So this morning, the theme I’ve chosen, or I feel in my spirit to share with us, is considering the cost, it will be worth it all. Considering the cost, it will be worth it all.

Capturing from our senior pastor’s message on Sunday, The Cost of the Kingdom, scripture taken from Matthew chapter 13, verses 44 to 46.

In the portion of scripture that he read and shared with us on Sunday morning, we were learning from two parables. And I’m encouraged to share the thoughts that rested with me after listening to pastor on Sunday.

Considering the cost, it’s worth it all.

The biblical idea reflects that following Christ involves sacrifice now, but eternal reward later.

The two parables look very similar on the surface, but Jesus intentionally contrasts how the treasure is found.

I also want to take us through the book of Luke chapter 14, verse 28, reading from the NIV.

It says, suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Would you not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? And I’m sure we all would do that.

So there are four points I want us to look at today.

The man who accidentally finds the treasure, the person who is actively searching for the treasure, then the desire for purpose without the price, and finally, counting the cost, it’s worth it all.

The man who accidentally finds the treasure.

In the first parable, the man stumbles upon the treasure that was hidden in a field. How beautiful is that, you know?

What happens when, sometimes you walk the street and you find a twenty dollar bill, so great.

But this man found a great treasure in the field. He wasn’t searching for the treasure, yet suddenly he discovered something of immense value.

Now this, for us, represents people who find Christ unexpectedly. And there are a few ways that this can happen.

They were not actively looking or searching for God, but God intersected their lives through different circumstances. And that’s the kind of God we serve. He is always looking out for us when we’re not even looking for Him.

Sometimes in life a crisis situation would occur, or we can be in a mere conversation, or we could be listening to a sermon, or we could have a divine encounter. Not looking for Christ, not looking for God, not looking for salvation, but here it is, through these circumstances that I just listed, we can have a great encounter in finding the greatest treasure that we could ever have.

So this man stumbled upon this and found this rich treasure. But that was not the only thing. Even though he wasn’t looking, he found this treasure, but this treasure cost him something. There was a cost for that treasure, and he was willing to pay the price for the treasure that he found. He went and sold everything that he had and bought that treasure, he gave it up everything for that treasure.

Biblically we see this pattern in the life of the apostle Paul, who encountered Christ dramatically on the road to Damascus.

Paul was on another mission, and we know that mission that Paul was on. And God intercepted every plan because He chose Paul for a specific purpose. So this morning many of us may not have been looking, but God has placed His hand upon us. All we need to do is just surrender totally and fully to Him.

Then we look at the merchant who was searching. He was searching for pearls. And so it is with some of us as Christians. We’re searching for something more. More of You, God. More of Your truth. More of God. More pursuing You. More of having eternal values in my mind and my life.

So this second parable describes a merchant actively searching for goodly pearls.

He was already in pursuit of something valuable. And this morning I pray many of us on this prayer line, we’re here every morning, we’re in pursuit of something. But even as we’re in pursuit of something, let’s remember everything has a price to be paid.

We need to be willing to surrender all, whatever it might be, to get what we desire to have. This man, when he sold everything, everything else that he owned or had became secondary for what he was searching for. What we are searching for this morning, is it more than what God could give to us? Absolutely no.

So let us continue to dive and search until we find that hidden treasure or that great pearl. And once we do so, may God help us to be willing to pay the price.

Finding what we’re looking for, stumbling into what God provides for us, is not it all.

It’s our surrender to Him that really matters. Both of these persons in the parables realized what they found, that it was worth everything. Some people discover Christ unexpectedly, as I said earlier. Others search for Him intentionally. But when the treasure is revealed, look at these persons—they gladly surrender everything to obtain Christ as that pearl.

Though the discovery is different, the response is identical. The identical thing is, they sold everything, they surrendered everything, everything else became secondary. That was what was identical. Both men recognized the value, sold everything to obtain the treasure. This shows that whether someone finds Christ suddenly or through a long search, true revelation leads to total surrender.

And this morning may we be willing, no matter what it costs, to surrender all. It is not just saying it, but meaningfully doing it. And when we do this, there’s so much difference in our lives. We want to serve. We want to be all that God wants us to be, because everything else becomes secondary. Everything else is driven away. We put it aside so we can serve God wholeheartedly.

So the next point I want to touch on is the desire for purpose without price.

Many people encounter the gospel but walk away unchanged. Many want to serve God and fulfill a purpose but don’t want to pay the price. Many hear a life-transforming message, witness transformed lives, fully understand the concept of salvation, and intellectually share it, stand in the pulpit and do much more, yet their lives are not fully surrendered.

Romans 12:1 says to us,

I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Counting the cost requires full surrender. Let’s present ourselves this morning as living sacrifices to God.

A songwriter puts it this way, and I love this song so much.

Let me lose my life and find it, Lord, in Thee.
The unselfish name may rise and see only Thee.
Though it cost me grief or pain,
I will find my life again.
Let me lose my life and find it, Lord, in Thee.

The cost may be great, but finding a precious hidden treasure, finding Christ as our Lord and Savior, it matters all. What can we give to God for all of His benefits towards us? Yet we do not sell what we have to obtain the treasure. Yet we want to serve God halfheartedly.

We don’t want to surrender to Him. Jesus often spoke of this reality through the gospel. Today we hear the call to surrender the cost. Jesus Himself taught that discipleship requires counting the cost. As we look in Luke 14:28, as I read earlier, which of us intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost?

Our walk with Christ is not accidental. It is intentional. Following Christ involves surrender, sacrifice, and commitment. This may include reputation, comfort, relationships, or personal ambitions. Before God uses us greatly, He often asks us to release something deeply valuable to us.

In Luke 9:23 it says,

If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.

This calls for self-denial, laying down personal desires. Sometimes it calls for enduring hardship, trials, rejection, misunderstanding. Obedience, even when it’s inconvenient.

Many believers experience seasons where serving God involves so much pain, misunderstanding, and hidden sacrifices. Yet those often produce the deepest spiritual maturity. And we can talk about that. Many of us know what it is to go through, go through, and go through.

And conclusively, scripture reminds us that the cost is temporary. And that’s the beautiful thing. The price we pay today cannot ever compare to the reward that we will have eternally.

Romans 8:18 says,

The suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

What we sacrifice for God now cannot be compared with eternal life, eternal glory, or eternal fellowship with Christ. It is worth it to pay the price.

Second Corinthians 4:17 says,

Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

The tears will be worth it. The sacrifice will be worth it. The obedience will be worth it.

Even when the journey is painful, God is preparing us for His eternal glory.

Another song I could quote for this week:

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face, All sorrow will erase.

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.

Lord we thank you this morning for encouraging us, God, to count the cost, to pay the price, to surrender our lives totally to you, to be willing to serve in your kingdom, and our ministry, whatever you place in our hands, God, help us to use it for your glory. We thank you for ministering to each and every one of us this morning.

In Jesus’ name, amen and amen.