The Value of the Kingdom

Intro:

“Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more.”

— Mother Teresa

Matthew 9:9 NIV

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Jesus is speaking with his disciples about His kingdom when He gets to a point where He is describing the value of His kingdom. The worth of His great Kingdom.

Matthew 13:44–46 NIV

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Here we see Jesus refer to His kingdom like a Treasure and a Pearl of great value. Jesus is taking common things. relatively common that is. He is trying to explain to his followers how insanely valuable the kingdom is. You see all through this part of Matthew Jesus is talking about how He is going to separate the righteous from the unrighteous. Then He stops and He speaks about this parable. The Kingdom of Heaven, My kingdom. Eternity. is like:

A Treasure

A pearl of great value.

What is Jesus Saying about the Kingdom?

He is saying:

The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than you and I can Fathom.

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

A Treasure, a Pearl?

If you said that there was a treasure that I could have, I would probably laugh and say its not true? It is a ruse, A phantom. Its too good to be true. Then I wouldn’t even bother to look.

It may be true, but I refuse to to even conceive of such a place.

It so far removed my everyday experience that I have a hard time wrapping my brain around it.

Instead of trying to grasp the vastness of eternity, cling to Jesus.

So many people run for the next life for the next body. For no pain, no anxiety, no Sin. All those things are fine, but when that is our goal. Lord Get me out of here! We miss so much, for the kingdom has begun. It is and it is still coming.

You and I can begin eternity now! If we hold fast to Christ!

and we allow Him to bring forth the kingdom in our lives.

So lets look at the specifics of this parable.

If the idea of heaven is too grand for us to grasp, then why does Jesus give us this parable?

Matthew 13:44–46 ESV

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

A notes Here:

These are very similar. In fact the only difference is that in the first one, the man stumbles upon the treasure. In the second the man is seeking a treasure.

The First (Treasure and the man)

In the first one we see that the treasure is not acquired on the mans terms. It is not something he can own. It something He enjoys, but not something he possesses. He stumbles upon it. then he hides it again. Why? Why not pick it up? He cannot. If He wants to be with the treasure he will have to come to it on the treasures terms.

He can merely be near it. So he buys the field around it so that he can be near it.

So what does this tell us about heaven? Heaven is not about you. It not about me. The glory of Heaven is independent of us. It is not something for us to express our own selfish desires. It is for us to enjoy the presence of God.

The second one (The Merchant and the Pearl)

In the second one, we see a merchant who seeking for all kinds of treasures. He is merely in search of valuable pearls, but he finds not just another pearl, but “the Pearl!” This pearl is unlike other treasures, you see this pearl is worth more than all others. It outshines the rest.

This teaches us that heaven is unlike any other place. The kingdom of God is unlike anything you or I can fathom. It outshines the greatest of earthy kingdoms.

It is jewel among the stars. Think of the greatest of the kingdoms of earth. Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome, Israel under Solomon. Yet the kingdom of Heaven is unlike any of these. It makes those look like dirty rags.

Not not does this kingdom have the Almighty at its center, but it is the first and only perfect Government, the first and only eternal kingdom. It will never end.

It is an everlasting glorious place to walk with God. A place where Sin and death are no more. Where suffering and anxiety have left.

The final thing we see in both of these parables is that to acquire the Treasure. and to Acquire the Pearl of Great value. It cost the Man and the Merchant everything they had.

The Rich young ruler longed to follow Christ, What must I do to follow you? Jesus said. Sell everything you have and follow me.

That was the solution, let go of your life and follow me.

Jesus wasn’t asking anything more for this young man than he did for disciples. Let go of everything and follow me!

That is what this Man and this merchant do. If they want these amazing treasures they must let go of their lives to attain them.

How does this translate for us?

If we want the kingdom, we must let go of our lives and follow Jesus

If we want to live eternally with God we must lay down our lives!

If it cost God everything to redeem us, why would we expect it to cost us less:

“The demands of following Christ will cost you everything. But you gain far more than you give up. You give up dirt for diamonds.” — Steve Lawson

So the Question I have for you and Myself today is this?

Do you Follow you Jesus this morning?

Secondly, Have you laid down everything to Follow Him? Or are you still clinging to this world and trying to have Jesus too?