Buy In

See, I know all that's around you right now, just stressing to him. So I encourage somebody to trust God today. Thank you for worshiping. You can make your way back to your seats. He is a good God, and what a great day he's given us.

I'm gonna go to Matthew chapter 13. Just read one verse of scripture today, and get into what I feel like God has for us. Matthew 13, verse number 44. These are the words of Jesus. He is speaking, and he says: the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. And for a little while this morning, I want to simply preach on this title: buy-in.

I remember playing high school football, and the coach that I had, as he was doing his best to get a bunch of teenage boys to pay attention to what was going on, would often tell us, in his motivation talks, that we needed to buy in. And what he was saying was, he was trying to lay out a plan, a game plan, a strategy was for us. He was trying to explain to us how we could be better as a team, and how we could be better as individuals, in the positions that we played. But we had to buy into what he was telling us. We need to learn to buy in for what God has for us.

To me, when I look at this parable, it's it's somewhat straightforward. It can be simple, but yet there's a lot of depth there for you and I. We see that there was a man who was in a field, when he discovered a treasure that was hidden. Now, you can't skim over this, or you'll miss some of the important parts. This was not something that was obvious. In other words, he didn't just go saundering through a field, and there was a blinking sign saying, treasure here, treasure here. Somehow, someway, as he was in the field, he discovered a hidden treasure. And because of that, he hid it again. Now, whether he covered it up from where it was, or he actually dug another hole, we're not giving that information. All we're given is, there was something that was hidden, that was found, and once it was found, it was hidden again. And then he went and sold all that he had, so that he could buy the field where the treasure was at. We're not even told what the treasure was. We don't know if it was gold, or if it was silver, or some kind of a precious stone. But we know that it had to be something of extreme value and importance, because the words that we read say, he sold all that he had, so that he had enough to go and purchase the field.

When you begin to probe a little bit deeper into this parable, for me, questions start coming about. Why didn't he just pick up the treasure and take it home? That seems like a logical thing. I mean, if it was there, and it was hidden, or it was discovered, why didn't just take it home? Why did he have to sell out everything he had? Did he even know what the price of the field was? Where did he determine the value, that I had to give everything that I had, in order to gain the field? And then why did he buy the field? Why didn't he just offer to buy the treasure that was in the field? See, I feel like there's a lot of lessons here for you and I, that we need to dive into, and see how we can apply them to our life.

One of the things I've learned about Jesus, and his stories, and his parables, is that often times they will astound and astonish us. They were perplexed and puzzle us. They will intrigue and mystify, and they challenge us, all at the same time. What seems to be just a simple story, ladies and gentlemen, is nothing but — it is not simple. It is actually deep and complex. And there's a treasure there for you and I to find ourselves.

I love how God is always challenging you and I in our value system. He's always coming against human logic. And what would seem to be natural on the surface doesn't always seem to work in God's economy. It seems as though he places value on the strangest of things — things that you and I would simply discount, or walk past — he holds in great regard and high value, such as a little lunch consisting of five loaves and two fishes, or the widow who only had two mites, or a single coin, or a baby lamb, or a common traveler that was simply heading to Jericho. All these things could be easily dismissed, but not so to Jesus. To him, they had great value. And then on the other hand, it's interesting, the things that he despises: he despises treasures such as kingdoms of the world, the acclimation or adoration of the masses, and personal pleasure. God's value system always seems to be incomprehensible to almost everything that we think about as rational human beings. But yet, it's God. It's who he is. And he desires to have a relationship with us.

I simply can put it in the context this way. The Bible, the word of God, says this in Isaiah 55, verse number 8: for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord.

Here on this dedication Sunday, we symbolically bring these babies back in the fashion, saying, God, you have blessed us. You have entrusted us. You have given us the gift of life. Thank you for blessing us. And God, we want to give them back, in a way of safe keeping. We have treasures in these babies. And part of what I want to do today in this message is to encourage us all, but especially the parents in this room — all parents that are in this room — I want to encourage you to buy in when it comes to raising your kids. And that was — that was weak. I mean, that was like so weak, it wasn't even funny, kind of week. I'm asking all of our parents to buy in when it comes to raising your kids. Buy in.

