Sermon Transcript:

This week we return to our series, The King in His Beauty, working our way passage by passage through the Gospel according to Matthew. Before our short break, we left off with Jesus beginning to teach in parables. Each of the parables revealed something surprising about the Kingdom. The King had come, but His Kingdom did not look the way people expected. It was advancing in unexpected ways, often hidden from view, opposed by the enemy, but certain to triumph. The Kingdom had come and yet it was still coming.

This morning Jesus gives us three more pictures of that Kingdom. He tells us about a man who discovers treasure hidden in a field, a merchant who finds a pearl of extraordinary value, and finally a net cast into the sea. The pictures are different, but together they emphasize the incomparable value of the Kingdom compared to all the other treasures of this world, all of which will be taken away in judgment.

That is the main point of the message today:

The Kingdom of God is of infinite worth because gaining it means eternal blessing, while rejecting it ends in eternal judgment. 

Investors have a way of calculating what a future return is worth today. They call it net present value. Returns now are worth more than returns later. Future returns are discounted because the future is uncertain. The investment may fail, the payments may stop, and you may not live long enough to enjoy them. But think about what happens when we apply that calculation to the Kingdom of God. God cannot fail to keep His promises, and those who inherit His Kingdom will live forever to enjoy them. There is no uncertainty in the return and no end to the life that receives it.

Since Jesus offers us an eternal life of rewards, and since we are guaranteed to lose everything we have in this world, the Kingdom of God is worth whatever it costs. You simply cannot pay a price too high for heaven. That is why the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:18,

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Paul had done the calculation. He knew that when the blessings are eternal and the costs aren’t, there is no comparison. For those of you who are not excited about financial accounting or math, Jesus gives us a far less nerdy illustration of the same idea. We pick up in verse 44 of chapter 13. Jesus says,

44 “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.

In ancient times, it was common for people to bury or hide valuables. Banks and treasuries existed, but nothing like the secure and accessible banking system we take for granted today. In a place like Palestine, which had experienced repeated wars, invasions, and political upheaval, burying valuables could be one of the safest ways to protect them. Of course, this could lead to valuables remaining buried for years or even forgotten if the person who hid them died or was driven away from the land. 

The example Jesus gives us is of someone who stumbles across one of these buried treasures. The man could be a laborer or perhaps someone crossing the field, but Jesus tells us he was not the owner. Even though burying valuables was more common then, the odds of actually finding a forgotten treasure would still be incredibly small. It would be like winning the lottery. 

The man has unexpectedly come upon something of tremendous value that could change his life. This is clearly a man who has wisdom, because what does he do when he realizes what he has found? He covers it back up and buys the field.

Jesus doesn’t explain this detail, but the first listeners of this parable likely would have understood. Experts on the law have pointed out that if he simply removed the treasure, someone else may have been able to claim it rightfully belonged to them.

For example, if he was a laborer hired to work the field, depending on the circumstances, it could rightfully belong either to the owner or to the one who hired him. If he were simply passing through the field, he could not have assumed it was forgotten and the owner could have claimed it was theirs.

This man wants to be certain that he has the right to keep what he has found. He did not want to have to defend his claim to it. By buying the field he eliminates any question that the treasure will belong to him. 

People sometimes question if it was ethical for him to buy the field without disclosing the treasure to the owner? Jesus isn’t giving approval for every detail, just like when He says the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. It is just an illustration. The point Jesus is making is that the man was willing to exchange all he had to possess the treasure and ensure that it was his. 

He finds himself in an unexpected circumstance of blessing and he seizes it. We can assume he was not a wealthy man because he had to sell everything to buy the field. He was poor but now he will be rich and though it costs him everything he had, he rejoices because what he has gained is worth much more than he gives up. Jesus says,

Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

He not only sells everything, but does it joyfully. If you knew you legally get something worth billions, but to obtain it you had to sell everything you had, wouldn’t you be glad to do it? To everyone watching, you would look crazy. They would see everything going out the door and wonder what was wrong with you, but you would know something they didn't know. You wouldn't be mourning as you sold it. You'd be laughing. You'd be doing it with joy, because you knew that what you were gaining was worth infinitely more than everything you were giving up. Jesus says that is the way it is with the Kingdom.

