In January of 2009, I believed God was calling us to start a new church in San Francisco, specifically in the SoMa neighborhood. We moved here in May of 2010 and launched the church in February 2011. I can’t help but marvel and give thanks to God for everything He’s done these past 15 years, as we’ve been anchored in this neighborhood the whole time. For the provision of resources and property. For the staff team and leaders He’s called here. For the countless lives changed Happy 15th Birthday Epic Church! Will you help me thank God for all He’s done (applause – thank you God!)

Everything has a capacity. And every single person has a capacity.

capacity – the maximum amount that something can contain

This building has a capacity. Your wealth has a certain capacity. Our time has a capacity. But I find it interesting that when we’re convinced we’ve reached our capacity in some area, we somehow find extra room if the offer is compelling enough. Here’s what I mean. Have you ever felt so full while having dinner that you said, “I could not possibly eat another thing”? And then your host brings out your favorite dessert. You’re like, “I definitely have room for that.”

We don’t just do this with our food. We also do it with our time. When I tell you that my calendar is full, it’s true. But if someone invites me to do something that’s a huge value to me, I will somehow find the time. While we all have limited capacity, we all do what it takes to have what we want most. This is the premise of the series we’re beginning today. We’re calling it Looking for Gold: Jesus on Treasure. Here is my opening question for today, which also serves as the title of my message:

What are you ALL IN on?

You need to know the answer to this question. Here’s why – whatever your answer is to this question will determine how you order the rest of your life. It’s true.

You are willing to give up even things that you love in order to have that which you cannot live without.

Matthew 19:16-22 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept, “ the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

This man wants something badly. In Mark’s account of this story, he notes that this man fell on his knees before Jesus when he asked him this question about eternal life. He is genuinely seeking Jesus and the answer to eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. And he’s like, “Which ones?” He is surely hoping he’s already done what’s needed. Jesus lists some of them off and he’s like, “I’ve kept all of them.”

Even though he had checked all the boxes, he still had this sense that something was missing. “What do I still lack?” In other words, what is still in the way of me having this kind of life? And then Jesus begins to put his finger on this man’s obstacle. He tells him what to do if he wants to be perfect. This word “perfect” can mean whole or complete. “Go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

If you give Jesus many things, but not everything, it’s because something you’re still holding onto is actually your treasure…not Jesus.

This man gave Jesus his morality, but not his money. Maybe for you, you have no problem giving God your money but you do whatever you want to with your body. Or you dedicate your mornings and your evenings to God, but keep him completely out of how you do your work. Perhaps you give God your time by serving others, but you don’t let Him speak into your dating life at all.

Whatever you treasure is ALWAYS a discipleship issue.

Sell your possessions. Give to the poor. And you will have treasure in heaven. THEN come, follow me. Jesus knows we can’t be his disciple as long as we insist on holding onto what we treasure most. When Jesus is our treasure, we will leave anything necessary to follow Him.

When the man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth. Why was he sad? Because he wanted eternal life with Jesus. Why couldn’t he have that? You might think it’s because he wouldn’t sell his possessions. That’s a symptom of the root issue. The greater reality is that he would not make God his treasure.

If you think this is mostly about what you do with your money, you’ll miss the point. We can be very generous with our money and have something other than Jesus be our treasure. Now if Jesus is your treasure, that will always show in what you do with your money. This is about what you treasure. You can treasure wealth, power, influence, fame, comfort, security, pleasure, status or countless other things.

It's about what you refuse to give up or walk away from, even if you have to walk away from Jesus with great sadness. Here are some of the things I’ve seen that cause people to walk away from Jesus: Loving wealth more than anything else. Having a desire to date someone who doesn’t share their faith. Being influenced by false teachers who sound convincing – YouTube, Instagram, some friend who’s persuasive but has no clue who Jesus really is. Workng in a way that makes them forfeit their integrity or their marriage or family or simply leaves them no time to follow Jesus. Caring too much about what others think of them. If you put more time into making people think well of you than you do seeking to understand what Jesus thinks of you, you treasure your status more than Jesus. If you spend more time helping your kids get into a certain high school or college more than you help them understand who Jesus is and how to follow Him, your kids know that you treasure their education more than their life with Jesus.

Notice this – Jesus doesn’t chase after this man. He lets him walk away. You are always giving up something of value to have what is most valuable. I know you want it all, I get that. But as this story illustrates, you and I have to choose one treasure above all others. And it seems like Jesus will allow us to hold onto our treasure if we insist on it.

Matthew 13:44-46 “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. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Though these two short parables get at the same meaning, there’s one subtle difference. The first man wasn’t looking for treasure when he found it. The second man was seeking fine pearls. Whether you are here today because you are seeking Jesus or you feel like you’ve just accidentally discovered Jesus, the offer is still the same and so are the implications.

It is a gift to come face to face with what it really means to follow Jesus.

I would rather you walk away sad, having rejected the real Jesus, than to walk away falsely believing that you’re a Christian.

Though this is a parable, it’s fascinating to contrast these men with the man we read about earlier. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure. When a man found it, in his joy, he sold all he had to buy the field where the treasure was located. With JOY, he gives up everything. The merchant looking for fine pearls does the same. And yet the rich man held onto his wealth, but walked away sad. Please listen to me: One day this man will not have his wealth and he will not have Jesus.

Jesus is better than wealth. He is better than pleasure. It is better to be known by Jesus than to be famous in the eyes of this world. Jesus is worth the most and His kingdom lasts forever.

What attachments or treasures are keeping you from following Jesus?

You must choose what you’re going to treasure above all else…because whatever that is, I promise you you’ll give up everything else to have it. This is the question for each of us:

What are you all in on?

To go all in means you’re giving up a lot of other things. On a day where we’re celebrating 15 years as Epic Church, I can’t help but think back to our origin story. To start this church, we had to give up A LOT. We had to sell our house, leave a stable paycheck, leave an already established church, and sacrifice more than most people will ever know. AND we think it was absolutely worth it. What Jesus has done these past 15 years is stunning. If we wouldn’t have given up so much, we would have missed out on even more.

Have you ever wondered, what does Jesus treasure? The treasure principle operates for Jesus just like it does for all of us. Whatever he values most, He will give up everything in order to have his treasure.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus endured a horrific death on the cross. He willingly gave up his life. Why? So he could have what He treasured. And how did He do this? With JOY. Responses:

Make Jesus your treasure. He’s worth the most and His kingdom last the longest. Jesus, forgive me for everything I’ve made #1 in my life and become my treasure forever.

What attachments or obstacles are in the way of you following Jesus? Will you give them up?

If Jesus is going to be your treasure, what needs to be different regarding how you use your time, what you do with your money, how you do your work, and how you treat others?