All of God's riches are found in Christ. Today, we will consider three parables: the hidden treasure, the pearl of great value, and the net. I know that this was indeed the case with me as you can imagine. Parables of Matthew 13 (Part One): Introduction. Parable of the Hidden Treasure, Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 1): The Mustard Seed, Parables of Matthew 13 (Part One): Introduction, Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 3): Hidden Treasure, The Parables of Matthew 13 (Part Six): The Parable of the Hidden Treasure. We exchange one thing for another. Even human-made religion with a careful system of do’s and don’ts can keep a person from laying hold of the truth in Christ. Christ finds us and hides us again, and what is His reaction? Today, we're going to learn about a parable about a man who finds a hidden treasure and about a merchant who is searching for fine pearls. So it was God seeking us after all.”. Third Pair: The Treasure (verse 44) represents the preciousness of Christians to Christ, who can see their hidden value and sacrifices all to possess them. I had researched the Spanish Armada ships sunk in the region, the gold bullion ship that went down somewhere along our coast, and the HMS Victory (the one before Nelson's Flagship) that went down with 100,000 Portuguese gold coins on board somewhere along our coast where I fished. In the second interpretation, Christ Himself is the treasure. Bible Passage: Matthew 13:44-45 When the man found this pearl of high price, he resolved within his heart that he would have it. Some people do not want to consider. They are not worth it. He sees that the things of his old life are not relevant anymore. Shortly after I became a Christian, I was in a church meeting in Virginia. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:44-46). A merchant trades knowledge for money. I long to see a revival among people today, especially among the young. The fable He sat down and thought through what he would have to give up. In analyzing these parables, we discover the King's personal view of His Kingdom through the past, present, and future of the history of His church. Many who stumble upon these words that speak of a Savior will later regret that they did not lay hold of the truth in that verse. Usually the eighth is combined with the seventh parable. The worth of having God ruling over you and, for you, over everything else. Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 1): The Mustard Seed. The parable of the hidden treasure is the first of a series of three short parables used by Jesus to describe the kingdom of heaven. Androcles and the Lion). 44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. The Seven Kingdom Parables of Matthew 13 1 5. There was a time in my life when God put such a desire in me to find answers to the many questions I had about life. The divine transaction is to give your sins to Him, and He will clothe you with His righteousness. The owner of the area would have been none the wiser, but he decided to sell all that he had and, when he had enough money, buy the field from the landowner. Our Lord and Savior, finding the treasure of His elect in the world, conceals and protects them against all the depredations of the enemy. He maintains His joyous excitement by looking forward to the glorious future of the Family of God and by always doing the will of the Father. 28“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Matthew 13:45-46. Remember, the life we live on this earth is but a shadow of the real life beyond this plane of existence. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. Out the door went the satellite television, the Xbox, his smartphone. They want to guard their reputation. Everything else is subservient to that one point. It is the kind of thing that we imagine happening to adventurers or explorers, but it has happened to ordinary people just going about their business who are not expecting it. Instead of glorifying us immediately, He hides us after we are called (John 17:11, 14-18) by physically sending us back into the world. Jesus Christ our Savior found us, a special treasure in the world, and gave His all to call us out of the world and redeem us. 29For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. No doubt, he went home and had a garage sale—everything must go! Let not the things of this world hide the treasure from me any longer. “What is your treasure?” Children’s Sermon on the Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7 King James Version). Teaching of the Parable. There is a ring of truth to the Gospel when one hears of the grace and mercy of God as it is in Christ Jesus. Actually, adults like to hear about treasure, too! This attitude is the heart of a man that pleases God, one with an inner resolve that nothing should prevent him from having a relationship with Christ. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44. Satan's plan to destroy God's plan of salvation, which He is fulfilling through the church. Acts 20:28 and John 3:16-17 show that the pruchase price for the field, the world, was His own blood—His all. Nothing shall keep him from that pearl of high price. 1) The great value of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps, because he was afraid that someone else would offer a better deal to the pearl salesman. This search is universal. In both parables, the treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. So what is the lesson in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure? In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. He certainly expected to buy a good many of them. The pearls (plural) that the merchant sought probably symbolize this search. They were inspired by His Father in heaven, "[for] all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15), therefore "blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear" (Matthew 13:16). The riches of Christ are of much higher worth than the whole world full of wealth. It was out of … When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Gospel Connection : There are many wonderful things that we treasure here on Earth that we can treasure, but the greatest treasure that we could ever obtain is Heaven. This parable serves to teach us that we may not understand details of the word-picture. This search is universal. In 1976, I made a unique purchase. People trade time and energy to get a wage at the end of the week. