"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:44-46).

We have two short parables here.

The Treasure hidden in the field and the Pearl of great price. Jesus said that a man found the treasure. And he said that a merchant found the pearl. And in each case they went and sold everything to buy the field and to buy the pearl.

All summer long, we have been talking about Love. So we've been calling this the Summer of Love.

Today I want to finish this series.

My talk today is called: Step Up to the Roadmap of Love

Isn't love the thing that everyone wants? Well how do we get there?

I want to show you that the Bible gives you a map, and shows you exactly how to get there.

There are seven landmarks along the way, and each one just keeps getting better. Before I show you the 7 landmarks, I want us to all be working from the same definition. What is love anyway?

Here's my working definition: Love is self-sacrifice to meet another's needs.

 

I can't stop with that, because there are ways to do that that are pretty messed up and dysfunctional. Don't you know that there are some ways you can help people that actually disable them?

So, if love is self-sacrifice to meet another's needs, we have to be clear on self-sacrifice, and we have to be clear on another's needs.

When I say self-sacrifice, I mean: Willing self-sacrifice from a place of health, not from guilt, lust, control or duty, but from the overflow of your own honor, value, and worth, and without expecting anything in return.

This is the only way you can give of yourself without losing yourself.

And I say that in love, when you meet another person's needs, I mean: Meeting another's deepest needs, in a way that recognizes their dominion and won't make them dependent.

So, love is that kind of self-sacrifice to meet that kind of need in another person. And that kind of love makes you heroic.

Because that is exactly how Jesus loves you.

So, are you ready to map out how you get there?

There are 7 Landmarks along the way, and they keep getting better.

I started with two short parables and I'd like to deal with them in one breath.

The Treasure hidden in the field and the Pearl of great price.

Jesus said that a man found the treasure. And he said that a merchant found the pearl. And in each case they went and sold everything to buy the field and to buy the pearl.

Everybody get this wrong. Because everybody thinks that the treasure and the pearl represent Jesus. And the merchant and the man represent you. And you have to sell everything to be able to buy the treasure.

I'm telling you that's just wrong, and wrongerer.

You are a treasure in the eyes of God. He sent his son to pay the ultimate price to bring you to himself.

What I want you to see is that the man here doesn't represent you. That's Jesus.

You're not the one selling everything you buy the treasure. He is.

You're not the one sacrificing, surrendering, paying the price. Jesus is.

He's the man who sold all he has.

He's the merchant who paid the ultimate price.

And if the man in the parable is Jesus, then I think you can see what that means.

And Jesus Christ paid all the price to bring YOU back to God.

He shed his blood for you.
He gave up his life for you.
He paid the price for you, and it cost him everything.
His self-sacrifice was willing.
His love came from the overflow of his own honor and worth.

It was freely given.

He expects nothing in return.

It is the ultimate love, the perfect love.

When you get saved—and if you're not saved, this is where you have to start. You must be saved. And you can be saved today. We'll show you how. Oh, won't you come to Jesus today?

Because if you don't see yourself for the treasure that you are, you will give away relationships cheaply, and your love will be desperate and fleeting.

Salvation—becoming God's treasure—that's when you get a supernatural generator deep in your soul giving you the power of love in all the best kinds of ways.