Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
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!! Treasure Hunt—Finders and Seekers (Matthew 13:44-46)
Most enjoy a treasure hunt.
Some are surprised by treasure, while others actively seek it.
Jesus compared the rule of God in personal life to finding treasure.
Some are surprised by finding the rule of God in their life.
Others seek the highest good in life and find the rule of God.
Whether you are a surprised finder or a serious seeker, you must risk everything for a unique opportunity of knowing God's rule in your life.
Each of Jesus' parables presents a past picture and tells a timeless truth.
Look at the picture and learn the truth.
!!! Some Find God's Rule in Life as an Unexpected Treasure
The parable presents a past picture.
A poor day laborer plows the field of another man.
Suddenly, he finds a treasure trove.
Though rare today, such finds were very common in biblical lands.
Invasions, revolutions, and natural calamities caused people to bury wealth.
There were no banks.
When the owner perished, no one knew where the treasure was buried.
The common laborer took legitimate, legal steps to secure the field.
He sold everything he had to buy the field.
This was a good investment, for he only paid for the field, and got the treasure as an extra grace.
His motivation was one of joy, transported by wealth beyond dreams.
The parable tells a timeless truth.
Many find the rule of God in their life without seeking it.
They are surprised by joy.
The woman of Samaria suddenly finding living water (John 4) or the jailer of Philippi suddenly finding real security (Acts 16) represent the type.
To most, the kingdom of God is a hidden reality.
Like a dull day laborer, they plow through life not expecting more than eating, sleeping, working, and dying.
Some suddenly strike the treasure!
The discovery calls for total investment motivated by joy.
Impelled by sheer joy, we gladly invest everything to know the rule of God in life.
It is an investment joyfully made, with no sense of sacrifice (Phil.
3:8ff.).
!!! Others Seek the Highest Good in Life and Find God's Rule
The parable presents a past picture.
The merchant is a traveling wholesaler looking for precious pearls.
Whereas there were many day laborers plowing fields, this man represents a relative rarity.
He went to the Indian Ocean seeking pearls from the pearl fishers.
Suddenly, he found the pearl of all pearls.
At once he took advantage of this unique opportunity.
He went quickly and immediately sold everything he had.
That is, he not only traded his entire stock of other pearls, but divested himself of all else.
He was not a collector but a dealer.
He knew that this was a good investment.
The day laborer was surprised by a treasure.
The pearl merchant was successful after a long search.
The parable tells a timeless truth.
Many search for the highest good in life—meaning, purpose, reality.
After a long, such search, they finally find it in Christ.
Apollos was such a man (Acts 19).
When that moment comes, there must be the immediate risk of total investment to grasp the unique opportunity.
Sadly, many would rather clutch paste pearls.
!!!
Both Finders and Seekers Must Risk the Unique Opportunity
The similarity between the finder and the seeker outweighs the difference.
When each discovers the power of Christ and His presence, it is a moment to risk everything for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This was central to Jesus' teaching.
It is exactly the opposite of those excuses at the parable of the banquet (Matt.
22:5).
So urgent is His call that we are to cut off hands (5:29), let the dead bury their dead (8:2), leave parents (10:37) and follow Him.
This is no lame, same, tame Savior calling us to a modernized, trivialized religion.
This is the treasure hunt.
Risk now!
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