Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The Kingdom is Priceless in Value & The Kingdom is NOT Superficially Visible

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

"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:
  1. Have you recognized the value of your salvation?
  2. 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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