Mt.13:44-52, The heaven, the treasure & the pearl, the joy & adventure…

Mt.13:44-52, The heaven, the treasure & the pearl, the joy & adventure of discovery

13:44-52,
44."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.
45."Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
46.When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
47."Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
48.When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
49.This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
50.and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51."Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.
52.He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

 What treasure makes your heart beat faster? The kingdom of heaven that Jesus speaks of today is a “thrill” that shakes our everyday lives now, and a “great adventure” that causes the heart of the one who discovers it to tremble. Through today’s passage, may you enjoy, proclaim, and live out the “holy excitement” of the person who has found this treasure.

1. An Accidental Discovery and an Inevitable Choice(v.44): Joy That Outweighs All Cost In verse 44, a man discovers a treasure hidden in a field and sells all that he has to buy that field. To him, the kingdom of heaven is not a sacrifice but the greatest investment and privilege.
*The rich young ruler who left Jesus lived an unhappy life(Mt.19).

*Robert Vanman(A giant in the American IT industry) — After hearing God’s voice, he made a great investment by giving all his possessions and even his life for the lives, the gospel, and the kingdom in Burundi of Africa.[Application] Have you discovered Jesus, the greatest treasure? If so, you have become the joyful owner who has gained the whole universe.

2. The Eye That Recognizes True Value(vv.45–46): Racing Toward the One Incomparable Treasure In vv.45–46, a merchant who searched all his life finally finds “one pearl of great price,” that is, the kingdom of heaven. He sells all that he has and buys that pearl. He has encountered Jesus Christ — the one possession that must be owned, the only way, truth, life, and resurrection (John14:6;11:25).
<Ex. : Jim Elliot who bought the greatest pearl> At age 29, he went with several friends as a missionary to the indigenous people of Ecuador for Jesus Christ and was martyred. Their wives later went there as nurses to care for the people. Moved by this, the tribal chief and the tribe came to believe in Jesus. One of the killers became a pastor and later baptized Elliot’s children. Jim Elliot’s martyrdom became a single grain of wheat that produced a vast treasure of heaven.“Jim Elliot paid with his life and bought the souls of an entire tribe.”Will you begin the adventure of staking your life on this eternal value?

3. The Final Discernment (vv.47–50): “The Time of Grace Is Not Eternal” In vs.47–50, through the parable of the net, Jesus gives a solemn warning. Fishermen cast a dragnet into the sea and gather fish of every kind. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached to “all” people(Mt.28:19). On the last day, God will separate the righteous from the wicked — giving hope and comfort of heaven to the righteous, and warning and opportunity to repent to the wicked. In the sea (the world and the church), all kinds of fish are mixed together. But when they are brought to the shore, the time of Jesus’ judgment and reckoning will surely come. Now is the opportunity to seize the “hidden treasure,” the pearl of greatest price. We must become “good fish” worthy to be kept by the Master—that is, those who believe the gospel (Jesus Christ) and are transformed by His life. It is not safe now. Yet being inside the net does not guarantee safety(Mt.25:41). Let us not become like the foolish rich man in Luke 16.

4. Conclusion&Application: Live a Rich Life That Brings Out New Treasures from the Storehouse In vs.51–52, the one who understands the kingdom, the “householder,” should not remain confined to the old(the Law) but should daily bring out the grace of the Spirit(the new, the Gospel) in everyday life to feed and give life to others. As disciples of the Lord, let us faithfully fulfill the role like a scribe(disciple)—following the Lord, learning from the Lord, and teaching the Lord to others.
Application: What is the hidden treasure in the field or the pearl of greatest price that you have discovered? Is it Jesus who is near you? “There is nothing more precious than the Lord Jesus!”(Hymn #94, I'd rather have Jesus) Am I willing to “pay” the price? Have I discovered Sunday worship, service for the Lord and the church, and the Bible as the highest value?

Resolution&Prayer :
 The apostle Paul confessed in Phil.3:8–9 after discovering the treasure of heaven: “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” Today, let us make this confession our own. Let us resolve to live for the One whom we will love with all our lives—Jesus. Like Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth, like those who discovered the hidden treasure and the pearl of greatest price—Jesus Christ—may you possess Christ and the eternal kingdom alone, investing your time, heart, and resources in Him.

Prayer :
 Heavenly Father, Owner of the kingdom of heaven, thank You for opening the eyes of our souls through today’s Word. Thank You for teaching us that the kingdom of heaven is so valuable that the one who finds it will risk everything, and that believers must reveal this truth to the world and live boldly as citizens of heaven who proclaim the gospel. We repent that we have lived in sorrow even while having Jesus, the true treasure and the pearl of greatest price, near us. Just as the man sold all he had to buy the field or the pearl, we too willingly lay down everything to possess the Lord and His kingdom. Transform us by the gospel so that we may become “good fish” within the net of the world and the church, and make us generous lives that daily bring out the new grace of heaven to give life to our neighbors. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the only and eternal treasure of our lives and the pearl of greatest price. Amen.