Parables: The Treasure of the Kingdom

Review:

Parables are stories riddles or analogies that explain a concept or situation to make it easier to understand

Jesus used parables to help sort out those willing to follow him, who would sit and think about the parables and try to uncover their meaning, from those who couldn’t be bothered to solve the riddle, and hear the warnings of Jesus’s words.

The Parable of the Sower, where we saw how different people react to the word of God, parables of Growth where we see how God can bring growth to the kingdom, so long as we spread his word, and parables of separation, where at the final judgement God will sort out those who followed and obeyed him from those who didn’t.

Through all of these parables we learned that as the church, and the kingdom of God on earth, our calling is to share the gospel and reach out to as many people as we can, and trust that God will bring the growth, and that God will sort out those who don’t believe.

Today we are going to explore the parables of Treasure, and they can be read two separate ways.

English Standard Version Chapter 13

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

With that we have finally read all the parables in Matthew 13.

Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a treasure or a pearl that is so valuable, that a man would sell everything he has to attain it.

In the one parable the man finds a sneaky way of obtaining the treasure, by buying the piece of land it is hidden in. He sells everything he has to gain something far more valuable than all of it.

the other parable is someone achieving his greatest dream, here he works with pearls all of his life, and he finds one worth as much as everything he owns, so he sells all that he has to buy the extremely valuable pearl.

I looked up some of the worlds most expensive pearls,

Genearally speaking the most exensive pearls are ones that are

Large

Perfectly round OR of a unique shape

Often paired with other expenisve pearls in a necklace

Flawless (no cracks on the inside)

Either pure white or some rare color, Black Blue or pink.

Currently the largest known pearl in the world is the giga-pearl. 15” long and 9” wide and weighs 60 lbs.

However because it isn't round, and doesn’t have the same amount of shine as other pearls, there are debates as to how much it is actually worth.

between 60 million and 200 million, Which makes it far more valuable than any other pearl in the world.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a pearl merchant selling off his entire stock of pearls so that he can buy the most expensive pearl he has ever seen. It is his crown achievement.

Most people read these parables and think that means that the Kingdom of God is more valuable than everything, and that is a good interpretation. Being part of the Kingdom of God is worth more than any earthly treasure. Its worth more than your money, more than your job, and more than anything else.

That said, I believe there is another way to understand these parables, and that comes by looking at other parables that Jesus tells, that are similar.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

English Standard Version Chapter 15

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Here instead of finding a treasure or a pearl, Jesus speaks of a shepherd risking losing 99 sheep so that he can find one lost sheep, and when he finds it He rejoices as though he won the lottery.

and then he says that’s how God and the angels rejoice when one sinner is saved.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Again someone takes time to find something that is lost, and then throws a party once it is found, and that's how God and the angels rejoice over one lost soul coming to Jesus.

Then look at the next parable: the prodigal son, Many of you are familiar with it, the son leaves, but when he comes back his father throws a party, celebrating because the son he lost has been found.

We will do a deep dive on the prodigal son next week because there is a lot there.

Could it be that when Jesus talks about the treasure in the field, that that is how God sees us?

Might it be that when God looks at us he sees a pearl of Great value?

God looks for the one lost sheep, who is worth more to him than the 99

God looks for the lost coin rather than protecting the 9 coins he already has.

God gave up everything for what he treasured.

God gave up his only son so that he might redeem us.

Church that is the gospel!

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

You are a treasure that God found in a field, and he gave up his son so that he could have you.

You a pearl of such value that God gave up his Son so he could have you.

You are a sheep that wandered away, and God risked losing all to find you

You are a coin that got lost that God searched all over to find.

And once he found you, he rejoiced greatly.