We live in a world where it's easy to try to go on autopilot in every area of our life. And I'm not necessarily against having cruise control in some ways, but not when it comes to raising our kids. We cannot go into cruise control, or simply autopilot. We should not be the kind of parent who is simply looking for ways to entertain them until they're old enough to take care of themselves. We should understand that God blessed you with a child, but it comes with a huge responsibility, that as moms and dads we need to to comprehend how important it is, that I'm spending time with my children. Yes, have fun. Yes, have good times. Yes, make memories. But there also needs to be something that you buy into, when it comes to living a life in front of them that represents God's value system. And that also, you have a responsibility and obligation to be the one to teach them about God. Ladies and gentlemen, that is not the church's obligation. Now, we're going to do our best, when you allow us to have your children for, uh, times of, during our kids life classes that go on Sunday mornings, or when we do the musical workshop — anytime we have your kids, we're always going to do our best to teach them. But I want you to know, those kids need more than one or two times a week. They need a steady dose, every day, of godly principles being lived out in front of them. Because here's what they're getting: they're getting a steady diet of immorality all around them, everywhere there go. And we cannot always control every circumstance in this life, but we can control what goes on inside our house. Hello? Amen. We can't control what goes on in the time that we have with them. And I'm asking some mom, or some dad today, to buy into what you're doing. Buy in. Because you have a treasure of great value and of great worth. You have another generation that God has given you the opportunity to help shape and form. And you have no idea who it is you're raising. You need to buy in. Buy into living a life in front of them.

I said this — this past Sunday was Mother's Day, and I encouraged our moms: moms, your children need to hear you pray. Your children need to have a memory of what mama sounds like when she prays. They need to hear that in your — it doesn't have to be big. It doesn't have to be boisterous. It doesn't have to be two hours long. But but simply, at some point throughout the day, let them hear mama pray. And let them hear mama talking to God. And now I'm speaking to all parents: let them hear dad talking to God. Let them hear grandma and grandpa talking to God. It's important. They're they're already forming opinions about all things at such a small age. What better opportunity do we have to buy in on this one point, that if they're going to hear all these other voices in the world, when they're in my house, they're going to hear godly things being talked about. They're going to hear godly principles living out in front of them. I'm not going to shun it off to somebody else. It's not just a pastor's responsibility. But it's my home, and they're my children, and I'm going to buy in, to do my part, to be sure I'm putting good things in their life.

And going back to the parable here in Matthew 13 — I would have you, to you and me, to ask a question of this parable. What does it really mean? Now, a lot of scholars, theologians, people, have spent their life studying this field. They come from the standpoint that Jesus was the man, the Israel was the treasure, and the world was the field, the Jesus redeemed the whole world to save Israel. Without denying that interpretation, I would like to submit to you today that the parable may have much more meaning than that. It could very well be that we are the man who found the treasure. The problem is, that treasure isn't truly ours. It belonged to the owner of the field. We hid our treasure, because we didn't really know what else to do with it. It was a major find. It was a life-changing event. It had the potential to change our outlook in the course of our life. But now, now that it's in the field, we had to go and get money to buy the field. The amount it would cost was staggering, and we didn't have that kind of money just simply lying around. It meant that we had to sell everything we had, to buy the field. We had to buy into what was going on. We could not simply just go in and buy the treasure, because the owner wouldn't sell it to us. It was an all or nothing deal. We had to buy the whole field. I don't know how much it costs in actual currency. All I know is that it cost everything that we had.

