What Do You Treasure? (Pt. 2) | Francis Chan

I want to start uh with us just focusing on a verse of scripture. Okay? I just want us to all just stare at it because sometimes I'll like read a scripture and then I'm real quick to explain it. And it's like, you know what? I really want God's words to stand above mine.

Like this came straight from him. I'm not messing it up. I'm not explaining it. I just want you to read it and just soak it in. So, we're going to throw it on the screen. And it's Matthew 13 verse 44. Oh God, help us to treasure you that much.

God, open our eyes. Lord, I just I love too many things sometime. God, help us to treasure you that much and your kingdom as we talk about the kingdom of heaven and being your children. Open our eyes to just how wonderful that is. God, some of us grew up in church, so we hear these phrases for so many years, they they just lose their meaning, their worth.

But right now, God, I pray that you again would just shock us. Like, are you kidding me? We could have you. We could be called son, daughter of the creator. we could be forgiven of everything in awe of your gospel again. That the creator of all things watched his son suffer on a cross for me.

And I can know that God and I can know his son and be one with him. Where do I sign up? What do I have to give up? I don't even care because you are that wonderful, that good. Remind us of your goodness this morning. How great your kingdom is so that everything else just seems silly.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen. You know, last week Dave read the story of the rich young ruler. You know, the guy that wanted to follow Jesus and okay, Jesus, I I want the kingdom of heaven. What do what do I got to do? And Jesus says to him, we'll sell everything you have and give it to the poor.

And the guy was shocked by that. And he just walked away sad. And Jesus just looks like, "Oh, it's so hard for the rich." Because because that guy was thinking, "Oh, man. I I want the kingdom. I want Jesus." But but he went away sad because he go because he had a lot of stuff.

He goes, "Man, everything. You want me to give up all of this?" He's like, "I don't know if I can do that. I don't know. I don't, you know, all of my stuff. I'm still young. I'm in charge of all of this stuff. I have all this stuff and I don't know.

I mean, I want you. I want you, Jesus. But and he just goes away sad. And then you contrast it to this parable of this guy that sees this treasure in a field so big so great that he just covers it all up and and he goes to the guy goes, "Look, I want that field.

I want that field. I'll give you everything like joyfully like, please take everything I own. Take everything I own. Just give me that field. Just give it to me." You see the contrast? There's one guy that's that's looking at the kingdom of heaven and going, "I don't know.

I've got a lot of stuff." And there's the other guy that's going, "Just give it to me. Just give it to me. I'll pay any price." And it's not like that. He's like, "Oh, trying to figure out it says with joy." So, one guy is sad, one guy is thrilled.

One guy's kind of measuring, is this worth it? And the other guy's like fanatic, obsessed, like, I can't believe I can have this. I cannot believe I could have this field. I will do whatever it takes. This field is that awesome. So my question for you this morning is, who do you more resemble?

Just think about yourself and go, which guy do you look like? See, last week when we were done speaking, I had a couple a few of you came up and and a lot of the same questions which made me think, okay, maybe I wasn't so clear or this or that, but but but one of the questions that came up from a few of you is, so what are you saying?

Do I need to quit my job? Do I need to sell everything? Do I have to quit my job? Do I have to sell everything? You know, you you talk about this race for the bottom and this this servant thing. Does that mean I shouldn't work a job?

Does it mean I should just live in a tent? Should I, you know, should I live in the street? Should I just give everything away to the poor? And my answer, you know, to some of you was, well, first of all, not necessarily, maybe. I don't know. You You just have to think what's best for the kingdom of God.

As long as you're seeking first the kingdom of God and thinking, okay, what if if if we're trying to reach the world and make Jesus famous? Okay. H how do I fit in that? Because for some of us, it would be wrong for you to quit your job.

You know, you think through the kingdom and go, gosh, the best thing you could do is I I don't know if you necessarily would be the best one to go overseas, but you are making so much money you could support like a hundred missionaries. It's just are you thinking through kingdom?

And there's nothing wrong in making a lot of money. In fact, some of you should make more money. You know, it's like you're not being faithful to the gift you've been given. But the question is is how much of that money are you spending on yourself? Just because you make a ton doesn't mean you're supposed to spend a ton on yourself.

It's like, man, I'm thinking through the kingdom. I'm thinking, you know what? I have this opportunity and why would I go to India if I could if I could sponsor, you know, a thousand literally missionary? I could pay for them full time. If I just live simply and live my I think this is best for the kingdom.

