Infinite Value and Joy

Background to passage: Jesus has just finished giving several parables about the kingdom in general, and people’s responses to it.  And so the question raised in some minds was: how do I enter this kingdom.  So, Jesus gives two parables with essentially the same meaning about entrance into the kingdom. 

Matthew 13:44–46 ESV

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. 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.

Opening illustration: I read statistics this week that came from Pew Research, Barna, and Lifeway about the beliefs, convictions, and practices of the 62% of Americans who identify as Christians. 85% believe in heaven, but only 75% are absolutely certain God exists. Significantly more people call themselves Christians than attend church, belong to a church or read their bibles. A majority (55%) approve of same-sex marriage, higher percentages believe in cohabitation before marriage, and a significant number support transgender identities. And as we have seen, Jesus didn’t do surveys or polls regarding belief, his constant call in the NT was follow me, take up your cross, keep my commands, and love me above all others.

Main thought: This morning I want to note two things about a description that Jesus gave about the Kingdom of God. First, it is of greater value than every other thing in life. Second, that relinquishing all for this infinitely valuable allegiance is fueled by and leads to infinite joy.

1) Call to Recognize Value (v. 44-46)

Matthew 13:44–46 ESV

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. 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.

1) Call to Recognize Value (v. 44-46)

Explanation: Two parables same meaning, slight twist. Twist is that one man is just going through life, walking through a field. The other man is actually looking for valuable merchandise. Meaning is the same, both men found something that was of so much value that they were willing to sell all they had to acquire their found treasure. Jesus’s point is clear, NOTHING is more valuable than the Kingdom and her King.

Hebrews 11:24–26 ESV

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Illustration: A South African diamond mining company estimates that to mine out one pound of rough diamonds, it must sift through and mine out 90,000 tons of rock.  Roy Thomson (Canadian born media mogul between the 1920s - 1960s) owned 180 newspapers, including The Times of London, and 290 other companies.  But when asked what he would give for ownership of The New York Times; he replied that he would “mortgage his soul.” 

Application: Salvation is not simply a choice of the will.  It is not simply a mental assent.  It is not just a set of doctrines and theology. It is not simply some religious ritual that you can perform.  It is selling out, everything that you ever have or will have to gain something that you cannot lose.  It is a reevaluating of all things, not only intellectually, but in your heart.  It means total sacrifice, reckless abandonment, unconditional discipleship, complete followership; and the value of the Kingdom supersedes all these costs.  It is worth more than any earthly treasure, pleasure, or relationship.  It is worth more than all the treasures, pleasures, and relationships of the entire world from the beginning of time combined. 

What value do you place on the kingdom? You can see by what you are willing to and what you do sacrifice to attain it. If we do not realize the value of Christ, he will not mean that much to us. The level of sacrifice and effort will go down. Look at your own life. Are you willing to mine 90,000 tons of rock for the The Diamond? What indications are there in your life that prove you understand the worth of Christ?

2) The Fuel for Sacrifice (v. 44-46)

Matthew 13:44–46 ESV

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. 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.

2) The Fuel for Sacrifice (v. 44-46)

Explanation: It’s explicit in the first parable, but because they are parallel, implicit in the second. There was so much joy that there was no hesitation in selling everything. They didn’t have to think about it, pray about it, research their decision on with AI, or see how many stars it has as they read the reviews on Amazon.

Hebrews 10:32–34 ESV

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Illustration: “This will happen (to sustain love’s ability to endure sacrificial losses of property and security and life, by the power of joy in the path of love. The aim is that Jesus Christ be made known in all the world as the all-powerful, all-wise, all-righteous, all-merciful, all-satisfying Treasure of the universe) when Christians don’t just say that Christ is valuable, or sing that Christ is valuable, but truly experience in their hearts the unsurpassed worth of Jesus with so much joy that they can say, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8).

Christ will be glorified in the world when Christians are so satisfied in him that they let goods and kindred go and lay down their lives for others in mercy, missions, and, if necessary, martyrdom. He will be magnified most among the nations when, at the moment Christians lose everything on earth, they say, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21)...and this joy will hold us and keep us, if we have tasted it and fought to make it the supreme experience of our lives. Christ is supremely glorious and supremely valuable. Therefore he is worth the fight.” -Piper, When I Don’t Desire God

Application: This is the kind of joy, hunger, and desire that causes you to seek after God with all your heart, because you do realize the value of the Kingdom.  This is the joy that causes you to share Christ with others regardless of the consequences, you participate in ministry regardless of comfort, you give of your resources when you don’t have to give, go on mission when it costs a lot, pray when you don’t feel like praying, and choose kingdom things over urgent things.  This is the joy that helps you continue through ceaseless trials, overlook painful sins against you by others, remain faithful to God’s house when feelings get hurt, and love the unlovable members of the local body. 

Do you have an unquenchable desire for Christ?  I believe this is the defining characteristic over the long term to genuine faith.  It is crucial that your faith include a longing for Jesus. 

Closing illustration:

Sadhu Sundar Singh.

Born in 1889 into a wealthy, devout Sikh family in Punjab, India, Sundar was groomed from boyhood for a life of religious leadership and comfort. As a teenager, though, he grew so disillusioned searching for truth in Sikhism that he decided to end his life — he set a deadline: if God didn’t reveal himself by a certain hour that night, he’d throw himself in front of a train.

That night, he saw a vision of a man with pierced hands and heard a voice ask him why he kept denying him. Sundar realized it was Jesus, and though he’d expected one of his traditional gods, he knelt down and felt a peace and joy he’d never known before — and the joy stayed even after the vision faded.

By morning he told his father he was following Jesus now. His father begged him to reconsider. When Sundar wouldn’t budge, his father spoke a vow over him: “We reject you forever and cast you from among us. You shall be no more my son.” He lost his family, his inheritance, his caste, his whole social world — at sixteen.

He didn’t just accept the loss; he built his whole life around the trade. Forsaking his family’s wealth and status, he adopted the life of a wandering sadhu — a barefoot holy man clothed in a simple saffron robe, carrying nothing but a New Testament, traveling across India and beyond to share the message of Christ. He walked the Himalayan passes into Tibet for years, repeatedly, knowing the danger, until he disappeared on one of those trips in 1929 and was never found.

His own words explain why the trade felt cheap to him: “I am not worthy to follow in the steps of my Lord, but, like him, I want no home, no possessions.”

That’s the field and the pearl. He didn’t mourn what his father took from him — he’d already found something his father couldn’t touch, and everything else looked small standing next to it

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