You see, ladies and gentlemen, when I see this story, this parable — it's just one verse of many parables in Matthew 13. Just one verse tells a whole story. And in this, I see a picture of grace. Grace. Grace gets preached about all the time. Grace, as I've said many times from this pulpit, is the most elastic word in all of Christianity. It gets stretched and misshapen and misformed in so many ways. But I hope that I can paint an adequate picture of grace to you here today. Ephesians chapter 2, verse number 8, says: for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves — it is the gifts, a gift — it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

First of all, grace is a gift. You don't purchase a gift. That doesn't make it a gift. That makes it a commodity. You need to understand this from the start. Don't get confused on where I'm going. Grace is a gift. It's a gift. It's a gift. It's given. It's freely given. Grace comes into our possession at no cost, but it's hidden, hidden in a field. The only way we can access the grace is to pay the ultimate price. Well, pastor kevin, you just told me, if I paid for it, then it's a — it's a commodity. Listen, please don't get lost in the terminology today. Let me take you to where God wants us to go. Free grace cost everything you have. But don't let that stop you. The man who spent all to by the field knew that he was going to come out so far ahead, that the price he had to pay was laughable.

Second Corinthians — Paul writing to the church. To the church. Who's Paul writing to? The church. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, renowned to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not, but through our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light afflictions — I'm going to have a conversation with Paul when I get to heaven about light afflictions. For our light afflictions, which is but for a moment, worketh for us more exceeding eternal weight of glory.

I think the first thing that we need to understand is that the gospel doesn't come as a stand-alone commodity. Speaking of commodities, it doesn't come as a standalone commodity, as as as though you can just simply go in, and take salvation out of the hands of Jesus, and run away with it. You've heard me say this before, but those of you who are in the room, maybe this is the first time you've heard me preach. Let me tell you something: we have a perfect picture of grace, and the cost of grace. You look at Calvary, and Jesus on that cross. And that is the bar. That was what was said. That is what grace says. Grace says, you have to be willing to do that, in order to go forward. You cannot pick and choose what parts of salvation you want, and leave the rest. That's not the way we come to Jesus. If you want the sun, you have to buy the universe that comes with it. If you want the tree, you have to buy the forest. And if you want him, you have to buy the field. And I'll tell you this: when you buy the field, you get the treasure that's in the field. You get far more than you ever expected, for the price that you paid. It is the bargain of the year. It is a bargain of the century.

Colossians 2 13: and you, being dead in your sins, and having the uncircumcision in your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven all your trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of the ordinance that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he took them out of the way, nailing it to his cross. And having spoiled the principalities and powers, he made us show them openly, triumphanting over in them. Listen to me, ladies and gentlemen: the ultimate price was paid, so that you and I could have grace in our life every day. But we cannot forget the price that was paid. We cannot simply overlook it. We cannot simply discount it. We cannot boil it down until, I only want two or three parts, but I'm not going to take the whole. It's an all or nothing deal. Either you buy all in, or you don't get it. It doesn't work.

That's why I'm encouraging somebody today to buy in. There is nothing in the world more important than your salvation. So I'm encouraging you today: make whatever sacrifices you have to make. Get rid of any baggage that you have accumulated. Don't let that stuff weigh you down. Don't let the world come into your life and try to tell you what it is you should or should not do. If you're going to get your instructions from anywhere, you need to get down into the word of God. You need to ask him, Lord, what are you trying to show me? What are you trying to teach me? Because I got voices everywhere in my life, trying to instruct me and tell me what to do. But I'm going to tell you this, ladies and gentlemen: on that great morning of judgment, when we stand before him, he's not going to ask you what the world told you to do. He's going to say, why were you not obedient to the commandments that I gave you in your life? I put men and women in your life to guide you, and direct you, and instruct you. And what he's looking for is somebody to stand up and say, I'm buying in. Is there anybody buying in today? Is there anybody who said, I'm selling out everything I have for God? I know where I was at before I came to him. I know where I was at when I was committed to everything else this world had to offer. It got me nothing but heartache and pain. It left me nothing but entrapped, enslaved, and then changed. But when Jesus came into my life — oh, what a glorious day that was. Oh, y'all going to make me losing my tie and preach. What a glorious day it was when Jesus came into our life. Do you remember that day? Oh, I remember that day. I remember that day when he filled me with his spirit. It was a day like any other day in my life. I had never experienced that. I had been born and raised in this. I had been around Apostolic church my entire life. But I remember, in 1989, over there on spring street, when I was on this side of the church, when I finally said, God, I got everything in my life, I think I've given up. But Lord, if there's anything secret in my heart, anything I don't realize that's going on, God, please forgive me of those things. Don't let me hang on to any of it. And all of a sudden, he came rushing in, like a mighty wind, into my life. Oh my goodness, the feeling that came in that moment. It was better than anything I had ever experienced in my life. It was the greatest moment, when he filled me with his spirit. And I wonder if there anybody else that felt that way about God. Anybody else remember that day? That ought to be a day that never gets wiped out of your memory. Do you remember when God filled you with his spirit? You looked at life differently. Life took on a whole new meaning. Or it should have. If you got only religion, you have been sold short. Because religion is not going to get you to heaven. What you need is a good dose of the Holy Ghost, because that'll get you to where you need to go. It'll take you over and beyond. It'll it'll span the gulf that we couldn't span. It was the very reason he came. The very reason we have the gift of grace in our life is so that we can understand that he died for you and I, and we receive that gift, that free gift, to us. But it's going to cost you something to buy that field.

