![\"Investment](\"http:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Investment-payoff-for-your-dreams.jpg\")
Imagine you just received an invitation to a dinner seminar about the best investment you could ever make.\u00a0 But the speaker is quite unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
It’s Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Investment party like no other<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnd look who’s invited.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Investment](\"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Party-at-Matthews-house-1024x756.jpg\")
Party at Matthew’s house\/James Tissot watercolor\/1886-1896<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe financial experts of the first century. All the wealthy and well-heeled business folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus knew they loved to make money. \u00a0And he had a deal for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. \u00a0While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.”
\u2014 Mt 9:9-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within minutes of accepting the invitation, Matthew sponsors a dinner party at his house. He invites, of course, all his friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t know about you, but I have found the best parties to be those heavily attended by sinners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are the kinds of gatherings our guest speaker frequented because he understood their passion for…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nmoney<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nsecurity<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nfulfillment<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nhappiness<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>![\"Jewish](\"http:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Jewish-coin-depicting-Templ.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWithin minutes of Matthew’s dinner party, Jesus . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- raises a synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- heals a woman’s twelve-year-old bleeding problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- restores the sight of two blind men<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- makes a mute man speak<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
. . . all of which the tax collectors and sinners are not expecting to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our special guest, Jesus, left these first-century financial advisers stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They went out and spread the news about him all over that region. \u00a0The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.'”
\u2014 Mt 9: 31-33<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Investment offer, no one should refuse<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nHere comes the investment offer, which has moved from Matthew’s house to the lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. . .’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. \u00a0Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. \u00a0When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.'”
\u2014 Mt 13: 44-46<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There it is!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An investment worth sacrificing everything else for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better than pure gold<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhat is it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kingdom of heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is the supreme relationship a man or woman could ever have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One with God and in harmony with others through God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perfect love and relationship with the Creator of all worlds and all mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you make this investment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trusting your life now and forever to Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God\u2019s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”
1 Pe 1:3-5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why doesn’t everybody make this investment? \u00a0Because…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Many folks settle for too little. \u00a0Many miss the best in life not because they want too much but because they settle for too little.”\u00a0
\u2014 Paul Markey<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They look for wealth and answers to life’s most significant problems, primarily in the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In future posts, I will share some of the marvelous treasures<\/a> waiting for folks who place their life by faith in the one and only person who rose from the dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSubscribe to my blog so that you don’t miss any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The financial experts of the first century. All the wealthy and well-heeled business folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus knew they loved to make money. \u00a0And he had a deal for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. \u00a0While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.”
\u2014 Mt 9:9-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within minutes of accepting the invitation, Matthew sponsors a dinner party at his house. He invites, of course, all his friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t know about you, but I have found the best parties to be those heavily attended by sinners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are the kinds of gatherings our guest speaker frequented because he understood their passion for…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWithin minutes of Matthew’s dinner party, Jesus . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- raises a synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- heals a woman’s twelve-year-old bleeding problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- restores the sight of two blind men<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- makes a mute man speak<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
. . . all of which the tax collectors and sinners are not expecting to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our special guest, Jesus, left these first-century financial advisers stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They went out and spread the news about him all over that region. \u00a0The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.'”
\u2014 Mt 9: 31-33<\/p>\n\n\n\nInvestment offer, no one should refuse<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here comes the investment offer, which has moved from Matthew’s house to the lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. . .’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. \u00a0Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. \u00a0When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.'”
\u2014 Mt 13: 44-46<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere it is!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An investment worth sacrificing everything else for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better than pure gold<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kingdom of heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is the supreme relationship a man or woman could ever have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One with God and in harmony with others through God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perfect love and relationship with the Creator of all worlds and all mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you make this investment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trusting your life now and forever to Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God\u2019s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”
1 Pe 1:3-5<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy doesn’t everybody make this investment? \u00a0Because…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Many folks settle for too little. \u00a0Many miss the best in life not because they want too much but because they settle for too little.”\u00a0
\u2014 Paul Markey<\/p>\n\n\n\nThey look for wealth and answers to life’s most significant problems, primarily in the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In future posts, I will share some of the marvelous treasures<\/a> waiting for folks who place their life by faith in the one and only person who rose from the dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Subscribe to my blog so that you don’t miss any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n