The Value & Valuation of The Kingdom of Heaven | Matthew 13:44-46

Scripture

• Matthew 13:44–46

About this sermon

Introduction: Once again, we meet with parables that are paired. The parable of the treasure hidden in the field is meant to be taken along with the parable of the pearl of great price. THEY MAKE THE SAME BASIC POINT BUT WITH A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN EMPHASIS. Paring them is a way of reinforcing the main point that the two parables make. THAT POINT IS ABOUT WORTH. The worth of the kingdom of heaven. Or, you could say the worth of salvation. Or you could say, the worth of Christ. And the reason why I say you could describe it in each of those three ways, is because these parables are about what is recognized when someone ENTERS the kingdom. A person meets with the declaration of the kingdom. They meet with the salvation offer of the kingdom. They meet with the revelation of the Savior King of the kingdom. AND THEY ENTER THE KINGDOM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND. Remember the emphasis throughout this section on understanding. ESV Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'"You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive." 15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.' ESV Matthew 13:23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." The parables we have examined so far have taught us much about the kingdom of heaven: • The Word of the Kingdom will largely be rejected, but it will find good soil, and it will bear much fruit. • The redeemed lives that are rescued through that message — the sons of the kingdom who are gathered in through the declaration of that message — will exist side by side with the sons of the evil one until the day that Jesus returns. And when Jesus returns, there will be a great separation that takes place. It will be a separation unto judgment and unto everlasting blessing. • Despite the rejection of the message by many, and despite that message being declared in a world full of Satan’s work, the Word of the Kingdom will spread throughout the earth, and wherever the kingdom advances through its proclamation, the influence will permeate the darkness, and the result will be great blessing. These next two parables DESCRIBE something additional and very important. THESE PARABLES DESCRIBE HOW THE RESCUED ONES REGARD THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. What is the perspective of someone who ENTERS the kingdom, who EMBRACES the message, who TRUSTS in the King? These parables are not just about the value of the kingdom of heaven. They are also about the valuation of the kingdom of heaven. How does someone who enters the kingdom REGARD IT? And that is what we think about today. The value and the valuation of the kingdom of heaven. We examine these parables under two main headings. The parables examined and the parables applied. • THE PARABLES EXAMINED Once again, Jesus takes situations known by those in His world and uses them to illustrate about the realm of salvation. • THE TREASURE HIDDEN IN THE FIELD This might not make sense to US, in our world, when we first read it. But in that world, there WERE NO BANKS. You didn’t go down to the Woodforest National Bank and deposit your check or put something in a safe deposit box. If you had something valuable, perhaps you hid it in your house, or (in an area commonly affected by war, like Israel was) you hid valuable things in the earth. You bury them. If you are driven from your home, and you don’t have time or it’s not safe to take those things with you, you can return later, dig them up, and they are still yours. Well, as you might imagine, especially because of war, some people did not return to their treasure. Some did not return from Assyria or Babylon. Sometimes people would die, and no one knew that they hidden treasure in their field. The common nature of this practice is seen again in a later parable, as Jesus was warning about remaining alert for His return, tells the story of servants entrusted with talents that they were to manage for their master. The unfaithful servant simply held on to what he was given, and what did he do with it? HE BURIED IT. ESV Matthew 25:18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. SO, IN A WORLD WHERE THE EARTH SERVED LIKE A BANK, IT WAS POSSIBLE (though not probable) THAT SOMEONE MIGHT DISCOVER A TREASURE HIDDEN IN A FIELD. Maybe they are walking through a field, and it is protruding above the ground (maybe due to rain).

Topics

• Heaven & Eternity
• The Kingdom of God
• Christian Living