Three Parabels of the Kingdom

Seeking Treasure

People have always been in search of treasure. California achieved statehood as a direct result of the influx of gold miners during the great 49er gold rush of 1849 - 1852.

One of the waitresses at Carrow’s Restaurant has been sporting a deep suntan lately. She told us she has been going up past Mariposa with some friends who are dredging for gold. They have been finding some fairly large nuggets. So she got herself a wet suit and she’s joining them in the river this weekend. Apparently the California gold rush is not over yet. There is still gold to be found for those who want to be diligent.

One of the better known treasure hunts in modern times is the quest to find the rumored wealth known as the "Beale treasure." The hunt began when an eccentric man, who left the East for the gold and silver mines of the West, returned home, supposedly hid a vast amount of wealth, then disappeared forever. All he left behind were several messages written in a mysterious code. One of those messages when deciphered told of the treasure and its approximate location. The other documents, then, would narrow down the site. Since the Beale documents first came to light, thousands of man-hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent attempting to break the codes and find the legendary treasure. But no one has been successful so far.

Jesus gives us two parables about finding treasure. We want to examine them and see if we can learn about the most important treasure of all. And then Jesus gives us a warning in a third parable.

Verse 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 this parable, the man stumbles across treasure. He was not looking for it. He was just walking through a field. But suddenly he finds rich treasure. There are some who suddenly are confronted by the gospel message. When they discover it they realize its worth. This man was walking through a field. In what kind of field have you encountered the gospel message? Was it in a church, on the radio, at a friend’s home? Perhaps you are here this morning and you suddenly realize the great treasure that God is offering you? What are you willing to do with that treasure?

In this parable the man sells all that he has in order to obtain the treasure. What is preventing you from accepting Christ? What is it that you are not willing to part with in order to receive salvation? Is it pride, or fear, or stubbornness? The man sacrificed everything to have this treasure and this verse tells us it gave him great joy. You will discover that when you commit your life to Christ, you too will experience great joy.

In Brazil in the 19th Century slaves were used to help in the diamond mining. If a slave could find a diamond of a certain size, he would be set free. After searching for months or years, when a slave came across a diamond of the correct value, he would go running to his master shouting, "Free, free." The value of the diamond would set him free. So it is with Christ. When we find him, we are set free from our sins.

Verse 45

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.

In this parable the man was diligently searching for fine pearls. This is unlike the previous parable where the man stumbled across treasure accidentally. Here the man has been searching for a long time. Have you been searching for meaning in your life? Has your life been full of confusion and turmoil and you seek for answers? There is a pearl worth seeking for.

Verse 46

Who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The man discovered a pearl of great value. Like the man in the previous parable he sold everything to purchase this pearl. He was willing to sacrifice everything for this one great treasure. There is a treasure greater than anything this world can offer. It is worth more than all the gold, silver, pearls, or rubies of the world. That treasure is having Christ in our heart. Perhaps you have been searching for a long time, and this morning you realize that there is a pearl of great value. Too often we are willing to accept less than the best. Too often we are willing to accept a fake or a sham pearl.

Talmadge gives us a good lesson on the practice in the 19th Century of producing artificial pearls, "The fact is they would rather have a sham pearl than a genuine pearl. The factories ... are full of activity making artificial pearls. With alabaster, and scales, and glue, and wax, they manufacture something which is a sham pearl, and substitute it for the real pearl. And so the whole world now is full of attempts to manufacture a new salvation, a new pearl of great price. They take a few grains of good works and a few grains of fine poetic sentiment, and they put them together, and they call it a pearl. But it will not wear; it will crumble to pieces...."

There is only one pearl of great value, and that is Jesus. He is the one who paid the price for your salvation. He is the one who is calling at your heart’s door. Jesus will change your life forever.

Verse 47

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

In the first two parables, Jesus speaks of people who gave up everything to gain heavenly treasure. One of them stumbled on this treasure, the other had been searching diligently for it. But each of them sacrificed everything to have this great treasure of the gospel. However, there are some who reject God’s treasure. This parable is a warning for those who wish to reject Christ’s free offer of salvation.

God will cast a net into the sea of humanity. In his net there will be all kinds of fish, all kinds of people. There will be some who have accepted God’s treasure of his son. There will be others who have rejected this love gift.

Verses 48-50

When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

Jesus is giving us a warning. Before the final net is cast and the angels are sent to separate the evil from the good, let us chose to accept Christ in our heart. We know there are people who have allowed evil to control them. We see genocide in other lands, oppression throughout the world. We see school shootings and synagogue bombings. We even saw a shooting at a church this past week. The day of judgement will come when the evil will be separated from the good.

G. Campbell Morgan remarks, "As we lift our eyes for a moment, not to tarry there, because we have our immediate call and business, we look on and see the day when the pierced Hand will manifestly grasp the sceptre, and will call the ministries of heaven to His service, in separating the evil from the righteous, the wicked from the good."

Verse 51

"Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes."

Now Jesus asks his audience a question - "Have you understood all this?" He is asking us the same question this morning. Do we understand what these verses are teaching us? Do we realize the value of the treasure found in the field, do we understand the importance of the pearl of great price? Are we willing to sacrifice all to accept the gospel message and have Christ in our life? If not, we may be like the fish caught in the net rejected by the divine fisherman and cast aside.

Last year in 1998, Mark McGuire hit 70 home runs to shatter Roger Maris’ old record of 61. That 70th homerun baseball was sold for $3 million. Perhaps the buyer thought it was a good investment. But he must be really worried this year as both McGuire and Sammy Sosa are getting close to that 70 home-run record. What happens if someone hits 71? How valuable will that baseball be then? That is the problem with treasure of this world. It’s value can be very fleeting.

On what do you place value? Is it on your job, your material possessions? Is it your investments or your retirement fund? Is it your good health or the praise of others? All things in this world will pass away. Material treasure can soon lose its value. There is only one treasure that will last for all eternity. That treasure is the pearl of great value - Jesus Christ. Accept Christ as your savior and you will have a treasure greater than anything the world can offer. And just as the man who found the hidden treasure in a field, you will have great joy throughout your lifetime.

I would like to end the study with this wonderful poem from Mark Philips:

"Deadlines Pass"

Deadlines pass and nothing changes-
no destiny delivered on hand-signed postcards,
no devout holiness shining from my chest like St. Francis
when he talked to the birds,
no purely dechlorinated thoughts pouring from my brain,
no vision, no goals, so little hope i squander the hope
i have

Deadlines pass and i am unchanged-
i cannot even mentor my emotions,
cannot rein in the lion who crouches to devour me
like abel’s jealousy,
cannot kill the pain, cannot destroy sin,
cannot look temptation in the face without melting,
cannot call up confidence like a childhood friend,
no laughter, no smiles, so little joy i shovel over the joy
i have

so i hide in the hole hugging my tiny hope and
my refused joy in self-pitying righteousness and
self-righteous pity hoping someone pets me on the head

Someone throws wide the door
to

plateaus and plateaus,
mountain ridge landscapes,
meadows and meadows,
poppy field pastures,
Calvary’s cross,
Divine acceptance

Why do I forget the door and
stand inside in the dark?

Here I will stand upon Golgotha’s grace,
the wide open space of forgiveness breathed
like springfed air to bankrupt debtors like
me

and i face my Life once again

Footnotes:

The story of the Beale Treasure from Today in the Word, December 1989, pg. 14, Moody Press

Talmadge: The Biblical Illustrator, vol. 11, pg. 285, Baker Book House



	A Study of Matthew Matthew 13:44-51