Matthew 13:44-46

We’re in the 3rd Major Teaching Discourse of Jesus

Here Matthew is Focused On the Parables of Jesus

Back in Verse 36, Jesus Left the Crowds and the Beach and Returned to the House

In the House, He Began Explaining the Parable of the Tares to His Disciples

We Now Pick Up Immediately After That

So as Far as We Know, Jesus is Still Speaking Privately to His Disciples in the House

That Means These Remaining Parables are Given to the Disciples Only

What Have We Learned So Far in this Teaching Discourse of Jesus?

The Reason Jesus Began Teaching in Parables was to…

Reveal and Conceal Secrets (Things People Didn’t Previously Know) About the Kingdom

Secrets of What it Will Be Like When God Reigns Through His Messiah

Reveal Secrets to Those With Open Ears and Open Hearts

Conceal Secrets From Those With Closed Ears and Closed Hearts

The Parable of the Sower Revealed Why So Many Reject the Messiah

The Parable of the Tares Revealed Why the Messiah Hasn’t Yet Punished Evil and Established Justice in the World

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven Revealed that the Kingdom Would Begin Small and Eventually Grow into a World-Wide, World-Changing Kingdom

And Our Next Parables (Hidden Treasure & Pearl of Great Value)…

Will Reveal the True Value of the Kingdom

Jesus has Already Made it Clear to His Disciples that Sacrifices Must Be Made to Inherit the Kingdom

To Inherit the Kingdom, You Must Being Willing to:

Give Up Comforts and Luxuries

Sacrifice Work and Family Priorities

Endure Questioning, Mocking, and Slander

Be Imprisoned, Persecuted, and Tortured

Die for the Cause of the Kingdom

This Brings Out a Very Real and Important Question:

Is it Worth it?

Is Inheriting the Kingdom Really Worth Such Sacrifices?

Jesus Reveals Through These Parables:

YES!

Or as Paul Would Say, “The Sufferings Aren’t Even Worth Comparing to the Glory”

Matthew 13:44 (NASB95)

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Reign of God is Like a Treasure Hidden in a Field

Focus On “Hidden”

How Many People Walked By that Field…

Never Realizing the Valuable Treasure that was Right Under Their Nose?

But then One Man Stumbles Upon the Treasure and Recognizes its Value

He Then Sells Everything He has in Order to Purchase the Field…

And Rightfully Own the Treasure

He’s Willing to Give Up Everything He has

In Fact, He’s More Than Willing

With “Joy” He Sells Everything He Has

Why?

Because He Knows the Treasure is Far More Valuable Than Anything He Owned

Like the Treasure, Jesus’ Kingdom is Hidden Within this World

This Reminds Us of the Parable of the Leaven Being “Hidden” in the Flour

Not Everyone Recognizes Jesus for Who He Really is

Not Everyone has Ears to Hear & Eyes to See

How Many People Have Stumbled Upon the Kingdom and Turned Away From it?

How Many People Have Heard the Gospel of Jesus and Yet Rejected Him?

How Many Have Failed to Recognize the Value of the Kingdom?

But There are Some Who Stumble Across the Kingdom and Do Recognize its Value

They Joyfully Realize that Every Sacrifice is Far Outweighed…

By the Glory/Blessings of the Kingdom

Matthew 13:45–46 (NASB95)

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

The Main Difference Between this Parable and the Last is:

The Merchant was Actually Looking/Seeking for Pearls

Many People Stumble Across the Kingdom…

Through Interactions with Citizens of the Kingdom

But There are Others Who are Actively Seeking for it

I Believe Those Who are Truly Looking for the Kingdom Will Find it

But When They Find it They are Faced with a Choice:

Keep What You Have:

Your Family, Friends, Relationships, Social Status, Money, Possessions, Pleasures, Comfort, and Self-Gratifying Way of Life

But Lose the Kingdom

Or Be Willing Give Up All Those Things and Gain the Kingdom

There is No 3rd Option

King Jesus is Either Everything to You, or Nothing to You

He Demands Total Allegiance, or None at All

In Order to Inherit the Kingdom…

Anything that Stands in the Way of Whole-Hearted Allegiance to Jesus…

Must Be Abandoned

What is the Kingdom Worth to You?

What are You Willing to Give Up/Sacrifice/Surrender for the Kingdom?

Let Me Ask this Same Question in a Way that Paints a Clearer Picture:

What are You Willing to Give Up to Reign/Rule with Jesus?

What are You Willing to Sacrifice to Be Resurrected From Death?

What are You Willing to Surrender to Receive Immortality?

What is Worth More to You than that?

There’s Nothing More Valuable

There are Millionaires and Billionaires, Like Jeff Bezos (Founder of Amazon)…

Who are Spending Millions of Dollars on Finding the Cure for Death

There are Multiplied Millions Being Spent On Trying to Reverse the Aging Process of Cells

People are Spending More Money than All of Us Combined Will Ever See

For What?

Immortality

The Very Thing that Jesus Offers Free of Charge

But, Although it is Free, it Comes at a High Cost

It is a Free Gift that Will Cost You Everything You Have

But, This Cost is Not Burdensome

Those Who Recognize What the Kingdom of Jesus Offers…

Gladly Give Up Whatever it Takes

Because What Jesus Offers is of Far Greater Value than Anything We Will Ever Be Able to Attain for Ourselves

What Does Living that Sort of Kingdom-First Lifestyle Look Like?

It Starts with Being Born-Again

If You Want to Be a Citizen of Jesus’ Kingdom…

To Reign with Jesus Over All Creation for Eternity in the Age to Come…

You’ve Got to Be Born into it

When a Person is Baptized into Jesus, They are Starting a New Life

A New Life that is Different Than the Old One

The Old Life was All About Self-Preservation & Gratification

But this New Life is Completely and Totally Focused On Doing the Will of King Jesus

The Born-Again Citizen of the Kingdom Devotes Their Entire Life to the King

Everything that I Do and Everything that I Am is for Jesus

My Thoughts are Wrapped Up in What Pleases Jesus

My Words are Chosen Through the Filter of What Glorifies Jesus

My Actions are Performed With the Purpose of Imitating Jesus

Here’s How Paul Put it in His Letter to the Galatians:

Galatians 2:20 (NASB95)

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians 5:24 (NASB95)

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 6:14 (NASB95)

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

To Inherit the Kingdom of Jesus, I Must Be Crucified with Him

I Must Be Willing to Sacrifice it All

The Cost of the Kingdom is Great

But the Value of the Kingdom is Even Greater

Application

Jesus is King of All Creation and He’s Coming Again to Rescue His People and Renew All Things

He Offers Citizenship to Any Who are Willing to Give Total Allegiance to Him

Citizenship Entails Many Wonderful Things, Including:

A New Loving Family in this Age

Forgiveness of Sin and Freedom From Guilt

A Meaningful Life Filled with Purpose and Fulfillment

The Holy Spirit to Transform and Guide You to Becoming More Like Jesus

Resurrection to a Transformed Body that Will Be Glorious, Powerful, and Immortal

Eternal Life Where Peace, Righteousness, Joy, and Love are Never-Ending

You’ve Been Presented with the Good News of the Kingdom of Jesus

Whether You Were Seeking for it or Not, You’ve Heard it

Now You’re Faced with a Choice of What to Do with it

Do You Reject it, Choosing the Mediocre Pleasures of this Age Over the Overwhelming Glory of the Age to Come?

Or Do You Surrender Everything to Jesus this Morning?

New Invitation with Elders at the Back