Matthew 13:44-46

Matthew 13:44-46

Priceless

I. The Kingdom of Heaven is incalculably valuable; so we must believe its value far exceeds the sum of all other things (v. 44)

a. In the first parable, Jesus compares His Kingdom with a treasure hidden in a field. This treasure was found by a man, who wasn’t looking for it, which wasn’t uncommon at the time. Under threat of war or captivity, people would bury assets so that hopefully they would still there be there after the disturbance was over, or upon their return. Often, people never returned, and their treasure would remain unknown. The man who finds the treasure is likely an employee of field’s owner. There was a “finders’ keepers” rule in effect, but the best way for the man to secure the treasure, was to buy the field. So he joyfully sells all he possess and buys the field. (v. 44)

b. The treasure which the man found, representing salvation and Kingdom citizenship, in the field, or world, was worth a life altering sum. Therefore, it was worth altering his whole life to take possession. The treasure was hidden so long because no one was looking for it. The world clamors, struggles, and obsesses daily over temporary things, all while the most valuable possession they could hope to acquire, far more valuable than the sum total of all other things, sits right before them unclaimed. Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace, because we can’t afford it, not because it’s not incalculably valuable. It can’t be measured in assets, or purchased with any sum; so this parable teaches us that the treasure of the Kingdom costs us total commitment. The man believed that all he had to give up to get the field was worth less than the treasure in it. We must believe that Jesus is more correct than our understanding, that He’s more valuable and enjoyable than our sin, and we must commit to repent, trust in Him, and let go of all we are to grab hold of Him. The world says that significance, intelligence, admiration, value, and love, come from the next big thing, but the next thing never satisfies. Jesus says all we need now and forever is in Him; He doesn’t guarantee an easy life, but He guarantees a hope in Him that never disappoints, an understanding, significance, and value in Him that can’t be matched, and a love in Him from which we can never be separated. (Isa. 55:1-2; 65:1; Matt. 6:19-33; 10:37-39; 19:16-29; Luke 9:23-25; 12:15-21; John 1:12-13; 3:16; Acts 2:38; 16:30-31; Rom. 5:1-11; 6:23; 8:18-39; 10:13; Heb. 10:39; 1 John 2:15-17)

II. The Kingdom of Heaven is incalculably valuable; but we must be in awe of the value which Jesus assigns it and us (Vv. 45-46)

a. Now Jesus compares the Kingdom to a person and not a thing. Jesus is the Merchant whom the Kingdom is like. The man in the field wasn’t looking for treasure, but the Merchant is seeking fine pearls. A merchant isn’t a mere buyer and seller of goods, but a connoisseur and dealer of fine goods. He would’ve been a man of considerable wealth and influence who was an unequivocal expert in his field of trade, and whose life was consumed with the identification and acquisition of fine goods. In the parable, the merchant finds the one pearl of great value, for which he had searched his entire life, and like the man in the field, sold all he had to purchase the pearl. (Vv. 45-46)

b. There’s no way to adequately express the value of what Jesus has done to secure His Kingdom on earth and in eternity. But just as the amount the worker gave up for the field isn’t nearly what the wealthy Merchant would’ve given for the pearl, so too what we’re called to let go of to receive the salvation, can’t be compared to the price Jesus paid for it. In His wealth, He became poor for us so that we might become rich in Him. He laid aside all His glory in heaven, took on flesh, voluntarily endured our sinful world, and joyfully went to the most excruciating and horrible death imaginable; and in His perfection, He took on the full penalty of all our sin, all the while only considering how much He loved the pearl set before Him. It says He was seeking fine pearls, but He traded all He had for the “one pearl of great value”. His mercy, grace, and love isn’t divided among all of us, it’s full and complete for each one of us, each and every day. He assigns us a value, worth, and love found in Him, which is unequaled in all the universe, unique to each one of us, and eternal just like Him. We must give our lives fully to Him. We must trust that He’s all we need and seek our satisfaction in Him alone. He did the work of redeeming us joyfully, so that we could find true joy in following Him, and true peace in knowing He’d finish what He started in us. Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe. Let us have the same attitude in ourselves that was also in Christ, that others might see it and turn to Him. (Matt. 5:13-16; John 1:14; 29; 10:7-10; 14:6; 15:8-14; Gal. 2:20; 6:9-10; Phil 1:6, 2:1-8; 3:7-16; 2 Cor. 5:14-21; 8:9; Eph. 5:25-27; Heb. 12:1-3; 13:8; Jude 24)