The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and Priceless Pearl
Notes
Transcript
Intro: In the reality show The Curse of Oak Island is in its 9th season. It features Brothers, Rick and Marti Lagina who have now dedicated nearly 10 years or more looking for whatever may have been hidden. Researchers suggest it could be anything from a massive treasure hoard from the medieval Knights Templar including the Ark of the Covenant and other temple treasures to a massive Pirate hoard. People have been scouring Oak Island for almost 200 years. It is estimated that nearly 20-30 million dollars has been spent searching for it. They have given thier entire lives to solving the mystery.
Trans: With this image in mind, we come to this next set of Kingdom parables.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
This parable is different in that it seems to be told instead of to a crowd, only His disciples. It could be that Jesus was encouraging them remember that it is worth enduring what they would soon face.
Jesus uses again this familiar language “The kingdom of heaven is like...” Jesus once again is giving us a glimpse into the workings of the Kingdom of heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like....
A treasure buried in a field. It wasn’t uncommon for people of this time period to hide coins and other valuables in jars or boxes in the ground to keep it safe from thieves.
A treasure that is hidden is most often found by those who are looking for it. We see the picture of a man that when he finds the treasure in someone else’s field, reburies it.
According to Jewish law a treasure that was found and brought out of the ground belonged to the owner of the field. However, the treasure though discovered was not removed from the ground, it would not yet belong to the owner of the field. So this person being wise reburied the treasure and did what the law required he bought the field.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
So often in the christian life we focus solely on what we have to give up. Sacrifice is not the focus of this passage. In fact, it isn't even mentioned. In the stead of sacrifice we see this phrase, “Then in his joy”. He didn’t go and buy the field under the ospice of great sacrifice. He did out of great joy realizing that he we giving up little to gain something greater.
So often in the christian life we focus solely on what we have to give up. Sacrifice is not the focus of this passage. In fact, it isn't even mentioned. In the stead of sacrifice we see this phrase, “Then in his joy”. He didn’t go and buy the field under the ospice of great sacrifice. He did out of great joy realizing that he we giving up little to gain something greater.
There wasn’t the thought of what was lost, but rather only that which was to be gained. It was in this frame of reference that this man quickly went out and sold all that he had to gain so much more.
So let me ask you this question?
Does the thought of the gospel fully having it’s way in your life create anxiety or great joy?
Does the thought of the gospel fully having it’s way in your life create anxiety or great joy?
Can you only see what will be lost or can you see what is gained?
Can you only see what will be lost or can you see what is gained?
This man exchanged all that he had for Joy of it!
You see church family one of the mistakes we have made in our teaching is talking about sacrifice or the cost of discipleship in the absence of Joy.
The gospel even though it will cause us to exchange our life for His glory. It is a far better treasure.
Jesus was telling his disciples that what they had exchanged in following Him was far better than what they left behind.
The Kingdom of heaven is like this a man exchanges everything with great Joy for a treasure of surpassing value.
Trans: So the question, already asked will help you to determine if you truly value and understand what it is that is being offered to you.
Does the thought of the gospel fully having it’s way in your life create anxiety or great joy?
Does the thought of the gospel fully having it’s way in your life create anxiety or great joy?
if anxiety, you have failed to recognize the value of the Kingdom.
If Joy , than you can say along with Paul
7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.
8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ
What is Paul saying? He is saying in light of the “surpassing value of knowing Christ” All I gave up was garbage or manure.
Everything outside of a life given to Christ Paul considered worthless.
The problem is that many of us today, if we were honest with ourselves, would have to admit that we prefer the dung-heap of humanity over the Joy of the kingdom life. This is true because we don’t see any joy in living out the kingdom of life.
When, I was a child, I loved McDonald chicken nuggets. I thought they were the best thing ever, never-mind that they are deep fried chicken paste, but now as an adult I have allowed the taste ans quality of real food change my palette. Now the thought of chicken mcnuggets makes me sick.
You see Paul was in essence saying the same thing. Before he met Christ the dung of the world was satisfying but when he came into contact with something far greater, Jesus Christ. He allowed His experience with Christ to change him. It changed his value system. He no longer lived and strived for the same things as before.
This is what Jesus was teaching through this parable. When a person understands the value of the gospel. He goes and exchanges all that he has not begrudgingly but out of the sheer Joy of it.
It that was clear enough Jesus says it again.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
This time Jesus says the same thing but add another element to the story. Israel was not a land of merchants. Merchants would come from all over the place to buy, sell, and trade with the nation of Israel but generally “merchants” were foriegners. Here in this passage we see a reference to those outside of Isreal (gentiles) recognizing Israel’s God, Seeing Him in the person of jesus Christ and trading everything for the Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is telling his disciples look anyone who recognizes the truth and beauty of the Gospel of the Kingdom with great Joy trades the waste of this world for it.
How often do we value the things of this world as if there is something new to be found here. Look at all the rich, famous, musicians and actors. We tend to look at all these people as if they have found the secret of life yet we fail to examine closely what many of them have traded to get there, for many of them they’ve traded their soul.
36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?
What is keeping you from the Joy of the Kingdom? What trash are you holding on to that is keeping you from fully following Christ. Maybe it’s greed or the American dream, maybe it’s sex or pornography, maybe its your time and you just wanting to do what you want. Maybe its your pride and selfish ambition. Whatever it is, I can tell you with certainty that it’s a complete waste. You will spend your life living for the dung of this world, when the real treasure lies just outside of your grasp.
It would be wrong of me to share this information without warning you the same way that Jesus warned his followers
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish,
48 and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones.
49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,
50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable really is self explanatory. One day it will be too late to choose the treasure of the Kingdom and not everyone that hangs out in the company of believers is actually one. It is a somber reminder that while Jesus was speaking this parable to his disciples not even all of them were prepared to trade everything for the Kingdom. Judas was in their midst.
Church family when is the last time you’ve turned on the news and thought man this world is great. There is nothing better than what is offered here. ..What a treasure this way of life is!
Do you see the foolishness in allowing the world’s system to keep you from the Kingdom of heaven. Yet if I were to ask some of you this pointed question I’m not sure that everyone would be able to answer
In what way are you an active particpant in the Kingdom? I’m not asking you if you are a moral person. That’s elementary stuff. I’m asking you in what way are you actively showing by your works that you value the Kingdom of heaven over the Kingdom of earth?
And for those who are actively involved in the work of the Kingdom, are you putting on display the joy of it? Maybe one of the reasons people don’t want what we have is because we are failing to show them the Joy of it all! I have worked both in the service industry, corporate world, and ministry. Let me tell you something there is nothing worse than working with a grumpy or negative religious people. Lets display the Joy of the Kingdom! How can we expect to show the world the greatness of God if we aren’t allowing the joy of the gospel to motivate and change us.
So what’s the good news in all of this?
There is a treasure worth sacrificing everything. Those who do, will be filled with great joy because they have chosen the better thing. There is a great joy in serving Christ.
There is a treasure worth sacrificing everything. Those who do, will be filled with great joy because they have chosen the better thing. There is a great joy in serving Christ.