The Hidden Treasure

The Hidden Treasure

Text: Matthew 13:44–46 (KJV 1900)

44 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.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Introduction:

* When we started this series of sermons on the Parables of the Kingdom, we said that the 7 kingdom parables were given by Jesus in three sets of couplets, with an introduction “The parable of the Sower” which represents the age of grace, or the church age, and a conclusion parable- “The parable of the Dragnet,” which represents the day of Judgment.

* In the Kingdom Parables Jesus gives an amazing prophecy of what will happen on the earth between His rejection by the Jews, His crucifixion, and His ascension into Heaven, and When He returns to Judge the world at His second coming.

* Each set of two parables, we call couplets, have the same revelation of a certain truth about the future of the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven.

* The first couplet of Parables we looked at, the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, presented to Jesus’ disciples the Nature of the Kingdom of Heaven.

* In these first two parables Jesus reveals that the nature of the Kingdom of God after his death and ascension up to Heaven, until His final Return to judge the world, will be that of two kinds of people- The children of the seed of Satan and the counterfeit religious systems, and the children of the seed of the Word of God, the true believers.

* In the second couplet of Parables, the “Parable of the Mustard Seed,” and the Parable of the Leaven, Jesus presented to his disciples the coming Power and Influence that the seed Jesus sowed, will have in the world after his death and resurrection.

* In the third couplet of parables, which we are dealing with this morning, The Parable of the Hidden Treasure, and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, Jesus revealed to His disciples the method of entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

* From our previous sermons about the Kingdom Parables we have already learned that the keys to understand all of the Kingdom Parables are found in the first parable, the Parable of the Sower.

* In the first parable we learned the meaning of the following idioms, or symbols, which are the keys to understand all of the Kingdom parables:

* As we have learned in our studies of the Bible with Chuck Missler, the Holy Spirit has arranged a consistency of the meanings of idioms, or symbols into the Bible.

* Unlike the parable of the Sower and the parable of the Wheat and Tares, Jesus does not give us the interpretation of the parables that we are dealing with this morning.

* The Word of God has left the interpretation of these parables to the work of Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning to our hearts this morning.

* With the meaning of the first parable to guide our understanding, let’s take a look at the meaning of the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price.

* From the first parable, the Parable of the Sower, we learned:

- The field represents the Hearts of men.

- The Seed, or in today’s parable, Treasure represents the Word of God, the Gospel- that was sown into the world by the Son of Man, Jesus.

- The Kingdom represents the World.

* With these keys to understanding in place, we can now paraphrase, or in other words, “put into our own words” the meaning of these two parables.

Paraphrase

The heart of man is like the Word of God, which when a man stumbles upon it, he forsakes everything else and obeys the Gospel, and puts the Word of God first in his life.

Because the Gospel, Word of God brings so much joy and comfort to his heart, this hides the Word of God in his heart and treats it like a great treasure that is worth more than anything else he has in this life.

There is also another kind of man who, in his heart is seeking truth and meaning in life. It is of the utmost importance to him to search the world for something worth living for.

When this type of man finally realizes that the only real truth in the world is the Gospel, the Word of God, he also, like the first man, forsakes all other beliefs and philosophies of men, and obeys the Truth of the Gospel, and puts the Word of God first in his life.

To both of these men, the Word of God becomes precious like a pearl of great worth to Him- so precious it is worth more than anything else in the world.

Summary:

The controlling truth behind both the parables of the Hidden treasure, and the Pearl of Great Price is the same as it is for all of the Kingdom Parables.

* And here it is-

The kingdom of heaven is all about the relationship of a man’s heart to the Word of God. Will he obey it’s message and apply it to his own heart.

* As with first two couplets of parables, these two parables, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, have identical meanings.

* Both picture the Word of God, the Gospel, which is the Word of God that Jesus sowed in the field of the world, which is the source of salvation, as something hidden from most people.

* Take a look with me again at our text chapter, Matthew 13, and verse 11:

Matthew 13:10–15 (KJV 1900)

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them,

Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

* In other words, the Gospel is hidden from some, but revealed to others. For most people in the world, the truth that Jesus sowed in the parable of the sower is hidden.

* Now hold this thought for just a minute…

* Because this truth relates to our parables we are dealing with this morning, let me establish this truth by going to 2 Corinthians 4:3:

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2 Corinthians 4:3–6 (KJV 1900)

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds

of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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* Now let’s turn our thoughts back to Matthew 13:11- 15:

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;

lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted …

* Here Jesus clearly states that the ability to comprehend, or “see” spiritual truth is a gracious gift of God, sovereignly bestowed by God on the elect- those that God has elected, or chosen from before the foundations of the world, to reveal his salvation to.

* When the rich man in Hell pleaded with Abraham to send someone from the dead to warn his five brothers about Hell, Abraham said that the only witness they would receive would be the Word of God.

* So you say then, who are God’s elect? That’s a very simple definition from the World of God this morning:

Romans 10:8–13 (KJV 1900)

* The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 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.

* It’s really that simple- This is the group, “God’s elect,” that were chosen the Bible says from before the foundations of the world to be saved- all those who in faith call upon Jesus for salvation.

* Paul goes on to explain further:

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith,

Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

* Those that harden their heart against the Gospel of Jesus, and salvation in him, will be blinded by God, not able to understand the truth of the Word of God.

