff, the food, the clothing, the house, the people in the nations are the people to whom

God has not revealed himself. The people he's not for known are called or justified or sanctified or glorified.

They the we've got to call them not God's people. They seek such things.

They foolishly live as if their life was all about collecting as much money and things as they can until they finally get old enough to live off of that until they die.

You know, he who dies or the most toys wins is their motto. It's the game they're playing. And that's it.

They think they think nothing will be required. Nothing. There's nothing more to live for. If you're living like that.

Maybe you even maybe you believe in God and somehow think, but though he exists to to help me live like that, to make more money, to have my best life now, to retire to a hammock with an endless supply of lemonade.

If that's what you're seeking. You're living like the godless. The nations.

You're seeking the same things they are. Instead, in verse 31, instead of being like the nations, instead, seek his kingdom.

And these things, the food and the clothing you need will be added to you.

There's that promise. That's what you're to seek, though. You seek his kingdom, how to live

God's way, speak God's way, think God's way, love

God's way, hold every penny that you have God's way.

Seek him. But what if you're afraid? You'll be running, you'll be seeking, looking for God, the kingdom to come.

And yet still, after you've climbed the highest mountains and run through the fields, you still don't find what you're looking for.

Well, Jesus answers that next. Remember, I said four things. First, the ravens and the lilies and then the nations, we saw what they're seeking.

But then there's there's a little flock. It's not successful. You know, it's little.

It's not big. It's not impressive. Not only sheep. They're a little flock.

Fear not. In verse 32. Don't be afraid, little flock.

Don't worry. About seeking without finding, about spending a life looking for him, never able to find him, about pouring everything you have into an investment that will return you nothing.

Don't worry about that, because he gives the reason there. It is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom that which you seek first.

What a promise. Notice the command. Seek his kingdom first.

Seek your life to be lived under his rule, because here's the reason.

That's because it's it's good for you. That's because it's your duty. You worm you know, because God wants to give it to you.

It makes the father happy, giving you the blessings of his life is what the father desires to do.

So do it. Seek it. So the problem is the father's willing and eager to do it.

The problem, then, isn't that we might seek that, we might seek him and never find him.

There was that or that that treasure is of of his of him and of his kingdom is is is guarded by a god who is stingily protecting it.

No, he's. He's eagerly desiring to give that to us.

That's not the problem. The problem is not in our ability to find.

Well, expert trackers were asked to track down a man from Georgia who had gone out looking for a silver treasure out in the

West. And these were real expert ex -military men who knew how to track anybody. And they actually found the man in a cave.

He had been disappeared for seven years out in the West somewhere. And they found him in a cave and with his lost treasure.

But when they found him, he was so crazed guarding his treasure and silver in that cave that he actually shot at the men who were coming to try to, you know, rescue him, bring him back to his wife.

And then he ran out of ammunition to recharge his reloaded his rifle.

He lit a match and he accidentally or maybe on purpose, we really don't know, set blasting powder off that had been all around him, blowing himself and the silver treasure to smithereens.

True story. Now, some are afraid that God's treasure, you know, the treasure of knowing him, of living his way.

First, it's nearly impossible to find yet to be a brilliant expert tracker to find it. And then it's guarded by a

God who is jealously protecting it, who doesn't want to give it up. But Jesus has quite the opposite is the case.

It's God's good pleasure. It's to give you this life, the treasure of his kingdom.

The problem isn't with finding it. The problem is with us really seeking it.

Many people still haven't found what they're looking for because they aren't sincerely seeking God's kingdom. Now, they're seeking their best life now.

They're seeking a God who's like a genie in a lamp that will give them the wishes they want. They're seeking a retirement in a hammock with an endless supply of lemonade freshly squeezed by God himself.

Mind you, they're seeking their own kingdom. Now, they'll let God live in their kingdom, but it's their kingdom.

They aren't really seeking God's kingdom. How do you seek God's kingdom? But he says that next, you know, sell your possessions and give to the needy.

I would place your love for the poor, for your neighbor ahead of your love for things.

Maybe here, maybe we have a nice, maybe we have a desire for a nice. Sanctuary, we could sell the gym, maybe buy one, sit in our pews.

But what would that do for the poor? Maybe the kids of Jim Junior, the youth of Jim who wouldn't, you know, wouldn't serve them, would it?

That's the way our priorities, our place, our love for the poor, for vulnerable people like they have little ahead of our love for things, want to meet a need that they have more than you want your money, more than you want your things, your luxury, your expensive car, more than you want the vacation, the newest gadget, whatever it is.

Do you have to sacrifice to to make meeting that need possible?

Be willing to do that. Sell your possessions, give it up so you can help someone who's poor.

Now, sure, preachers, one of these preacher phrases is possess your possessions or they'll possess you. That's fine as far as that goes.

But do you know how you know? That you aren't possessed by your possessions.

You're willing to give them away. How do you know that your treasure is in heaven and not in your bank account?

By the checks, you write. That's how you get rich toward God. That's how you prepare because money bags that do not grow old, how you get a treasure in heaven where thieves can't steal in most can't eat away.

So what are you seeking? If you're looking for a retirement in a hammock with lots of lemonade, you might find it.

You might not. Even if you do, you're foolish to think that's what life is all about. You're on that American plan.

Retirement, you'll find, you know, you'll find even if you make it to the hammock and the lemonade is flowing, you still haven't found what you're looking for.

The good news from Jesus here you know, isn't just a command, a grim duty, try harder to live by his rules, seek his kingdom, even if you never perfectly make it.

But is it just that command? No. That's not what it's all about.

The good news is he's given us the command, seek God's kingdom first, where our best life really is.

And it is to him, to God, the greatest joy to give us what he commands.

You know, little flock. A little flock. If you're seeking his kingdom.

It's the father's good pleasure to give you. What you're looking for.