As long as you're really seeking his kingdom and not your own. You It's just It's just thinking this through. What? God, what did you make me for? Because I want to fulfill that. I want to do that. Man, there was a time when when I did we, you know, my family, we we left.

We we went to India, Thailand, and we're sitting in this orphanage in Thailand. And and I'm so happy. I'm like thrilled. We we were there for like a month and I'm watching my kids wake up and they're helping these these orphans or these kids have been sex trafficked that that we've rescued.

We're building playgrounds and this and this and this. And I'm going, man, this is so cool. But I I started to just think through me going, God, this is awesome. I love this. But why did you make me? Am I supposed, you know, did you make me to be in Thailand?

Because I'm happy here. I actually like it more. Okay. But what did you make me for? I don't even speak Thai, you know? I It's like, why is this really where I'm supposed to be? And is this the best use of me for your kingdom? Because it's not about me, God.

I think I'd be happier here. I think I enjoy this more. But I just think through God, what did you make me for? Because I want to use it. I want to be used up. I want to be spent. I want to be emptied just like Jesus was.

Um, so my first answer, do I have to quit my job, sell everything? No, not necessarily. Maybe, um, do what's best for the kingdom. But my other answer is this. Do I have to quit my job? Do I have to sell everything? Have to have to. If everything in your your faith is about have to versus get to, then I got to ask, man, you got to pray for your heart.

Okay? Because it's that want of are you kidding me? Okay, you can give me that feel like I want that. I want that. I want that versus I have to sell everything to follow. You see the difference? It's that heart attitude. It's like how great, how beautiful is the kingdom to you that you go, I get to do that.

I was talking to Dave, you know, this week we're praying together, working the lesson together, which I just got to say, I love Dave. I love David Lis. Okay, can I just say that publicly? I just love him. Okay, good. Good. You should love him. Okay. But, you know, we're just praying, talking about stuff, and then, you know, we were just talking about this have to versus get to and and and he he was just talking about he goes, "Man, I I want them to get that."

Like, I don't know if you know this. I don't know if he would say this, but but David, he you know, he he he before he came here, he had this vision of this, you know, this body in San Francisco. And so he sold his house and cashed out his retirement and quit his job.

But it wasn't like, "Oh, look at this." It was like, "Are you kidding me? Okay, okay, okay. Why? I can I can actually maybe lead the body of Christ in in San Francisco in a in a new way. Oh, okay. You know what? Come on, Ash. Let's just sell the house.

Let's just drain the savings. Let's just let's just quit the job. let's just go for it because that'd be so awesome because this would be so much better. You know, it's it's just this desire like I get to do this. You've got to be kidding me. And and and what happens for those of us who get the kingdom of God is Jesus himself.

You look at Jesus and the life that he lived on earth and you go, "Wow, that was awesome." God, Jesus is so incredibly beautiful. So, he had all the riches of heaven. He had all of that and he emptied himself and he took the form of a man, took the form of a servant and made himself obedient to death and death on a cross.

Like he had that type of self-control and all he did was just give, give, empty himself. And then you lifted him up forever and ever and ever. Like you you look at that and go, "God, I want to be like that. God, that is so beautiful. I'm not that.

God, I I'm self-centered. I'm all about me. I just think about me." And he just thought about others. And he was strong enough to let people abuse him, spit on him. Like, God, I want to be that loving. I want to care that little about this temporary life.

Like, that's so beautiful to me. God, I if I could be like Jesus by the end of my life, that would be awesome. That's why, like I shared about that village in China where the whole time I'm there, I'm like, God, okay, this is what I want. This is what I want to be.

That selfless person, that Christlike person that's just constantly giving to others. Like, that's beautiful to me. That's a beautiful kingdom to me. That takes some strength. That takes some courage. That takes some like unbelievable love. God, that's what I want to be though. See, it becomes attractive and you go, "God, I would love to be like Jesus.

I pray that I could be that beautiful." And that's what the early believers did. They were in this pursuit of Christlikkeness. They're like, "Okay, Jesus emptied himself. He made himself nothing. He gave just emptied himself for others. I want to do that. I want to do that. And I want to do that."

And then what happens? The Bible says is the people in the world started calling them Christians. It's like you guys are like Christ. We're going to call you Christians. Haha, you're a Christian. Like that was almost like it wasn't they themselves like hey we are the fragrance of Christ.