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). His life had a purpose and a goal. The man in the parable sold everything that he had so that he might buy the field. The first consists of the first four parables: the Parable of the Sower, the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the Parable of the Mustard Seed, and the Parable of the Leaven. Our hands can be full of all kinds of things. We are to see the great value in selling all and focusing our souls on the Lord Jesus that we may attain “to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). I believe that the emphasis in this passage speaks of the value that the man places on this treasure and the decision that he makes to acquire it at all costs. We are to see the great value in selling all and focusing our souls on the Lord Jesus that we may attain. Study 1 The Parable of the Wedding Feast . I quote from writer and Bible teacher, R.T. Kendall. We are hidden in it like in a vault, a treasure house, a place to keep valuables securely and safely, where they will not be stolen or in any way degraded. When a person is born-again of the Spirit (John 3:3), he or she comes into a relationship with God through the finished work of Christ on the cross. The thought is to give ourselves to the God of creation so that our hands are empty of other things so that we are full of God. These can only be Satanic things, bad, negative things inspired by the Devil. As I mentioned at the beginning of this study, there are two ways of looking at this parable. For some, like the rich young ruler in Matthew’s Gospel that wanted to know what he still lacked, Jesus replied to him, saying. For that reason, I’ll separate both in my commentary. We are to take the main point of the story. He does not depend on the sweat of his brow or trading time for money to obtain riches. When I found the pearl of great price, I responded immediately. What are the pleasures that you know to be sinful and stand in the way of your relationship with God? I must make it clear that a relationship with God is not something that can be "bought." Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1). I want to live my life wide-awake! The merchant was amazed at his find! His method stands in sharp contrast to the involved and lengthy style of some Bible commentators. First, he seeks, then he finds, then he sells all his stuff and buys what he finds. This title was transferred from ancient Israel to spiritual Israel, the church (Galatians 6:16). He depends on his understanding of whatever commodity he is trading, and in this case, it is his knowledge of pearls. We have more going for us than we might think, despite the spiritual battles we still have to fight. When someone finds Christ, he enters God's kingdom. As God's elect, we have Christ dwelling in us, and by doing the will of the Father as He did, we can have His joy. Notice the comment Matthew makes following the first section. Is Jesus saying that we should all sell our stuff? Our society and our western culture places a high priority on entertainment and gives a place of honor to our entertainers, which is above the praise we give to any other group. Like the couplet of "The Mustard Seed" and "The Leaven", in which a similar theme was found, there seems to be a theme common to these two parables 1) The theme of the earlier couplet was the "growth and A particular Bible translation may divide the chapter into only seven parables, but there are eight parables in Matthew 13. The treasure was hidden, meaning it needed to be sought after. When Jesus finished the first seven parables, He asked His disciples, "Have you understood all these things?" What it told Joseph is that there would be, not only a famine that affected livestock, but also a famine affecting vegetation. Jesus also spoke of common civic duties and social events. Like the apostle Paul, the Lord would have us release our grip on the things of this world so that we may gain Christ. Parable of the Hidden Treasure: Matthew 13:44. To them, the things of God are considered foolish (1 Corinthians 2:14). 33In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples (Luke 14:25-33). The man hides his treasure in the world. Protestant theologians teach that once one believes in Christ, that is it—one's eternal life is guaranteed without any further effort. . What happened at the foundation of the world? 44 “The kingdom of heaven () is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. The third section can be titled "The Ministry's Duty to the Church.". Since we are His treasure, and since He hides and protects us, sanctifying us through His truth—and do not forget that He prayed for our protection from the evil one—we have it better than it seems. After the first series of four parables, Matthew writes, "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them" (verse 34). Jesus' parable of the pearl will be placed on hold for a moment while we study the parable of the hidden treasure. Along with Him, we get everything. In the days of the New Testament, there were no banks where a person could keep his treasure safe from the many marauding armies that came through Judea and Samaria. You find out that God was behind your seeking all along, and you thank Him that He stayed with you, got your attention and caused you to want it above all else. A parable is just a story that teaches an important lesson in a creative way. I believe that the emphasis in this passage speaks of the value that the man places on this treasure and the decision that he makes to acquire it at all costs. God used it to bring me to Israel where I met so many beautiful people and learned valuable lessons. Matthew 13.44 NLT “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. The treasure is a symbol of the members of the church. Jesus told his disciples that the Kingdom of God is like a hidden treasure, i.e. It was a silver elephant embedded with semi-precious stones, and was about 10 inches high, with a rider perched on top. Jesus teaches us by the simplicity and shortness of His parables that directness and brevity are effective teaching tools. