It’s so great to know our lovely Sunday School children are right in front of the screen and join with teacher Sharon for God’s message to us. Thank Christine, Victorine, and Tiffany, Timothy and Tabitha, for your great co-work today to lead the Children worship. Teacher Sharon would like to encourage each one of you, to serve the Lord, that is a great way to grow your faith. Oh, talking about faith, today we will be learning together another parable of Jesus, and the same topic, the Kingdom of God.
Now refresh your memory: We have already talked about the parable of Kingdom of God in the previous 2 weeks, chat in what the two parables are which we have learned so far? Just use one key word will work. When you chat in the answer, teacher Sharon will so appreciate to know you are in front of me listening. Anyone chatted in Soils, Mustard Seed…. BINGO you are so good. Today we will look at another Parable of Kingdom of God. Look at teacher Sharon’s treasure box, I am going to show you some of my treasure inside. This special glass artwork was from my sister on My 30th wedding Anniversary, two fish, symbolized the perfect unity. Some mails from commander to me long long time ago during his business trip in Europe, some photos of my family for our sweet time together, look, a pearl necklace. This is my wedding necklace…why I treasure these things? To me, these brought back the best part of my memory, and no money can buy.
Eddy: Hi, teacher Sharon
Sharon: Oh, Eddy, so nice to see you coming to join me today.
Eddy: I thought I heard something about treasure that tickles my ears, so I ran in to take a look. Oh, I see your treasure box.
Sharon: Ya, I am showing children what I have kept in my treasure box.
Eddy: look, you have big book down there at the bottom.
Sharon: Oh, that’s something reminds me the most precious moment of my life. Do you like to share some notes my dear friends wrote for me?
Eddy: Hi, Sharon, just celebrate with you on your walk with the Lord.
Sharon: can you also read out loud the date?
Eddy: June 9th, 1984. Wow, long time ago.
Sharon： Yes, it’s a gift for me on my Baptismal date. It’s so valuable.
Eddy: It’s a celebration? Why valuable?
Sharon: Oh, even now I could still hear the heavenly music of Happy Day Happy Day, when Jesus washed my sin away….which was just like the angels flying over and welcoming me to the Kingdom of God
Eddy: Wow now I am curious of the Kingdom of God.
Sharon: Sure, just find yourself a comfortable seat there.
Children, do you have a treasure box? And what are your treasures? Our Lord Jesus told us a parable about Treasure from Matthew 13:44-46. Let’s have Taylor to read these 3 verses for us. Children let’s listen together.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
(NIV)
Thank you so much, Taylor, for the wonderful reading. First of all, still remember Pastor Sidney’s Parable of the Mustard Seed, Who is the king of the Kingdom of Heaven? Yes, Jesus. God reigns where Jesus reigns; Jesus reigns where God reigns as they are sitting at the throne of the Kingdom of Heaven. What or where is the Kingdom of Heaven? Wherever, or whoever Jesus reigns that’s the Kingdom of Heaven. the kingdom of God is the same as the Kingdom of Heaven, could be easily understood as the rule of God to save us, and to save us is to bring us from destruction into the enjoyment of Christ forever.. From Matthew 13:44 We learn one main thing: The kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom, is a happy trade-off. Having the all powerful, saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable that, if we lose everything, in order to have it, it is a joyful sacrifice. If you have the all powerful, all-wise God ruling over all things for your joy, everything must be working for your good, no matter how painful. And in the end God will triumph over all evil and all pain. So is Kingdom of God the greatest treasure, you would give up all the things in this world to exchange for it?
When we move on to verses 45 and 46, Jesus gave us another example, it says the Kingdom of Heaven is just like a merchant who found fine pearls and sold everything to buy it. Normally a merchant has business in mind, he would calculate the cost, and the profit he would make, then, he moves ahead to deal with the business. Now verse 46 says he sold everything he had and bought the pearl. Our Lord Jesus highlighted the importance and value of the Kingdom of God. How valuable? It costs the life of our Lord Jesus Christ with our little faith. That’s valuable. From these 3 verses, teacher Sharon likes to make 3 points:
- You have to search for the Kingdom of God, just like the merchant for the pearl, like the man to the hidden treasure. Remember the song Seek Ye First. We have to open up ourselves to seek the Lord, and the Lord Jesus says Seek and you will… find, correct. Teacher Sharon so often reminded myself of how I was found by my wonderful Savior Jesus. He kept looking for me even though I was so ignorant, when I was at your age, when I was in high school, when I was in college, Finally when I put myself in the search for God, I found the Lord has done the amazing grace for me long ago, and waiting for me to confessf He is my Lord. Yes, we have to seek the Lord.
- You have to recognize “there is none like you, Jesus” , “you, Jesus, are my all in all” as the songs we just sang. No trade off, He’s the only one. Children you are here, because God found you, and you responded to Him. Let’s thank the Lord for His love, but keep this in mind, there is no other now or forever, He’s the only one, He’s all in all. He is the king of the Kingdom of God, Jesus is the only way to the Kingdom of God.
- It’s free for us to enter the Kingdom of God. Our God is willing to give up everything he has to find us! God showed us that he is like the merchant when he sent Jesus to die for our sins. God wants us to seek His kingdom with all our heart because he is looking for us with all His heart! Jesus has paid it all, and for us, it’s free to enter the Kingdom of God.
When you see teacher Sharon still have my treasure box with me, you can rest assure that God does not want any of your physical treasure, but He wants our whole self, our trust, our faith. Our repentance to confess Jesus is our Lord, Jesus rules over our life. When teacher Sharon knew I was a sinner, I was not worthy of God finding me into His kingdom, God said to me He already traded me with the death of His son Jesus Christ. Enter, Sharon, my child to the Kingdom of God. Dear Children, have you accepted the Lord Jesus’s trading himself for you to enter into the Kingdom of God? At this moment, if you would say to God, I would like the Lord Jesus to rule in my life, I would like to enter the kingdom of God where we could find righteousness, peace, Joy, and love forever, please hit the button once to say, yes, the second time to confirm, yes, I am a sinner, I need Jesus’ salvation and His rule over my life. Do it now , hurry up, just like the man sold everything to buy the field, just like the merchant traded everything for the pearl.