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. Around us the storms may gather, but let us not shut out the hope that the burdens of fear and want may be lifted for a glorious era from the bruised and weary shoulders of mankind. His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas: Jesus plainly had many brothers and sisters; the Roman Catholic idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary is in contradiction to the plain meaning of the Bible. Whatever the reason he was there, he found an amazing treasure, maybe similar to the emeralds. Matthew 13:45 "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. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The treasure was so important to him, that he joyfully gave up everything else in the world to gain that treasure. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. Then, as you can read in Mark's Gospel, our Lord went into the temple and he stopped the sacrifices. Read the Scripture: Matthew 13:44 In the great series of parables in Matthew 13 our Lord gave us, as he said, "The secrets of the kingdom of heaven." The kingdom of heaven is God's work among men, God's rule and authority in the midst of human affairs. So, through the course of history, there has been a counterfeit Christianity, a sham religion, a phony, a fake, which bears the name of Christianity but which is absolutely false. It is right that you should pursue it. For more than four hundred years Israel had been an obscure, tiny little nation. Jesus is not pointing out what we must give up to enter His kingdom. It is: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina ika pono, which I am sure you understand means, "The life of the land is preserved by righteousness." He has previously identified himself as the central figure. Ask: Who can remember the four different soils Jesus talked about? He probably laid awake each night thinking about the treasure until it was his. The scribes amongst the Jews were not only clerks, that were employed in writing, but teachers of the law; such a one was Ezra (Ezra 7:6). (Poole). Place your hands together like an oyster shell. (As we saw last time, the parable of the leaven also has been misconstrued to mean something quite different from what our Lord ever intended.) The Word of God. They speak skeptically and will refer to Him only as this Man.. The conduct of the man would be dishonest. He bought the field in order that someday he might use that treasure to cause the whole world to blossom and to fill the earth with peace and happiness. Life outside the kingdom is sort of like this. i. We speak of the Jews as "the chosen people," and unfortunately a very grave misconception of that phrase has arisen. This is what Paul tells us in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters of Romans. We may request cookies to be set on your device. But is it only a dream? The kingdom of heaven is God's work among men, God's rule and authority in the midst of human affairs. c. The enemy who sowed them is the devil: Clearly, the enemy plants counterfeits in the world and in the kingdom community, and this is why merely being a member of the Christian community isnt enough. For permission to use this content, please review Because each of us sins, none of us can do the perfect will of God. Even though these people had been looking for Gods kingdom, when they found it, it was far greater than what they had expected. 44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Life outside of the kingdom of God is way less than God intended it to be. It would grow into an ungainly tree with many great branches, a powerful, prestigious structure that would attract birds of prey, evil men who would come into the church and build their nests there, i.e., establish their authority there, and thus would produce something entirely different than the effective, pungent, but low-profile approach to humanity that the Lord desired. He would never have called it that. It represents the experience, not of a careless or a profane man, who stumbles suddenly upon the Gospel when he was in in search of other things, but of one who is awakened, and has begun to seek the true religion, endeavouring to add attainment to attainment sincerely, according to his light. In this parable, we learned that different people hear Gods truth and accept it in different ways. The oyster creates a coating that covers the sand or shell. Hermon Christian Conference Center. Eventually, after several years, it ends up looking like a beautiful, shiny stone called a pearl. No one can ever give all that he has in order to purchase Jesus Christ because he has nothing to give in the first place. This is like the kingdom of God because it grows in the hearts of believers, and it grows throughout the world as more and more people enter the kingdom. a. The person who finds the treasure joyfully "sells all" to buy the field (13:44). Teacher: Call up a volunteer. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. This insulting question seems to intimate that our Lords family was a very obscure one; and that they were of small repute among their neighbours, except for their piety. Clarke), iii. But he hid it again. We can see the treasure and we can just go back to our old way of life. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. He is saying that you should be willing to. So they were offended at Him: When we think of how strongly Jesus is identified with Nazareth (see at Matthew 2:23), it is even more surprising to note that the people of Nazareth did not appreciate it. So, if there are some among us here, who, like Israel, have temporarily turned away from God and have been walking away from him, who may, like Israel, once have had sweet fellowship with the Lord but lately have been resisting, have turned aside and gone back, have lost faith and now are wandering in perplexity, puzzlement, and bewilderment, in obscurity, weakness, and defeat, nevertheless God's promises to you are just as sure as they are to Israel. It is a visible example to all mankind of the way God deals with humanity. But when King Solomon met her he began to give presents to her, and his outweighed hers by far. These were the best she had to offer. Then she asked him for the secret and Solomon took her to the temple and there he showed her the worship of Jehovah, showed her how this nation was related to the God of glory and that it was their understanding of God which produced the magnificence she had seen. Teacher Note: These parables are not a plea for us to sell all we have in order to obtain the kingdom - for we truly have nothing to offer God (Ephesians 2:5-9). Through the pages of the Word of God we are afforded tremendous insights into life. Message transcript and recording 1971 by Ray Stedman Ministries, owner of sole copyright by assignment from the author. Woe to you, Bethsaida! You can read them in Matthew23 in the sharp series of woes that he pronounced against the Pharisees and the scribes. God wants ALL people to believe in Jesus and enter into His kingdom (1 Peter 2:9). [That is, when God set Israel aside, he allowed his delivering word to go out directly to Gentile peoples everywhere so that they might be the visible demonstration of how God can heal and fulfill human life, and Israel was watching -- at least individual Jews have been, all along.] Who when he had found one pearl of great price: for such who seek after wisdom and knowledge in the use of proper means, are like merchant men, that trade abroad, and for things of value; and these, under divine direction, find in the Scriptures, and through the ministry of the word, and by prayer and study, the truths