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. God has a treasure—us—and He hides it in Christ. What the Bible says about It is by knowing a person, the person of Christ. God offers us His treasure if we receive Christ. She was overjoyed. Guess what is true with the one who finds that pearl? Jesus gave His all, the ultimate sacrifice—His own blood—His life—for us (John 3:16-17; Acts 20:28). He depends on his understanding of whatever commodity he is trading, and in this case, it is his knowledge of pearls. It is possible for us to hold certain things so tightly that we are not able to receive the things that God would give to us. Voltaire, the famous French Enlightenment philosopher, said just before he died, “In the name of God, please let me die in peace.” Consider also the last words of Elizabeth 1, the Queen of England, who said, “All my possessions for a moment of time.” We should live our lives being mindful of the life that is to come. If we are truly seeking those things which are above, and we are truly "in Christ," then our eternal life is secure. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, did not invent the car; he is famous for developing the assembly line technique of mass production of the vehicle. Then in … Everything else is subservient to that one point. That in itself would change a good many things about his life. We find God in thought, in prayer, in turning our hearts toward Him, submitting our will to Him, and giving attention to His Word. Martin G. Collins My heart was touched, and I felt that I needed to give her that elephant toward the price of her airline ticket. When we buy something, we give up some commodity or treasure that we have to obtain something that we deem to be of greater value. After the meeting, I overheard a young woman mention how she had just received her first dollar toward her ticket to Israel! What does that mean? Fourth Pair: The Dragnet (verse 47) teaches that the good and evil who intermingle on earth will be completely separated in the judgment. Historians tell us that pursuit of pleasure was one of the characteristics of ancient Rome that preceded the fall of the Roman Empire. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. What the Bible says about Parable of the Hidden Treasure. All people have the same needs and long for the same things. If you are a seeker, I would suggest that you look hard at the pearl and explore the truths of what God has done for you. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Others see great value in the words of eternity, and they trade the stuff of the temporary world that they may hold onto the things of the unseen world. They were not looking for treasure. A Parable Explained: The Hidden Treasure Key Text "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. The Leaven (verse 33) represents the progress of the church against and despite the contagious outspread of sin. So, in the first half of this chapter, Jesus is saying, "Look, My disciples, this is the plan that you must fight against. 25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. The other two short parables are: Parable of the Pearl of Great Value Parable of the Fishing Net. “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Such was the testimony of the apostle Paul: What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. That elephant traveled to America with me the following year. Some of these questions arose in me after a near-death experience and many fishing incidents where, but for the grace of God, I could have easily lost my life. French authorities are contacting their Indian counterparts to trace the owner or heirs of the jewels. Today, we need to consider we are heading in a similar direction. Jesus gave the first four to the mixed multitude, while He told the last four to the twelve disciples in private. When the man found this pearl of high price, he resolved within his heart that he would have it. As he looked over what he had found, the man realized the value of his find and decided that he would hide it back in the earth again. There was an inner joy that flooded my soul after years of searching for the truth about the world, my identity, and my purpose in life. This merchant had to find pearls, the energy of his life focused into that one goal. We come to the fourth thing the merchant does. He takes the money he made selling his possessions, and he buys the pearl. It is by knowing a person, the person of Christ. We cannot seem to get enough! It’s not hard to see why that is so valuable. We are part of the body of Christ. Optional Materials: Items of various price, either pictures or actual objects. Today, it is so easy to be lulled to sleep through a world of fantasy. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). Then, he went and put up signs in the neighborhood to sell the house for a quick sale. Mat 13:44-46 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. These jewels were the object of his life. Our modern day culture is saturated with it. With this parable, as with all the parables of Christ, the details are not to be stressed. In the New Testament, the apostle Peter states that the elect are God's "own special people" (I Peter 2:9-10). “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). A pearl is created in nature by the oyster when an irritant such as a bit of sand enters the oyster’s shell. Sacrificed his reputation when he found one of you wants to build a tower not in your house ) entertainment. Able to sell the house for a quick sale me to come and visit Israel and with... 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