A successful day... 😊 The Kingdom of Heaven is like...

The Pearl of Great Price 

44 “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. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 

Jesus began His story with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like...”

Here in the book of Matthew the phrase “kingdom of heaven” is used; while the other authors use “kingdom of God,” but they are one and the same. The kingdom of God is wherever the will of God is done, and Jesus came to make the kingdom available to everyone.

Now in today’s verses our Savior continues to unfold the “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” With the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, where Jesus powerfully conveys the worth of the kingdom.

In the first, He compares the kingdom of Heaven to a hidden treasure…

You see, the kingdom of Heaven is the treasure.

The kingdom of God is FAR more valuable than anything in this world. There is nothing that even compares to a loving relationship with the Creator of the universe! 

And both of these parables indicate the kingdom is of such immeasurable value that those who understand this truth will do whatever it takes to possess it.

Matthew Henry said on these two parables: “Those who discern this treasure in the field, and value it aright, will never be at ease until they have made it their own on any terms.”

Now, I want to point out that these two parables are something His listeners could have easily related to.

Since they lived in a time of political instability and uncertainty and were without the means of banks or safety deposit boxes these ancient Jews would often bury their valuables.

So, they would understand that finding such a treasure would have been rare and valuable…

Also, pearls were more highly valued in Jesus’ time than diamonds are in our culture and so Jesus likens the kingdom to a precious pearl. 

The point being, the kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom, is a happy trade-off.

Having the omnipotent, saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable, if we lose everything, in order to have it… …it is a joyful sacrifice. 

These parables are not a plea for us to sell all we have in order to obtain the kingdom - for we have nothing to offer God (Ephesians 2:5-9).

Instead, they are a call for us to desire the kingdom above all else.  

Consider the words of Jim Elliot, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” The emphasis is not on what we give up, but on the unfathomable new life that is being offered to us.

The point of these two parables is the great value of being a part of God’s kingdom. Jesus is not pointing out what we must give up to enter His kingdom.

He is telling us that it is worth more than everything else.

And both men GLADLY and JOYFULLY gave up everything else to claim their new found treasure.

Jesus makes it clear that we should not let anything keep us from entering the kingdom of God. And when we know the value of what we have as members of the kingdom, shouldn’t we share it with everyone we know?

Life Happens…

And let’s remember just how precious a treasure we have found in Christ!  

And let’s demonstrate this in our lives so that others may see in us just how much the kingdom truly matters, and that it is worth more than anything and everything we could ever hope to possess or become in this world.

As Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”