PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." ( Matthew 13:44)
(The first three parables ie. the parable of the growing seed, the mustard seed and the yeast are about kingdom growth. The next three parables ie. the parable of the weeds, the net and the wedding banquet are about kingdom entry. The next three parables are about kingdom value.)
The parable of the hidden treasure tells us about the worth of Christ and his kingdom; that it is worth losing everything for the sake of Christ and the gospel, if we ever have to! Peter said to Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age ( home, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." ( Mark 10:28-30) But only those who have comprehended the value of the kingdom and the gospel can give up everything in this world for the next. So Paul wrote: 'Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ... becoming like him in his death and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead.' (Philippians 3:7-11) The treasure of the word of God is hidden in plain sight and it is there for all to see but many are spiritually blind that they cannot see it. But the one who sees it, wouldn't mind losing everything to gain Christ. Having found the treasure in Christ, it became Paul's mission to let others know what he found. 'My purpose is that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' ( Colossians 2:2-3)
But why did the man in the parable hide the treasure again in the field? He could have taken what he found and left and could have come back for more. Many come to Christ only to get their needs met and then go away, hoping to come back later for more. But we are called to 'remain in him' (John 15:4); to dwell in the field where the treasure was found. Therefore the man set his heart to get the field because in it was hidden the treasure he found. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ( Matthew 6:21) If we treasure Christ, our hearts will be set on owning him as our own. The man realised that there is more treasure in the field than he could ever know. So he sold all that he had to buy the field because it is a mine of endless treasures! Likewise there is more to the gospel and the kingdom than we will ever know. We are yet to comprehend the vastness of the treasures we have found in Christ! Even if we have to lose something for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, we don't have to regret it because he is the greatest treasure we will ever find. After Abram let Lot chose the best land for himself ( Genesis 13:8-11) and later refused to take the riches offered by the king of Sodom, (14:21-23), the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." (15:1) Everything that we might lose for the sake of our calling is nothing compared to greatness of the one we have found. Amen.
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