It may cost you abandon in your personal dreams. Uh-oh. What are you going to do? I'm a dreamer by nature. I'm a big dreamer. I got a big imagination. Some of y'all probably think I'm crazy. I may be. Part of recovering is admitting it. But I had to abandon some personal dreams in my life, because they went contrary to what God was wanting me to do. There was a time when I had to come to reality, understand that the way I was going was not where he wanted me to go. You may have to abandon some ambitions in your life. Some goals. May have to get past a few things, so that you can move forward. That he has an expected in for each and every one of us.

God gives gifts — gifts like repentance, or forgiveness; gifts like baptism, or the remission of sins; a spirit infilling; the victory over sin. It's when you answer the sin question, ladies and gentlemen, that you really begin to live. These attributes, they represent the treasure that the world has no clues in the field. The world doesn't have a clue what's in there. It passes by. It doesn't make sense to them. It looks like silliness. It looks like emotionalism. It looks like just this fast, quick talk, where people get caught up in their emotions, in their hype. They easily dismiss the treasure. A man searches. He finds a treasure. The Bible says he goes, and he sells all that he has, and he buys the field. Now suddenly he finds out some things. He finds out all that he has bought. He realizes that there's some weeds in the field. There's some rocks, some rocky ground. Now bear in mind, there's treasure in there, but there's other things, too. He also bought some rodents, some snakes, maybe a possum or a skunk. He bought all of these things. There could have been some trash, a couple old tires — there's always an old tire in the field somewhere. Probably got a dead tree or two. Some poison ivy's in Tennessee. Probably had some ticks. Are you listening to me? There were some other things, too. But there was treasure.

Some people want the blessings and the benefits, but not the trials and the tests. Some people want the signs and the wonders and the miracles, but they don't want the prayer and the fasting and the sacrifice. Some people want the power of Pentecost, without living an Apostolic lifestyle. Someone to be holy, but they're not living worldly, to wanting to be living holy. Someone Christ the savior, but not Christ is Lord. The Bible says that God hath made the same Jesus both Lord and Christ. The coin has two sides. For him to be your savior, he has to be your Lord. And he's not going to fight with you over who sets on the throne of your life.

You guys have heard me say this before. I say that a lot in this pulpit — that's because I talk a lot in this pulpit. But Paul talked in the church at Rome, said: I beseech you therefore, brother, and by the mercies of God, that you present your body is a living sacrifice, holy and except on him, which is your reasonable service. That means, every day, you and I have to get off the throne of our life and say, God, this is not my spot. That is your spot. I'm going to go get on the altar. See, a living sacrifice can get off the altar any time, once it's alive. Present you — you you, me and you — we have to be living sacrifices. We have to willingly say, God, I woke up today, and my default setting is to sit on the throne. But with a conscious effort, I have to step down off the throne and say, God, I don't belong there. I belong on the altar. Do with me whatever you want to do with me, God, because you are my Lord. It's it's buying into that concept in our life, that he desires to be Lord and Christ of where we are. Salvation is a two-sided, or is one side of the coin, and lordship is the other side of the same coin.