Brothers and sisters, are you rejoicing in your salvation? God often uses the circumstances of our lives to wean us off our love for the things of the world. Sometimes, though we still believe, we act as if God wants us to just bear with the trials and the things he takes must be pried out of our hands. We all fall into that at times, but the mark of one who is saved is that we view our worldly circumstances through the lens of the joy of our salvation.

Joy is the response of one who has come to understand what they have gained in Christ and the surpassing riches of His Kingdom versus the riches and pleasures of this world.

We often reflect on Jesus as Savior and as Lord, but do we meditate enough upon Jesus Christ and His Kingdom as a treasure? The man who bought the field wasn’t thinking about the mud or the rocks, but about the treasure. I think sometimes we get stuck too long thinking about the mud. Our attention is consumed with our health, our financial needs, and on what we don’t have, rather than considering the glorious treasure we have been given in Christ.

No matter what our circumstances, no matter what in the world we must give up, a believer is never without reason to rejoice because no matter what else is going on with us, we have Christ and are heirs of the Kingdom of God. In Him, we have obtained an eternity without sin or sorrow, and filled with joy. 

If we thought more about this, I am sure we would not be bothered by so many of the sacrifices that we must inevitably make to walk in faith. We should not be anxious about what it costs, but instead should run with joy to make sure, as this man does, that the treasure of heaven is ours. Friends, do not wait, make sure right now your claim upon those promises is secure by putting your trust in Jesus. 

How then do we make sure our claim is secure? How do we ensure that our names are listed on the deed? We do it by running with joy to Jesus Christ. It is in Him that all the treasures of heaven are found. Colossians 2 says that in Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge found. Ephesians 1 says that in Christ we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. No wonder the apostle Peter breaks out in praise in 1 Peter 1:3–5 saying,

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

When we understand the greatness of our inheritance, it changes the value we place upon everything else. This is what moved Paul to say in Philippians 3:7–9,

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

Maybe there is someone here today who, by God’s grace, has stumbled upon this treasure unexpectedly. You were not looking for it. You did not come from a family that told you about such things, but here you are. I know there are many things pulling at you. Old habits, old loves, old priorities. 

But now you have come and have heard the treasure of the gospel. You have heard that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to live a perfect life on your behalf, thus fulfilling all the requirements of God’s commands for you. That He willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice for your sins, to cleanse you from all wickedness and selfishness. That He died the death you owed, on a brutal bloody cross, so that you would not need to pay for those sins in hell. Then on the third day, He rose again proving He is able to keep His promise to raise you from the dead as well.

Friends, the treasure is Jesus Christ. He is calling on you to repent and put your faith in Him as your Lord and Savior. Whatever you may be hanging on to, He is worth far more. Let it all go. Your every earthly treasure, leave it behind and run with joy to the one who can save your soul. 

Run to the one from which every blessing flows and who loves you and gave Himself for you. The man in the parable isn't calculating what percentage of his possessions discipleship requires. Once he sees the treasure for what it is, everything else becomes expendable. 

Listen to the apostle Paul. He was a great man. From the honored tribe of Benjamin and with all the honor of a citizen of Rome. He was educated by the best teachers and outstanding in his reputation. As a young man, he was already trusted by the highest leaders in Israel to carry out missions. But what does he say? He considered it all rubbish. Actually, the translators are being polite. The word he uses is one you don’t use in polite circles. It is a word that means dung. Paul had everything the world could offer and he considered it all “crap” compared to the riches of belonging to Jesus Christ.

On one hand salvation costs us nothing. We simply receive it by faith. On the other hand, it costs us everything, because to follow Him means we must be willing to let go of everything before we let go of Him. But it is worth it and as we grow in our faith, we find it a joy to do so. Friends, putting your faith in Jesus may not make you more comfortable or give you an easier life now, but it will be worth it in the end. Jesus says in Matthew 16:26,

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? …

Jesus then tells another parable. Very similar, but slightly different, that makes a similar point. He says,

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

Again the emphasis is on a willingness to give up everything in order to gain the Kingdom. The previous parable suggests an unexpected blessing. In this case, the man is searching for a treasure. Jesus says he is a merchant looking for fine pearls. This man knows what he is looking for and recognizes the value of it. 