of the everlasting Gospel, respecting Christ, his person, office, grace and righteousness; which are equal to, yea transcend a pearl of the highest price; for their original, coming from a far country, from heaven; for their brightness, clearness, and perspicuity; for their ornament and glory; for their firmness and solidity; for their virtue and value, to them that know the worth of them; and such will buy, but not sell them; reckon all things but loss and dung, in comparison of them; and will contend for them, and stand fast in them. For 1900 years Israel was utterly lost among the nations, dispersed. And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 3. But was not that an honest occupation? (Trapp), iii. In the days of David and Solomon there was a demonstration to the world of their day of what God would do with a nation which was in right relationship with him. the possession of the forgiving and cleansing grace of God which is in Jesus Christ. So he went away and sold everything he had. All rights reserved. It is having His peace, His joy, His love, and His power. But in our own time we are facing an amazing wonder, one of the most remarkable things that has ever taken place in the annals of men, and one of the most dramatic demonstrations of the truth of the Word of God! As long as God chooses to work in concert with human agency, developing our ability to partner with Him, our unbelief can and may hinder the work of God. i. [That is, when Israel comes back into its right relationship with God, how much more blessing will this world understand and realize when they see worked out before their eyes what a nation can be with God in its midst!] Maybe he was a hired helper for the man who owned the field, or maybe he was just passing through. Everyone who chooses to trust in Him has kingdom life - life to the fullest! Something is hidden in the world. Yet it can also be asked out of deep appreciation of the fact that the Son of God took such a noble, lowly place. The reference, as in the weeds, is not primarily to a mixed church, but to the division among mankind in general which the last judgment will bring to light. (France), Jesus said to them, Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes, Lord. Then He said to them, Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.. b. If our country forgets that, it will lose its ability to stand as a nation among the other nations of the world. Now we turn to these three private parables given to the disciples: The parable of the hidden treasure, the parable of the pearl of great price, and the parable of the dragnet. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. The treasure was too great to forget about! When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." (Matthew 13:44) In our day, we can store treasure in the bank or in a safe deposit box. He uncovered it. The success and glory of Jesus seemed only to make them more resentful towards Him. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Paul says of Israel, So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. John 6:42). (France), ii. I was reminded by that conversation of the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations, UThant. This parable powerfully teaches that it is Gods job to divide in judgment. Now, lets turn to Matthew 13:44 and read what Jesus said about hidden treasure. The nation would not have it, would not have him, and they rejected him. They are part of the whole series of seven, but they were given only to the disciples, and there is something significant about that. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 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. This congressman said that Congress is really wrestling with this issue. But the wonderful thing the Lord tells us here is that he has not given up his purpose. I want to read these twin parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price because they link so closely together, although we will look only at the first one this morning. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. He felt the condemnation of a righteous God. Pearls were highly prized in that time and place. i. He understands that even though he is selling everything to buy that field he is becoming exponentially richer because of the unseen treasure that will belong to whomever owns the 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." Explanation and Commentary of Matthew 13:44 Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. ii. 'The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. This casts special scorn upon the great evil angel. To follow knowledge, like a sinking star. He would be really endeavoring to gain property belonging to another at far less than its real value, and the principle of real integrity would require him to inform the owner of the discovery. Why is it that for all our professed ideals, our hopes, and our skills, peace on earth is still a distant objective seen only dimly through the storms and turmoils of our present difficulties?". But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. a. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. A great misinterpretation of these parables has developed, quite without any basis in the systematic interpretation of symbols in Scripture, which has hidden their true meaning. In the parable of the soils, the seed represented the Word of God; here it represents true believers. Instantly, the man knew that the treasure was incredibly valuable. In the short course of the three and a half years of our Lord's ministry he uncovered the treasure of Israel, the secret of this nation's life. (You see, congressmen don't spend all their time smoking cigars and kissing babies.) But there would be one kind of heart in which the seed would grow up into a harvest and produce fruit. God has gathered this nation together again, brought in the people from the outlying countries of the world, gathered his dispersed from the four corners of the earth, and brought them back into the land. God has said that if you will turn back to him, as Israel will some day, he stands ready to heal, ready to forgive, ready to wipe out all the failures, all the transgressions, and to begin in your experience to cause your life to blossom and to come into abundance. This treasure is freely given by God, the King, to everyone who trusts in Him. It is listening to His voice. He chose them to be a representative nation, to be a working model of what a nation ought to be, in order that other nations might share that knowledge. Jodi has over 20 years experience teaching children in large and small group settings. Our heavenly Father, how we thank you for the marvelous truth that you, Lord, have bought the world, that it belongs to you, and that you shall some day rule and reign in power and glory in its midst and all your promises shall be fulfilled. Say: Jesus continued by telling another, similar parable. And in those words, "he gave all that he had," the mystery of the darkness of the cross of Jesus Christ is implied. There is additional significance in saying, The field is the world instead of The field is Israel. This brief statement presupposes a mission beyond Israel. (Carson). Only to make them more resentful towards Him he is saying that should... Learned that different people hear Gods truth and accept it in different ways, would have... This parable powerfully teaches that it is having His peace, His joy, His joy, love... Jesus said to them, have you understood all these things permission of IBS-STL he began give. God is way less than God intended it to be set on your.! 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