Titus 2 and 11: for the grace of God that brings salvation after peter unto all men, teaching us say — teaching. Did you know that grace is a teacher? You've probably heard me preach that before. Grace is always teaching. Grace sets up a classroom, because we have lessons to learn. Some of us are eager to get the grace of God, but we drop the class when we find out the course requirements. Today, some of you are mad at God. No doubt, with a crowd this size, somebody was mad at God today. You got in a fight with him. He should have answered your prayer. He should have supplied your need. More than likely it was a want, not really a need. You better come down off your high horse, and realize that God has to put up with a lot more from you than you would ever imagine. We should be thankful that he even lets you and I live. Psalms 104: enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his course with praise. Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. David's writing this psalm — Psalms 100 — he's talking about going to the house of God.

I wonder how many people entered into the building today with thanksgiving. Did anybody come into the building with thanksgiving? Did anybody, when you pulled in, you're like, oh God, I made it back one more time. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. There's craziness all around in my life, but God, I got to go into your house today. This is the day that the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be glad. Those are the kind of things that somebody who is bought in says.

Look, we take times away. We take times of vacation. I'm all for it. I'm going to go on a vacation soon. I'm looking forward to it. But you better be very careful when it's time to go to church, and it's a drudgery for you. You got to be — you better be very careful when it is only a sense of obligation that you come to church, as if, well, I got to meet so many times, because if I don't win, I don't know how it's going to work out. You better be very careful. There there needs to be — if you're really bought in — there should be a sense inside of you that, I get to go today. I get to go. I have the opportunity to be there. I i can get in my car. I got up on my own two feet. I'm breathing with my own two lungs. And I get to walk into the house of God. There should be thanksgiving in my heart, because I'm entering into his course of praise. God, you brought me into the sanctuary one more time. You could have left me anywhere out there. I could be in a ditch. I could be dead. I could be in a hospital. I could be sick. But I'm not. I'm in the house of God right now, and I'm thankful for it.

You understand the treasure that is there. You understand the treasure that your marriage is. I mean, some of y'all just need to be thankful that they said yes. You'll be taking a lap right now, tori. Some of y'all should just be thankful that they actually stood there with you and said, I do. When's the last time that you thank God for your marriage? Hell, I i got the microphone right now — and I did this morning — I love you. But I thank God every day for her. Every day. Do we fight? You bet we fight. One of us is extremely hard-headed. Are you thankful for your marriage? Oh, come on. It isn't always roses. It and always honeymoon time. Sometimes it's just two stubborn people living with each other. I don't know where that is, but sometimes it is. Are you thankful for your marriage? Do you understand the treasure that your marriage is? Do you understand, sometimes it's stuff you have to work through? Sometimes you got to get on the other side. But you need to buy in. You need to buy in. You need to say: no, I stood up and said, until death do us part. And as long as I'm breathing, I need to do my part. It isn't always their fault. Sometimes I have something to do. Sometimes I have something to change. Sometimes I need to quit being selfish. How many of you are thankful for the home you live in? When's the last time that was a treasure? When's the last time you just pulled up there — you know, maybe he didn't the biggest house, man, there may be. Maybe your neighbor's got more stuff. But when's the last time you were thankful for the treasure you have, to live in that life, to buy in and say, God, at least — well, I mean, for those of you trying to find a house right now, you know, you're probably telling all the rest of us, you don't have no idea the treasure you have. What about your family? Even that crazy ant you got. What about your relationship with God? You may look at these things as liabilities, or burdens, or pains, or problems. But you better buy in. Yeah, there may be some weeds. There may be some rodents. There may be some dead trees. There may be some garbage. There may be some old tires out there. But by the field, because there's a treasure in there.

God never lets you down. Listen to me: God never lets you down. If there's anything I can say with the surety today, behind this pulpit, is that he is a faithful God. He is a faithful God. He may not come in the time when you want it, but he always shows up right when he needs to. He's a faithful God. He's a faithful God. He is faithful. He is faithful. He is faithful. All my life, he's been faithful. All my life, he's been faithful. He is a faithful God. And what a treasure I have in that. Oh, I have some bad days, but he's still good. Have some stuff that doesn't work out the way I want him to, but he's still good. Um, when you buy the field, you get more than the treasure. How good has God been to you? How good has he been?