No, it was the world. The world looked on and goes oh man you guys are like Christ. You just give everything over. You're selling your possessions, caring for we call you little Christs. See, that's the way it all started. It was their lifestyle, the way they lived, that they were seeing Jesus as so beautiful that they just they strove to be like Jesus.

They saw it as a beautiful thing because that's his kingdom. I want to reread another passage um that we looked at last week. It's Matthew 6 19- 21. Matthew 6 19-21. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So don't don't do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be. See, I want my heart to be in heaven. It's not always there. I want to long. In fact, this week, how many times did you long for heaven this week?

See, I I want to be this person that's not thinking about this just this. I want to, you know, that's that's that's who we are as believers. That's our identity. We long for his return. Come, Lord Jesus. I want your new kingdom. I I want the new heaven, the new earth where you're right here and we're rewarded for all the suffering that we went through and everything else.

And there's it's just going to be right, God. I long for that. Long for that. Long for that. I want my heart to be like that. And what Jesus says is, well, if you want your heart to be like that, he goes, then put your treasure there. It's it's no different than some of you invest uh for retirement.

Maybe you put a fortune away for retirement. So, you're thinking, man, when I'm 65, when I'm 65, I'm going to have such a blast. I mean, that's your choice. You can do that, you know, but it's it's this whole thing of I can't wait to get there. I'm going to stop working.

I'm going to golf if my back still is okay. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. You're just looking forward. Why? Because you've put a treasure there. And so you look forward to it. Jesus is saying don't don't put all this treasure on this earth because you'll just start anticipating it too much.

You'll long for I I was at a a friend's house um this week in Malibu. And it was like my dream house. Like it was just crazy, crazy, crazy. And I just thought to myself, I I couldn't live here. If I lived here, I wouldn't want to leave, you know, like like I I don't want that.

I I I don't want my heart because if I got I' I'd be so looking forward to moving into that place and having friends over and everything else that that's where my heart would be. So there's things that it's almost like when he says, "Hey, don't lay up treasures for an earth because what it's going to do is it'll make you attached to the earth."

But start giving stuff away and you'll start getting attached to I can't wait to die. I have so much waiting for me. It's going to be amazing. It's going to be amazing. Rather than I don't want to die. I don't want to die. you know, cuz everything's here and I got I got a great future coming.

It it's just like no, no, no. This is going to be awesome. Um I'm anticipating anticipating it, you know. So, it's so while there's this desire, there's also this what I see in here is some discipline where you go, okay, you know what? I want my heart there.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to start getting stuff for me. My wife and I early on, you know, we we started a church. Um, this was like 23 years ago and and uh I same thing. It was like this excitement of I'm going to quit my job and uh we're just going to live off of nothing.

And you know, it was just but the body of Christ, this is so beautiful. This is so good. Let's just make it happen. Well, what happened is the church started growing and the income to the church started getting bigger and bigger. And I was just like, "Honey, I want to stay focused on eternity.

I I don't want to uh, you know, just I I I want to sacrifice for the king. Like, that's attractive to me. Let's just let's just limit our salary. I mean, just because the church grows doesn't mean our income should grow." I go, "We're happy right now. Look, we're making 3,000 a month.

We're good. We're good." The Bible talks about being content. Let's just say we'll never take a raise. you know, unless something crazy crazy happens, but let's just let's just do that and see if God provides. And so, even as a church start bringing in millions of dollars every year, we're like, we're good.

This is cool. This is good because I don't want to just love this stuff because I know me. I know how I get. I know how I love to play. I know I love to eat. I know all of these things. And it's just going to get me focused on this, the here and now.

And pretty soon my life will look nothing like Jesus. And I know how I justify things. Well, God would want I know how I do this. So, let's just let's discipline ourselves so that we stay focused. And then uh as some of you guys know, I I I wrote a book.

I wrote a book and I ended up writing I became a writer like a few years ago. And I'm like, "Wow, I didn't know I could do this." And and and I mean for some of you who don't know who I am, I'm a pretty big deal. Um okay.

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 Okay. So those of you guys that are visiting or you're just like, "Oh, just another speaker." No, no. Okay. So I start writing, right? and uh this uh my uh my publishers or whatever at this first book. I mean, it was just like whatever. I I just felt like being faithful to God and and they're like money is going to start coming in.