* According to the Bible, the reprobate ones will be passed over. They will reap the natural consequence of their own unbelief and rebellion—spiritual blindness.

* According to Jesus, those who harden their hearts against the Gospel, will be incapable to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, because those truths have been hidden from all the ages of the past.

* Only the Gospel that Jesus sowed into the field of the world reveals those mysteries that were hidden in the Old Testament.

1 Corinthians 2:6–7 (KJV 1900)

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Ephesians 3:1–6 (KJV 1900)

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;

(as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

* Now I want you take note of this phrase relates directly to our parables that we are looking at this morning:

, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Colossians 1:25–29 (KJV 1900)

25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to

the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

1 Timothy 3:14–16 (KJV 1900)

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is

the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

* Now I want you to see from these passages that the Gospel, the World of God revealed my Jesus, the seed that Jesus sowed into the field of the world in the first parable… is that which has been hidden in our parables that we are dealing with this morning.

* In the first parable, the parable of the Hidden Treasure, the Gospel, the seed, the Word of God is the treasure that had been hidden, that a man finds in a field.

* In the second parable of this couplet of parables about the entrance into the kingdom of heaven, the Gospel, that Great Truth, the Word of God, the seed that Jesus came to sow into the world, is the Pearl of Great price that was worth selling everything he had to gain.

* The Word of God is presented as so valuable in both of these parables that people who have it revealed to them, are willing to give up all they have, or ever will have to obey it.

* The message of this parable, and the next one, is that in order to gain entrance into heaven, “you have got to put all your eggs in Jesus’ basket.”

* You may say “What do you mean by that preacher?

* It means that you can’t hang on to your religious rituals AND Jesus and to gain entrance into Heaven.

- Being baptized didn’t save you!

- Being born into a Christian family will not get you into heaven!

- Just because you are a member of a church somewhere does not mean that you are going to get into Heaven!

* It means that you cannot trust in your good works AND Jesus to gain entrance into heaven.

* Believing in Jesus, plus anything, will result in you going to Hell.

* Heaven can be entered into by only one way. Jesus said I am the door:

John 10:1 (KJV 1900)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

John 10:7–9 (KJV 1900)

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Acts 4:11–12 (KJV 1900)

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

* When you add religions rituals or your trust even a little, in your own good works, you corrupt the Gospel, and no one can be saved believing in a corrupt Gospel.

* A corrupt Gospel is the very definition of the tares that the Devil sowed in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares.

* The true Gospel ignores all religion, and all human good works, and only relies on receiving the “Gift of God,” the work that Jesus did on the cross, on your behalf.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

* There is only one kind of faith that saves this morning!

* That is the faith that says “I trust in nothing else to get me into Heaven, no religious system or ritual, not anything that I have done, just the seed that Jesus sowed into the world.

* That seed is the World of God, the Gospel.

* The Gospel is the truth that God entered his own creation and took upon Himself a body in the form of Jesus, and gave his own sinless, precious blood, for an offering and raised from the dead so that everyone who believes on Him will be raised from the dead also in Heave

* And that my friend, is the only entrance into heaven.

* Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,

* Now get this, this truth relates to our parables this morning:

and few there be that find it.

* The seed in the first parable, the parable of the sower, becomes that hidden treasure- it becomes that great priceless pearl that opens the heart of a lost sinner up to all the riches and glories of heaven!

Colossians 2:1–3 (KJV 1900)

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

* I think that maybe these parables, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, were on the mind of the Apostle Paul as he wrote the following words to the members of the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians chapter 4:

2 Corinthians 4:2–7 (KJV 1900)

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Conclusion:

* I will end this sermon with the same conclusion that I have ended each parable of the Kingdom with in this study.

* The Parables of the Kingdom are all about what will happen to the Word of God that Jesus sowed into the world in the first parable, the Parable of the Sower.

* This entire age of Grace, the church age as we like to call it, is all about each man’s heart and its relationship to the Word of God.

* The last parable of the Kingdom Parables which we will cover next Sunday is about Judgment Day and Hell.

* In this parable all those who do not respond to the Word of God revealed to the world will be thrown into a furnace of fire.

* There, in that furnace of fire, Jesus says there will be torment and suffering, people grinding their teeth together and crying out, screaming, wailing, because of their pain and anguish and suffering in Hell.

Matthew 13:47–50 (KJV 1900)

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

* You have had the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the World of God preached to you this morning. What are you going to do about it?

* According to Jesus, you will be judged by what you have heard here today.

* Make your choice wisely this morning, because you be dead tomorrow.

* To those of us who have been saved already, I as you again, as I have after each of the Kingdom Parables- “What relationship do you have with the Word of God?

* Is the Word of God a precious treasure to you like the two men in our parables this morning? Is it worth more than anything in the world to you?

* Is the Word of God so precious to you that you would be willing to give up everything you own to keep and obey it?

* According to these parables, it is supposed to be. Anything that you would not be willing to give up for the sake of the Word of God is your God, your idol that stands between you and God.

* Let’s examine our hearts this morning, if we have neglected the Word of God our lives, weather by not reading it, or by not obeying it, let’s confess it as sin and make the Word of God as precious as it was the day we were saved, once again.