I was thinking about the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible. What a beautiful illustration of what Jesus Christ has done. Elimelech and his wife Naomi — there's a famine. They leave. They go to Moab. He wasn't supposed to go to Moab. That command against it. But they're they're they're starving. They gotta do something. They try to go make a living. While they're there, their two sons, milian and chilion, married mobile women, ruth and orpah. Elimelech, milian, and chileon died. Naomi returns back to Judah, back to the village of Bethlehem. Naomi had a field that she puts up for sale.

Now Israel had a custom, and the custom was this: that if a relative died, and there was no heir parent, the next relative in line was to purchase the field, and carry on the the name of the one that passed away — the nearest relative — so that they could carry on, and the family name wouldn't disappear. So when they only put the field up for sale, she also attached her daughter-in-law ruth's name to the deed. But ruth was a Moabite. Was supposed to marry Moabites. Even God said, Moabite is my wash pot. Let's go look that up, see what you think about that one. But this is where Boaz comes into place. He's a wealthy man. He wanted to marry ruth. But there was a problem. There was a man who was still a closer relative than him. So he takes it to the city council, to the gates of the city. And this is what he says, in Ruth chapter four, verse number three: then he said to the close relative, naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother elimelech. I thought to inform you, saying, buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I might know. For there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you. And he said, I will redeem it. Then Boaz said, on the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from ruth and moabitus, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.

When you're going to buy it — I was going to tell you right now — there's there's some junk in there. There's some stuff in there. And the close relative response — look, look down in verse number nine. And Boaz said to the leaders — the the close relative, he passed on it. Ben Boaz said to the leaders: you are witness this day, that I have bought all that was in limolex, and all that was chileons and milions, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, ruth and moabitus, the widow of million, have I acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the possession of the gate — from the position of the gate. You are all witnesses today.

See, the treasure was ruth. They thought she was worthless. They thought she wasn't worth anything. Something just be thrown away. No. The closest relative said, no, I'm not interested. I'd buy the land. I like the land. But no, I don't want that. The boa has realized there was a treasure there. The world says, no, no, no, no, I wouldn't take that. Why would you take that? She's damaged goods. Why would you pick that up? But Boaz realized, there's a treasure that you're missing. Boaz was a type of Jesus, a type of kingsman redeemer. We were the Gentile bride that needed redemption. If there's a story that ought to get you and I — us Gentiles — it's the story about ruth. Because she didn't belong in the story. But when you go and look at the lineage of Jesus Christ, ruth was one of his great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers. She was a misfit. She didn't belong. But Jesus said, um, I got a place for you. I got a place for you. I know the world doesn't think you're important, but I got something I need you to do. Because through you, there's going to be a man named david. And through david, there's going to be someone coming down there along the lines named jesus.

Our kingsman redeemer — Isaiah 63 and 5: and I looked up, and there was none to help. And I wondered that there was none to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury, it upheld me. When you buy in, you get Jesus. And when you get Jesus, you always get more than you thought you were getting. A few years ago, I read a story about a man who bought a field, because it had a stand of hardwood on it. As he got in there to force out, or get the hardwood out, he realized that there was a lot of rock there. So they did some investigating, and realized there was enough there for him to open a quarry. So they opened up, and started bringing the rock out of the quarry. And then when they got to digging the rock, they found oil. That man got a lot more than he bargained for, when he bought the field. When I got Jesus, I thought I got my answer. But what I got was all the answers to every problem I'll ever face. I thought I had a life, but I got life more abundantly. I thought life was too short, and with him I got life everlasting. I thought I knew what a happiness was, but I got joy unspeakable and full of glory. I got more than just relief from sin. I got victory over sin, every day in my life. When I bought into what Jesus had, I got more. I got Jesus. He gave me a a marriage proposal. I got not only new friends, I got a whole new spiritual family. Why? Because I bought into him. And when I bought into him, I got way more than I could ever have imagined or dreamed for in my life.

