The auctioneer took a quick breather while staff cleared away from the sale just concluded and brought forth the next item up for bid.  When all was in readiness, the mustached man who appeared to be in his early fifties, took a swig or two from a water bottle kept for his use on a shelf to the right of the platform.  His presence once more required, he stowed the bottle away, stepped behind the microphone and asked politely for attention.

He was dressed in a carefully brushed but ancient tweed sport coat, casual slacks, and a belt that almost—though not quite—matched his expensive loafers.  Sadly, the latter had gone beyond comfortable-looking and now seemed simply tired.  No tie was in evidence.  His broad smile revealed a glint of gold dental work and his thinning hair was slicked back in a not too oily way.  Anyone really concentrating on the man’s appearance would likely have thought that he was probably going for a dapper look, but couldn’t quite pull it off and had ended up somewhere between natty and tatty.

Fortunately, the fellow’s glib tongue and genial manner soon allayed any doubts as to his fitness for the job at hand.  He modulated his voice and even affected a somewhat cultured cadence, to suggest a more refined personal background than was actually the case.  He was a sturdy type, with the necessary knowledge and experience to give assurance of a professional, which had the desired effect of putting potential buyers at their ease.  They could sense that they were in capable hands.

The man of the hour slid his eyes over the program to refresh himself on the next item: Lot 32, an average-sized parcel of unremarkable land suitable for farming or grazing (and not much else).  He feigned interest and enthusiasm he did not feel, as he called attention to the particulars in the brochure, rather than reading them aloud.

According to the property description, there were no special features in terms of size, location, view or natural resources.  It was an altogether ordinary tract of dirt, which had not generated any presale interest.  The auctioneer could not help noticing that the reserve, though modest, seemed unlikely to be met.  Exceeding it by any significant margin would be a real feat.  He sighed in silence and went to work, starting the bidding at an unambitious point and asking the gallery who was ready to top it.

Just before opening bid, a man crept into the hall and slid into an empty seat at the back of the room.  He might have been invisible, for all the notice he attracted—at least at first.  Soon however, a pattern began to emerge, as this tardy mystery man bid up the price in small increments, defeating the low-ballers bent on snapping up the parcel for a song, and holding off the desultory offers of the half-hearted few who briefly challenged one another before walking away.

The game thus ended early, the gavel rapped down in favor of the gentleman in the rear, who by this time, had become conspicuous for his determination to acquire this specific plot of ground.

There was something strange about him.  Nothing to trigger alarm, but enough to warrant a second look.  Though not wealthy for example, (nobody among the well-to-do recognized him) he appeared to be a man of some means.  Tan lines on both wrists, the fingers of both hands, and even at his throat, indicated that he habitually wore jewelry.  Where was it?  Had he fallen on hard times?  Used it as collateral for a loan or an unpaid debt?

In retrospect, the sly grin that flashed fleetingly during the bidding and the untroubled expression he maintained despite mean-spirited efforts to run up the price seemed suspicious.  There was also the disturbing manner in which the proud purchaser of Lot 32 had sprung to his feet with a triumphant air, as soon as the sale was final.  He gave the distinct impression that he had somehow pulled a fast one, and had put one over on his competitors.

But there was something else, something at odds with his obvious, excessive self-satisfaction. What was it?  Relief—the feeling one gets when something that might have gone very wrong did not take that disastrous turn after all. Danger averted.  Okay to exhale.  What was that about?

It wasn’t long before news broke about what had really happened at the auction house that sleepy afternoon.  It seems that the buyer of Lot 32 had inspected the property in advance and had quite literally stumbled upon a treasure trove of priceless articles hidden in that plain, non-descript field.  The cache was hastily reburied, and its existence kept secret until after the parcel’s purchase.  It had taken all the man had to gain it, but he deemed it an absolute bargain, well worth the sacrifice of all of his other possessions.  Once the hidden riches were his, he trumpeted his joy to anyone and everyone, even to those who had heard the story often enough to tell the tale themselves, if they had a mind to do so.

It’s a familiar saga because it’s been circulating for 2,000 years.  Jesus told it: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”  (Matthew 13:44)

But Jesus wasn’t talking about real estate.  He was referring to what’s valuable in life and what isn’t, about what’s of eternal consequence and worth versus what’s transitory, and worthless.

Years later, a religious zealot named Saul, had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus to arrest Christians and haul them back to Jerusalem in chains.  When the Lord confronted Saul, he had no choice but to ask Jesus, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5)

Saul had no clue, believing that Jesus was a dead heretic to Judaism, not his risen Master, who wanted to turn this firebrand around and use him to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles and their kings.

By the end of his life decades afterward, Saul (now known as Paul, the great missionary, evangelist, and apostle) had this to say about Jesus:

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Philippians 3:7-11)

Paul had found great treasure, and willingly “sold” all that he possessed, to have it for his own—for always.  And he spent the rest of his life heeding his Savior’s advice:

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

How about YOU?  Where is YOUR heart?  Do you know what real treasure is?  Have you become morally and spiritually bankrupt, chasing after worldly wealth, but are not rich toward God?  What will you spend your eternity doing?

The great auction continues.  Your future is the item now up for bid.  Are you all in?  Have you gone all out to gain the kingdom?  Or have you settled for a few short years of emptiness, sorrow, toil, and pain?  It’s time to choose.  Listen as the Auctioneer bangs his gavel and calls out urgently, “Going once!  Going twice…”

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)