And I thought, oh no, you know, like what are we going to do? You know, money's going to come in. They go, no, no, like big money. We're looking at the projections of this book and it looks like big money and I'm like, "Honey, I don't trust myself."

Okay, people go, "Oh, why'd you give it all away?" It's not because I was so godly. It's because I'm not godly. You know, and I know how much I like stuff and I know. And I I even told her, I go, "Honey, look, let's say we end up making millions of dollars on this.

I know I'll just end up spending money on things I'll regret that I'll look back on in life because someone taught me make your decisions in hindsight because we always make better decisions in hindsight. So imagine yourself at the end of your life and looking back and going, "Oh, I should have.

I should have. I should have and and I go," if we keep this money, I know I will buy things that we don't need and that don't last. But if we give it away, if we give it all away, if we just sign it over right now, then I can't touch it and then it all goes to eternal things and we'll have it forever and ever and ever.

That's what he's talking about here. And so we just really, you know, it's like, okay, we're signing it all over. We're giving it all over. We're donating everything. Everything goes, you know, to this this charitable gift fund. I don't want to touch it. I I want to be able to just give it all away.

So it goes in this fund where everything goes away. And and and and there are days um when you go, gosh, what could we have bought? Um okay. And even last night, okay, so last night I just typed in houses on Maui just to see I don't know almost to irritate myself like what I could have bought, you know?

I'm calculating because I think I made about six 7 million in the last few years. It's pretty good, huh? And uh and I'm just thinking, okay, what could I have bought? And I'm just looking at these houses like dang, you know, like looking at all of them like oh oh just, you know, but then afterwards I go, but what did we buy instead of that?

You know, and and I I start thinking I go, "Okay, imagine." I go, "But I go, but instead I'm, you know, this is all in my head. But I'm all alone just thinking I could what I could do right now is just fly my family to Zimbabwe and go look at this medical clinic.

Let's just watch people come out of it. How's your arm? Cool. You know, just like and go we built that, you know, and then then to go, you know, let's just go to India and just watch people drinking out of a well. That's ours, you know, like the joy of that.

Man, I remember the first time I went to Uganda and saw this uh school building that that that that was built and uh and all these kids, you know, in their uniforms and singing songs to God and the teacher, you know, I was just sneaking back just one of those moments of let me see what happened here.

What happened here? And to see you, the teacher stops the class and and and she makes all the kids turn around go, everyone turn around, look at that man. you know, and that's not what I was wanting. But she goes, "All of you are sponsored by someone in his church."

And all these kids stand up and start clapping and screaming and I just start crying like, "What could be better than this? What could be better than this?" I think, man, I I I could fly to to Ethiopia right now and just watch a, you know, a feeding program where where where these kids that that have days to live are being fed and nursed back to health.

I can go to Thailand and and and watch this home for for for people who've been trafficked and them going there and having this refuge now. And I start comparing like, okay, yeah, there's that house in Maui or there's their Ferrari, but you compare it to this. Are you kidding me?

I mean, have you ever fed a kid that wasn't going to eat? And and and the the the the like rush of that and go, man, I did something. I helped. I rescued. And and and for my kids to come and go, look at this. Look at this.

Look what we got to do. The kingdom of heaven is so much more beautiful than the stuff of this earth. Okay? And so we're not talking about, oh, so do I have to? I'm like, oh man, this is the life that's truly life that the Bible talks about.

This is the kingdom of heaven to know at the end of your life. Wow, I really spent everything. I gave it all away. I was even misunderstood. I was this, that, whatever. But I became like Christ. I became like Jesus. You see, I my prayer for you is not, oh God, help them to love stuff less.

My prayer for this morning was, God, I just prayed they get a picture of you and your kingdom that's so beautiful. It's about loving him more. It's about loving people more. It's not just loving stuff less. That'll happen when you compare your stuff to these people and you see their faces and you go, And then you think about Christ and his kingdom and his glory and the future and it's like he's always the giver.

He's going to make sure he's always the one that's the giver. And then you look back in life and go, man, that was an awesome awesome life. God, the way you took care of us. You're right. It was way more blessed to give than to receive. It's trusting his words and going, "That's the kingdom I want to be a part of."

See, that's what I'm known for. It's like ah the stuff on the earth. Would I like a Ferrari? Sure. You know, would it be cool to leave here in that? Yeah, that'd be fun. But you compare it to the stuff we get to do and the people we can become like.

So, it's like gosh, compared to being like Jesus, man, I'll give that away any