The Great Value and Overwhelming Joy of the Kingdom

Matthew 13:44-46 Joe Fauth

The Public Parables

• We’ve observed the first four parables. 
• They are the public parables. 
• Jesus taught these parables to the great crowds who had gathered to see and hear Him. 
• In those four parables Jesus taught us about “the kingdom of heaven”. 

The Private Parables

• And now this morning we come to the private parables. – these are the ones given exclusively to the disciples when they came to Jesus in the house after He had left the crowds (cf. 13:34-36). 
• By most accounts there are three more parables with a concluding application. 
• It is here in these parables that He is concerned to tell us how the kingdom is obtained (received/entered).

The kingdom of heaven is likened to a treasure hidden in a field and it is likened to a merchant who is seeking beautiful pearls. This is teaching us four truths about “the kingdom of heaven”. In other words, the Kingdom of heaven…

• Must Be Revealed
• Requires a Personal Transaction
• Is a Priceless Treasure
• Results from and in True Joy 

It Must Be Revealed

Not Visible on the “surface” level – We notice that the treasure was “hidden in a field” and the pearl had to be sought out before it was found. 

• This reminds us that “the kingdom of heaven” is something that must be revealed. 
• In other words, it is not something that is visible on the surface level.

Revealed to different people in different circumstances – You have one man who apparently hasn’t given two seconds of thought to this treasure and yet he “stumbles upon it”. 

• That is how some people come across the message of the kingdom–the message of salvation–the gospel. 
• Others however are seeking. By this I mean that they are trying to find something to satisfy them. Some turn to religion, some to money, fame, relationships, drugs, etc,

It Requires a Transaction

• A Personal Transaction
• A Purposeful Transaction
• A Painful Transaction

It is a Priceless Treasure

• The kingdom of heaven is worth MORE than anything that you could ever afford or hope to afford today or ever. You can’t afford it! You can’t manage it! 

• It takes everything…the laying down of everything you have and are for you to obtain this kingdom. 

• Why is the kingdom such a priceless treasure? It is MORE valuable than everything else.

  • Every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3) Fullness of joy and eternal pleasure (Ps. 16:11)
  • An imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance (1 Peter. 1:4) Crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8)
  • All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3) Eternal life (1 John 5:11-12)
  • Absence of corruption and mortality (1 Cor. 15:53-54)
  • Total conquering of death (1 Cor. 15:54-55)
  • Perfect peace (Isa. 26:3)
  • Victory over sin and it’s dominion (Rom. 6:14)
  • Wiping out of your past and it’s guilt (2 Cor. 5:14)
  • Being made into the very righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)
  • Forgiveness of sin (Eph. 1:7)
  • Rescued from the kingdom of death and darkness (Col. 1:13)
  • Transformed from God’s enemy to God’s family (Col. 1:21-23)
  • Entrance into an eternal kingdom that will never end (Rev. 11:15)
  • A street of gold, gates of pearl, no night, no death, sickness, sin, Satan, sorrow, or separation (Rev. 21-22)
  • Your own soul! (Luke 9:25, “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”)—you won’t be cast into the Lake of fire!

It Results from and in True Joy

• The Joy of God (Luke 15:7)
• The Joy of Angel’s (Luke 15:10)
• Your Joy Over the Treasure
  • We have here a picture of true, saving faith. What does true saving faith look like? The total and complete commitment of all that I am to Jesus Christ. 
  • And it was out of sheer joy that these men laid aside what they had valued and cherished for that which was truly valuable and worthy of being cherished. 
    It’s not hard to give up dirt for diamonds.
  • Is. 55:1-13