"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the
field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and
sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great
value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Insights:
The first principle is the kingdom is priceless in value. When we talk about the kingdom of the Lord,
we're talking about salvation. We're
talking about Christ Himself and the gift of salvation He gives to those who
are born again. The blessedness of the
kingdom is so valuable that it is the most valuable commodity that can ever be
found and only a fool is not willing to sell everything he has to gain
it. There is a heavenly treasure lying
in the field of this poverty stricken, bankrupt, and accursed world. It is a treasure sufficient to eternally
enrich every one of earth's poor, miserable, blind and naked inhabitants. The second principle is the kingdom is not
superficially visible. The treasure was
hidden and the pearl had to be sought.
The treasure is not obvious to men.
The preciousness of salvation is not viewed by men. They don't see it although it stands there
and looks them in the eye. The world looks at Christians and they don't
understand why we're all about this business of worshiping God. They don't
understand why we want to live and obey a code of ethics and rules that goes
against the grain of their deepest lusts and drives. They don't understand why we price this so
highly when it means so little to them. That is why Matthew 7:14 states, "That
narrow is the way and few there be that find it." And that is why it says
in Matthew 11 that the kingdom is taken by the violent who take it by force. In other words, it must be pursued. And John speaking about Jesus wrote, “He was
in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came
unto His own and His own received Him not.”
You see, just the average run-of-the-mill superficial approach to life,
just pumping your way through, trampling across the path of life, day to day,
with never a thought for anything that is deep or profound or of true value is
not going to render you the truth at all.
There has to come that desire at some point to respond to Jesus’ rich
offer of salvation.
Questions:
- Have you recognized the value of your salvation?
- Are you still perplexed as to why Christians are so
transfixed on worshipping the Lord?
Prayer: Father, what You
offer in salvation is so much greater than anything I could ever possibly
pursue that it boggles my mind. May You
draw all people to You. Amen.
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