Now, I know somebody's here today, and I'm bringing this to an end, and I want somebody to know: you, when you buy into what he's trying to do, you're going to face some opposition. This world's going to tell you crazy. Oh, there's a form of Christianity that's out there, ladies and gentlemen, but that form of Christianity doesn't require any change on your — on your behalf. And I'm going to tell you right now, if you get God, and God doesn't change you, you didn't get what you needed. If you walk into, and and desire to develop a relationship with him, and that relationship with him doesn't change any aspect of your life, you didn't get God. You may have got a t-shirt or a bumper sticker, but you didn't get God. Because every time — every encounter you can read in this book — every time he entered their life, every time they came and come, they were changed. Something was different: the way they talked, the way they walked, the way they spoke. Every how they viewed life, how they exchanged — everything was different when they got Jesus.

Somebody here may be thinking, I bought the field, but I haven't found any treasure. I'd refer you to a message I preached a few weeks ago: keep digging. Keep digging. You'll find that when you're going through crisis, you'll find it. When you're going through a deep depression and need help, you'll find it, in the midst of a trial. In your life today, if you need some comfort, we know Jesus provides the ultimate comfort. I want to end this way. I don't know what you've imagined giving your life to God involved. But I'll tell you this: he only asks for all, but in a way that only God can. He never ever asks you to do anything that he himself is not first willing to do first. So he did. He gave his very best at Calvary, so that you and I have the opportunity, so that you and I have the right to ask him for salvation. He paid the price that we couldn't pay. So I'm wondering if there might be someone who's willing to buy in today? Now, that buy-in can come in several several ways, because we're all in different walks, in different circumstances and situations in life. So here's what I'm wondering: is there anybody today who's willing to buy in, to be a better better parent? You want to be a better mom? You want to be a better dad? I'm going to encourage you: buy in. Buy in. Buy in. There's so much out there against our kids. Buy in. Is there — is there a grandparent today who'd be willing to buy in? Be willing to commit? Be willing to set an example? Who could put self aside for a little bit, and say, you know what, I'm gonna do my best. And every moment I have, I'm gonna be living the right life in front of them. So I know they look anywhere else in this world, they're gonna see a bunch of junk. I thank God for the godly grandparents that I had in my life. They didn't keep me from walking away from God, because I walked away from God in my own life. But I had vivid memories. And I'm a firm believer that part of the reason I stand here today in front of you is because I had godly grandparents, who prayed prayers that are still being poured out today.

So that's one way to buy in. But I wonder if there's anybody that's willing to buy in, to having a better marriage. Got to buy in. You can't control your spouse, but you can't control you. Or there's anybody who's willing today to say, I'm going to buy in, to be the best person I can be. To be an encourager. To be someone who's more patient and more kind. Who's not going to just be jaded by all the things in the past. But I'm going to buy in, to give God an opportunity to do something amazing in my marriage. I wonder, somebody who's willing to buy in, to having a better family. Is there somebody willing to buy into having a better life? Is there somebody willing today to buy in, because you need salvation? You want to buy in, because you want him to be both Lord and Christ of your life. And I encourage you. I encourage you today to buy in. Will you bow your heads with me? I'm gonna pray.

God, I love you so much. Your presence is so sweet in this moment right now. By the sacredness of this moment, I would ask that you would touch hearts right now, that we would feel you moving on us, pulling at us, encouraging us to make the right changes in our life. God, I pray right now for a mom and a dad to have the courage to buy in, to be the best that they can be for their children. I pray right now for a grandfather and a grandmother, for an aunt and uncle, to buy in, to be the best they can for another generation. I pray for a husband and a wife right now to buy in, for a better marriage, a better family, for a better home. I pray right now for those that don't truly know you as Lord of their life, that you would lead them this day into a deeper relationship with you. To understand, when I buy into you, it's not a guarantee of an easy life. But what I gain, what I get to receive — your grace and your mercy in my life. Oh, what a price you paid, God. I simply ask for you to do what you do best: to change lives.