Scripture teaches us that the natural man is in rebellion against God and does not seek the things of God. Romans 3:10–11 quotes the Psalms saying,

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.

Jesus says in John 6:44,

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. …

But here is a man who is looking for a treasure. Jesus says,

45 “... the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Remember that Jesus is still surrounded by crowds. God was drawing many who had read the Old Testament, were longing for the Kingdom, and seeking the Messiah. The elderly Simeon and Anna were waiting in the Temple to meet Jesus. You may recall that some of the apostles and John the Baptist were looking for the Messiah.

Even today, there are many in churches who are not yet saved. God has brought them there and they have been collecting pearls of wisdom along the way. Maybe that is you this morning. Maybe God has brought you here looking for the truth. If so, then this is for you. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the pearl of great value. If you are seeking the truth, you will find it in Him. 

But truth has no partnership with lies anymore than light can cooperate with darkness. Jesus is not just one pearl among many. He is flawless and beautiful beyond comparison. To gain Him, He must be our treasure. The cost is every other bit of so-called wisdom we have collected that we hold precious. We must trade it all for the perfect wisdom and righteousness of Jesus.

When we have understood the truth about our sin and about the holiness of God, as well as His love and mercy, then we will do so with joy. What riches flowed from His hands and His side and what love was poured down to wash us clean from our sins and bring us to God.

It is not something we can admire from a distance. It is not enough that our parents or grandparents have it. We must make it our own. This is the point Jesus is making. If you recognize what this is, you will stop at nothing to make it yours. There are those who say they are thinking of coming to Christ, or considering getting baptized, and so on. 

If a man dying of thirst is offered water, he does not need to consider whether he wants to drink. If he hesitates, it is because he does not understand his condition or does not believe what is being offered. If they understood it, they would run with joy to receive it.

Some of you may be like the man in the field. You weren't looking for Jesus at all and suddenly, God put the treasure before you. Others may be more like this merchant. You have been searching for truth and meaning for years. It doesn't ultimately matter what path you took to get here. What matters is whether, when Christ is set before you, you recognize the value of what is offered and are willing to give up everything to obtain it.

Of course, Jesus doesn’t mean we can buy salvation. The parable illustrates something deeper. The point is this, we must hold nothing dear in comparison to the surpassing worth of God’s Kingdom and of Jesus through whom we are made partakers in it. We must be willing to abandon not only wealth, but pride, power, status, anything at all that keeps us from joyful obedience to God. 

Anything that would cause us to turn our gaze back from Him or compete with Him for our affections is foolish because of what He is worth. Those who are spiritually wise make the investment with joy and without hesitation. The moment we repent and put our faith in Jesus, we are heirs to this amazing treasure all to the praise of the glory of the grace of God.

Listen to what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:30–31,

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

It is because of the grace of God that we are in Christ. He is the one that opened our eyes and gave us hearts to respond so that we are united to Jesus. It is only through our union with Christ, by faith, that we obtain the treasure. Jesus is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. Every aspect of our salvation and our inheritance flows from our being united to Jesus by faith.

We have these tremendous promises, and not just that, but we have already been made partakers of this glorious Kingdom. It is not as though we cannot enjoy any of the treasure until Christ returns. Let’s not make it seem like God withholds everything until we are in heaven. Not at all. Let’s consider just a few of the wonderful treasures we already have now in Christ. I pray reflecting on these increases our joy and our appreciation for what God has done for us in Jesus.

