Lost Parables: Hidden Treasure and the PearlPosted by Phil on June 2nd, 2009
in 3 short verses in Matthew 13, we get 2 parables on the same topic. first, a man finds a treasure in a field and when he finds it, he buries it again and gives everything he has to buy the field legally. second, a merchant is looking for pearls, and he sells all his other possessions to buy the pearl that stands out.
not many of us are pirates and probably know very little about burried treasure. i also don’t dive for oysters and can’t appreciate the value of a pearl. but i trust that both of these treasures are quite valuable. and it says that the kingdom of God is valuable just like these.
a little insight on buried treasure. at the time, banks, vaults, and safety deposit boxes didn’t exist, so it was not uncommon for someone to bury wealth on their land to protect it from theives and hold on to it for when they needed it. but people might die with their treasure buried and no one knows where it is. so this man finds a buried treasure and buys the land so he legally owns the treasure.
both people found these treasures, but it took work to get the treasures. they had to sacrifice.
have you ever received a gift for Christmas or your birthday that you were really excited to get? that is…until you see the print…”some assembly required.” there’s work to get the gift that you really wanted.
Christ throughout the Gospels reminded people how much it costs to follow him…everything. to the disciples…leave your nets and family. to the rich young ruler…give up everything you own.
is Jesus the greatest treasure in your life? the easy church answer is yes, but look at how you live.
in Acts, the church said that their relationship with God was more important than anything and they gave up their possessions to share with each other and sold their land to give the money to the poor. God was most important and they gave up things that would compete with it.
we live in a completely different world today in a society that teaches us to look out for ourselves. our possessions are a huge treasure to overcome…but not our only treasure. our pride is right up there, if not more important than our possessions. its our pride that tells us we “have to have it.”
Paul in Philippians 3 lists off all sorts of “treasures” for most people. but these are the things that get in the way…they are garbage compared to knowing Christ. that was his treasure.
are your treasures able to solve your problems?
is Jesus your treasure? will you defend that treasure with everything you have?
our treasure isn’t cheap…it costs everything we have.
costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. it is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. it is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.
costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. it is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. it is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship)