Bring Out the Treasures – Sermon – 30 July, 2017
Bring Out the Treasures
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
The parables of the hidden treasure and of the pearl, consists of two sentences each.
And in the first sentence of each parable is the familiar introductory phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like...”
The main point of the parable, of course, is found in the second sentence.
These parables occur only in Matthew’s Gospel and form a pair.
Whether Jesus taught the two parables in sequence or whether Matthew topically placed them together is unknown the fact remains that the two belong together.
Strictly speaking, the introductory sentences of the two parables are not quite balanced. In the one the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, and in the other the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant.
We should not, however, approach the two parables with an analytic Western mind. Instead, we should try to grasp the basic meaning of the parables as understood by the disciples who first heard them.
Now, Jesus told the parable of a man who found a treasure hidden in a field.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
Children often fantasise that in some field or old building or barn they will discover a treasure that has escaped everyone’s attention.
Yet from time to time discoveries are made. A Shepherd boy near the Dead Sea found scrolls that were 2000 years old.
We see this parable of treasures stuck between several other parables in red spoken by Jesus.
Parable of the Weeds
Parable of the Net
Parable of the Mustard Seed
Jesus is telling us about not letting weeds grow up around the main harvest of our lives. He tells us that we have to nurture our faith even if it starts out as small as a mustard seed. He tells us the kingdom is like a hidden treasure that is found and protected. He is telling us that the kingdom of heaven is of such great value that one should be willing to give up all he has to gain it.
Jesus is not implying that we would purchase the kingdom with money or good deeds.
The treasure is hidden in a field. We think that is weird. Who put it there and how long ago, are questions that cannot be answered.
But what we do know is ancient Palestine, was a country frequently ravaged by war. People often hid their treasure or part of it in a field rather than in the house.
In a house, thieves would be able to find it; in a field, the treasure would be much safer. But if the owner was killed during a war, he would carry his secret with him to the grave. Thus no one would ever know where he had hidden the treasure.
In Matthew 25, Jesus told a story about a master who gave some talents to his servants. The first servant was given five talents, and the second was given two talents. These two servants invested those amounts and multiplied their master’s money. But the third servant was worried.
He did not want anything to happen to the money.
He wanted to keep it safe, so what did he do?
He buried it in the ground.
Over the years, the ground of Palestine became a treasure house.
The man in this parable who found such a treasure may have been a hired hand. He may have been ploughing the field, digging a ditch, or planting a tree. Whatever the case, he hit something that was hard and did not sound like a rock. He dug it out and found a treasure.
We are not told what the treasure was, but the man was filled with joy at finding such a treasure. In those days, it was not uncommon at all for a person who was ploughing or digging in a field to accidentally come across a treasure.
So, Jesus’ parable described a very feasible situation.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)
Jesus does not have anything against savings accounts, being prepared for the future, saving for a rainy day. These words of Jesus tell us we have a choice of where we place our treasures. People then protected their valuables the only way they knew how, keep them out of sight and out of the hands of robbers. Today we have banks and saving deposit boxes. Some still hide valuable in mattresses and other creative hiding spots.
There is a concern that some people have with this parable. At first glance, the man seems to be dishonest. Some might say that honest behaviour would demand that this man tell the owner of the field about the treasure, since it was on his property and rightfully belonged to him.
Right? Well Not necessarily.
Jewish rabbinic law states: “If a man finds scattered fruit or money, it belongs to the finder.”
So, really, the man who found the treasure was extremely honest.
Remember He did not have to buy the field. He could have just taken the treasure.
But he did not. In fact, he did not even use the treasure to provide him enough money to make the purchase.
Instead, the Scriptures state, he liquidated everything he owned to come up with the money.
So the man did not do anything unethical. The man knew what he was doing. With his money he bought the field to get the treasure.
But we need to be careful not to lose sight of the main point of the parable which is this: A man found something so valuable that he sold everything he had to get it. He was so excited about finding the treasure that he was willing to do whatever he had to do in order to purchase it.
Then Matthew gives Jesus’ parable of the Pearl.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
By itself, the story is a close parallel to that of the man who found a treasure.
The same dedication is found in both parables.
Each man must have the object of his desire even if it costs him his livelihood.
Both men literally sell all that they have in order to obtain the treasure or the Pearl.
During Old Testament times pearls apparently were not known, but by the first century of the Christian era pearls had become a status symbol of wealthy people.
Jesus told his audience, “Do not throw your pearls to swine” (Matt. 7:6).
And Paul wanted the women of his day to dress modestly, “not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes” (1 Tim. 2:9).
When women wanted to portray their wealth, they put pearls in their hair. When a Roman emperor wanted to show how rich he was, he would dissolve pearls in vinegar and then drink them in his wine.
In the times of Jesus, pearls were in great demand. Merchants had to go to the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and even India in order to find them. Inferior pearls came from the Red Sea. The better ones came from the Persian Gulf and off the coast of Ceylon in India. A Merchant had to travel in his search for bigger and better pearls.
The man portrayed by Jesus is a merchant looking for fine pearls. We do not know how far he has travelled, but on a given day he finds one particular pearl of great value.
For him, this is the chance of a lifetime. He will not be satisfied until that pearl is his.
We should note that the merchant does not go from one pearl fisher to the next in deliberate search of one outstanding pearl. As he is looking for pearls in the course of his normal business, he spots the finest pearl he has ever seen.
The pearl is an especially appropriate figure for the kingdom, because it is the only gem that cannot be improved by man. All other jewels must be cut and polished by skilled craftsmen before they have retail value as gemstones. But a pearl is perfect when it is found and it cannot be improved by cutting and polishing.
In fact, one cut and a pearl is worthless. That makes the pearl an especially appropriate symbol for the kingdom of God. For the kingdom is divine, designed by a perfect God from the beginning of eternity.
These two individuals knew what they were doing.
The two men, however, did not speculate. There was no risk involved in buying the field or in purchasing the Pearl the items bought would keep their value.
What they did was most sensible.
In buying the field and the Pearl, the two men did not make a sacrifice, even though they sold everything they owned.
There is a basic difference between a purchase and a sacrifice.
A Purchase is directed towards acquiring an object of equivalent value.
Sacrifice on the other hand is giving when no reward is expected.
Both the man who found the treasure and the pearl merchant paid the full justifiable price of the purchased items. They gave all they had in order to gain the one thing they desired.
Matthew 6:21 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What, then, do the parables teach?
We have a choice where we place our treasures and we have a choice of what we value
Two choices this morning
- What are your treasures?
What do you value above everything else?
How did you arrive at value?
A treasure by definition is something that you hold great value for. It is precious to you, usually it is something accumulated, given or found that you want to hold unto.
What he found had value and hence he was willing to give up everything for it.
As believers, the most precious treasure we have is a God who wants to have a relationship with us. That is precious and it is of great value.
God is a treasure that transforms us and holds us.
A treasure that disciples us and walks with us.
What we have in Him is of great value.
- Where do we place and protect our treasures
We find the answer to that question in the second part of this parable.
Jesus is saying to us this morning that once we find our pearl in Jesus Christ, we must do whatever it takes to keep Him as our precious gift.
Two parables. Each parable has a man who found something of great value. They both recognized the value and were willing to pay the price. There sacrifice was made joyfully- nobody forced them.
Here is the difference
Parable of the treasure- the man found it by accident.
Parable of the pearl- the man was searching.
There are many ways that people find God
By accident –
For example. Saul of Tarsus who was persecuting the Christians, had an encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. He was not seeking God. He thought he was already in.
By searching –
The Philippians jailer, Cornelius, Ethiopian eunuch, those who searched out what they had to do to be saved.
The important thing is not how we find the treasure of God’s kingdom, the important thing is that we do with it when we find it, and desire to keep it.
We should know that we have a precious gift that is available and how important that we treasure Him and receive Him.
The greatest treasure we can find is a personal knowledge of Jesus Himself, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col 2:3
Have you found that treasure yet?