Topic: Kingdom of Heaven. Treasure. Category: Kingdom> End Times>
Bible Scripture: Matthew 13:44-50, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Matthew 18:11-14 and Matthew 20:28.
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During His time on earth, Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables, stories of modern life to convey a spiritual truth about God and His Kingdom. Through these stories Jesus reveals things hidden since the beginning of the world.
Away from the crowds His disciples turn all their attention to Jesus. He explains that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure. Let us look at this story.
Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Kingdom of Heaven is where the most precious things are stored. The most precious, most valuable and most glorious.
the hidden treasure
As the parable goes when a man found this treasure he hid it until he could redeem
it, own it and possess it. Interesting to note the man did not possess the field where he found the treasure. Yet he knows the treasure that he found is of the highest value. As a consequence he is willing to give all that he has to redeem it.
Through this parable Jesus is showing the worth of all who enter into His kingdom. As it is a treasury of the most precious possessions.
The fullness of God’s Kingdom on earth has been hidden from humanity. This is
a result of humanity choosing to become one with the knowledge of good and evil.
Through shame their eyes were blinded to the truth. God never hid Himself or ran from their shame. Humanity ran from God. Yet God is greater. He continually pursued in love and covered their shame. However the things of the kingdom were still hidden to them.
In Jesus our shame is removed and the mystery of the kingdom is revealed.
Humanity couldn’t pay the cost to buy back the dominion over the earth. Nor the dominion of evil and self, as we ourselves became subject to them. When humanity rebelled against God and His right to rule and reign, His Kingdom became hidden.
the value of the treasure
Jesus, God who became a man, came to the land of the oppressed and downtrodden. People were under a foreign power, one of the most brutal and decadent empires of humanity. He came from heaven to earth, where the kingdom of heaven was hidden to humanity.
God placed the highest value on our salvation and for us to enter into His Kingdom for
all eternity. God in Jesus became the redeemer of humanity. He paid the ultimate cost
to buy back what was rightfully His. In Him, through Him and for Him all things
were created. God chose to give the earth to humanity, who chose to give their dominion over it to evil and self.
The value or worth of anything is directly related to the price someone is willing to pay.
At the time of Jesus telling His disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven, He knew He was the man in the parable. The one who had given up everything to redeem what humanity gave away.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
the treasure of the kingdom
The Kingdom of Heaven, His perfect world is where His will is done. Evil and selfishness has no power, no place and no part in God’s kingdom. His Kingdom is a place of equality and respect, where He rules and reigns in love and justice. His justice is perfect and raises each one up equally.
We cannot earn or deserve entry into His Kingdom. It is a free gift from God in receiving Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself.
Discovering the good news of God’s kingdom and truly understanding its full value brings great joy. When one who was lost receives Jesus and enters into His kingdom there is everlasting joy in heaven.
It is the heart of the Father that all will be saved, however not everyone chooses to be saved. Salvation and God’s Kingdom is a choice.
Matthew 18:11-14 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
the joy of Lord
This joy of the Son of Man is His joy for us in Him. When we enter into His Kingdom
in receiving Jesus and His right to rule and reign, we enter into His joy. The joy He not only is but also the revelation of the joy He has over us. He delights in us living in His Kingdom.
In this parable the man sold all that he had to possess the treasure. That is the enormous value of the Kingdom, all participants and their salvation.
Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life a ransom for many.”
When humanity received the revelation of the truth about God and His kingdom,
those who choose to enter into it, receive it and possess it, rejoice.
Everyone who enters into His Kingdom God considers of the highest value. As He Himself paid the ultimate cost!
We are the ones who fill the treasury. We are the treasure of His treasury,
the precious jewels of His creation.
He paid an enormous cost for our salvation. The Son of God became flesh and blood, walked the earth as a man, died a horrible death and rose again, ascended to the right hand of the Father. He now is in a resurrected, gloried body. The cost to God is eternal. We are bought with the shed blood of Jesus.
God placed the highest of value on us. He paid the highest cost.
the pearl of great price
To emphasise the value of the Kingdom of Heaven and all who enter in, Jesus continues with another parable.
Matthew 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold
all that he had and bought it.
The merchant went out into the world seeking beautiful pearls. This is a wonderful picture of the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus. He went out from heaven and came down to earth. He became a man and gave up His heavenly riches. God the Father sent the son to find those that are lost.
Beautiful in this parable means affinity, good, valuable, distinguished, worthy, excellent, precious genuine, beautiful or handsome. All these things God declares over us when we say yes to Jesus. We are His treasured possession.
The heavenly merchant desired us. At the first Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension the pearl of great price was revealed to the world. The early church was formed. This is where two or more are gathered together in Jesus’ name.
the end of the age
To reveal the kingdom of Heaven further Jesus told another parable.
Matthew 13:47-50 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
This parable that ends this trilogy is talking about the present age and what is to come. Currently the gospel is being cast out across the world. Every kind is gathered.
Both those who receive Him and those who reject Him are there. When all who will come to Him throughout the ages have come, Jesus will return. The angels will be sent forth to reap the earth. Those who received Him are declared beautiful, good and just. They are set apart and have a place in His Kingdom.
Those who reject Jesus, reject their only pathway to salvation. As a result they are cast into the furnace of fire. The place they chose for their eternal destiny. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
In addition on that day there will be the separation and eradication of evil. A new heaven and a new earth.
the amazing grace of God
Now is the time of grace or underserved favour, as the gospel is cast out over the world. Everyone benefits from the grace of God as His Kingdom is actioned in this world. Both the just, (those who have received Jesus), and the unjust, (those that have rejected Jesus).
However there will come a time of judgement, where those who have rejected Him will be exposed. As a result they receive the pathway that they chose.
The Kingdom of Heaven is available for all who are willing. Receive the king and receive His Kingdom. Those who receive Jesus are the treasure of His Kingdom. The community of the disciples of Jesus all over the world, throughout the ages, are the good or just. They are the pearl of great price. Declared by God to be of the highest value.
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Sermon categories: son of man> love of God> hope and healing> know God> truth> power> end times> experience God> life> success in life> kingdom>
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