1. In Christ, we are forgiven for every sin, past, present and future. There is no condemnation for believers (Col. 2:13–14; Heb. 10:14; Rom. 8:1)
2. In Christ, His obedience fulfilling the law is credited to us, so we stand righteous before God. (Rom. 5:18–19; 2 Cor. 5:21)
3. In Christ, we have received the Spirit whereby we are sealed and enabled to overcome sin and temptation. (Eph. 1:13–14; Rom. 8:13-15)
4. In Christ, we have been adopted into the family of God and made heirs with Jesus. (Rom. 8:15–17; Gal. 4:4–7)
5. In Christ, all of the miseries and challenges of this life that were curses against our sin and rebellion are now turned into blessings as God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17)
6. In Christ, the angels have now been made ministering spirits to us. (Heb. 1:14)
7. In Christ, our prayers are made acceptable to the Father, and we have confidence that He hears us. (John 16:23–24; 1 John 5:14–15)
8. In Christ, we have the assurance that God will complete the good work He began in us and we shall be raised with our Lord in glory. (Phil. 1:6; Rom. 8:30)

There is a lifetime of meditation and joy in each of these and there are so many more we could mention. It is when we forget these things that the things of this world, which are passing away, seem so real and important to us while the glorious reality of our salvation dims and slips from our minds. It is amazing how little we value what has cost Christ so much. But there is grace for this as well, because He loves us. 

Let us pray that God will help us to walk by faith and not by sight, giving glory to Him in all things. If we boast, let us boast in Christ. May our joy be in Christ, and may what we desire above all for others to know about us be that we belong to Him. That He is our treasure, the flawless pearl of surpassing worth, compared to whom everything else is nothing. I pray we would have childlike joy in all the blessings of our salvation.

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with someone when one of the kids interrupted us because she was so excited to show me one of her dolls. She insisted that I pause my conversation and go with her right away to the car to see it. The whole walk there, this precious little girl was telling me all about it. She shared every detail with excitement and confidence that I would be just as excited when I saw it. When we got to the car, face lit up with joy as she showed me her prized possession.

What a blessing that was. I pray God will give her even more of that kind of joy in Jesus soon. I think I need to ask forgiveness that so often I am less excited about my Savior than a child is about their toys. May God grant us all the grace to treasure Jesus Christ like that and more. May His love for us never become routine as if we deserved it. 

If you are struggling to rest in the peace and joy of your salvation I urge you to make time to meditate upon these truths. Find a brother or sister here to talk to about them. Get up early if necessary and don’t do anything else until you are captivated again by the surpassing value of knowing Jesus.

The apostle Paul quotes Isaiah in 1 Corinthians 2:9 saying,

9 … no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him

We do not even have categories for what that would be like. When we consider the beauty even in this fallen world at its best, how can we even imagine one that reflects the glory of God without any distortion of sin. 

The apostle John gives us a glimpse of what this will be like in Revelation 21:3–4,

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

The blessings of God to those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ as their lord and savior are unimaginable and priceless. That alone helps us understand why the Kingdom is worth everything, but Jesus is not finished. 

Those who are unwilling to give everything to pursue the Kingdom of God will not only fail to gain the Kingdom, but will lose everything they were willing to trade for it. Jesus gives us a third parable that emphasizes not only the incalculable value of the Kingdom of God, but what is at stake if we do not see its value.

He says,

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus has already warned us in this chapter that there is a day coming when God will separate the righteous from the wicked. Here He gives us another picture of that same reality. The net is cast into the sea and gathers fish of every kind. It does not discriminate as it moves through the water. Good fish and bad fish are gathered together, and only at the end when the net is pulled ashore does the separation take place.

Christ has cast the gospel out into the world. The righteous and the wicked continue to live alongside one another. Jesus ate with sinners. He came to seek and save the lost, and until He returns, His church continues to carry His gospel to sinners. Some who seem far from God today will, by His grace, be brought into the Kingdom. And some who presently appear to belong to Christ will be revealed in the end never to have been His at all.

The net will not remain in the water forever. The Kingdom that is now hidden will one day be revealed in all its glory, and then the angels will separate the evil from the righteous, and there will be no uncertainty, no mistake, and no second opportunity. What is hidden now will be revealed.

This is why the Kingdom is worth everything. Only those who possess it will escape the judgment that is coming. Those who love the world will perish with it. Those who love Christ will live forever with Him. The treasure and the pearl showed us the incomparable value of what we gain in Christ. The net shows us the terrible cost of remaining without Him.

Brothers and sisters I encourage you to leave here today considering the urgency and priority of the gospel both for yourself and others. There is no greater treasure than Christ and no greater need than the forgiveness He alone offers. Be sure you have received this treasure, and if you have, be sure to tell others where it can be found.