Title: “Parables of the Kingdom” Part IV Script: Mt. 13:44-46
Type: Expository Series Where: GNBC 2-17-24
Intro: Facebook’s $1 billion acquisition of Instagram was a watershed moment for Big Tech. It demonstrated just how much wealth and power the industry holds — and how it could be wielded. Secret emails, published as part of a historic antitrust hearing, revealed that Mark Zuckerberg viewed the app as a threat to his own social network, and one to be neutralized at great cost. In early 2012, Twitter had been aggressively courting Instagram for a potential acquisition. Instagram’s founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, were wined and dined over sushi and breakfast at the St. Regis hotel. Twitter even put together a term sheet to acquire them for 7% to 10% of its stock, worth $500 million to $700 million. Facebook bought ended up buying the photo-sharing start-up for $1 billion in 2012, paying what seemed like a shocking sum of $1 billion for a company with 13 employees at the time! Now, Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly users, including 500 million daily users of the Stories feature, which was introduced in 2016 to compete against Snapchat. That growth has resulted in Instagram now being valued by analysts at more than $100 billion! (Credit articles from NY Times, CNBC). Like him or not, Mark Z. saw the potential in buying something at an enormous price, that has proved to be of inestimable more value than anyone else thought possible. Today we’ll examine 2 more parables in Mt. 13, which declare this same principle in relation to something inestimably more value than the net worth of FB or IG: The Kingdom of Heaven!
Prop: Exam. Mt. 13:44-46 we notice 2 parables that underscore the enormous value of the KOH.
BG: 1. The glorious nature of the Kingdom of Heaven is the subject of the parables.
2. Again we see Jesus pairing together certain parables in a chiastic fashion so as to reinforce a teaching. Does in Mt. 5,6,7,9,10, and here in 13.
3. Continues here his motif of the hiddenness and smallness of the KOH. However, instead of demonstrating it’s future explosive growth, Jesus is teaching its incomparable value.
Prop: Exam. Two parables in Mt. 13:44-46 we’ll notice the incomparable value of the KOH.
I. What Was the Purpose in Christ’s Parabolic Ministry?
A. To Select the Audience (vv.9-13)
1. Christ sought to exclude one set of listeners.
a. V.11 One set of people are preferred over another, and to the one who has more will be granted but to the one who doesn’t even what has will be taken away! Possibly this makes us feel uncomfortable. In some ways maybe our sense of “fairness” or “justice” is offended. Dear one, let me tell you that God’s sense of justice and fairness is absolutely perfect and He does not need to consult you or me so as to enquire of our standards.
b. JI Packer has said: “Although the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is a cause for debate amongst men, it is a matter for praise in the pages of the Bible.”
2. Christ sought to include another set of listeners. He says so right here in the passage. Look at v. 11. By implication He is saying this of you and me today. Why are you listening to an exposition of this passage today? Because you love Him, or at least you are curious about Him.
B. To Protect the Truth (Navajo Wind Talkers – never had code broken)
1. By Speaking in Parables Christ protected the Truth and Treasure of the KOH.
a. V.11 – Read – it’s been granted to know the mysteries… Strictly speaking, it does not mean, as we sometimes use it—when we speak, e.g., of the mystery of the Trinity, a truth which none can understand—something “very obscure”, but one which, kept a secret from others, has been revealed only to the initiated.
b. Dear one, if you have come to Christ, you have been let in on the GREATEST of all secrets! Certainly, that is what Jesus was saying when He said this to His disciples.
2. There was a value in keeping aspects of the KOH hidden from those who opposed Christ.
a. As Illust: When nations go to war armies utilize code to pass on information to those who need to hear it while hiding and obscuring it from those who would use the information for harm. It is a way of hiding its importance from the enemy. In 1942 the first class of 29 Marine Navajo American Indian Code talkers graduated into the service of their country. These men offered invaluable service to their nation and until 1968 program was never officially recognized. Their success was remarkable. NEVER once was their code broken by the enemy. Countless lives were saved as a result.
b. V.13 – To the hardened of heart Jesus gives a very strong rebuke here. They do not see and they do not hear, and they do not have understanding.
C. Applic: The parables of Christ had very clearly defined purposes then as well as today.
II. Let’s Notice 5 Key Elements Found in these 2 Parables.
A. Refers to Something of Significant Value
1. Jesus is teaching in Both of these Parables that the KOH is something of enormous value.
a. In the parables we see that one man is walking along one day and finds a treasure hidden in a field. In the other we see a merchant who deals in this trade and he comes across the most beautiful pearl he has ever seen.
b. Illust – In v.44 we are not told in any detail the type of treasure that is found. In v. 46, however, we see that a pearl “of great price” is found. I have read that on the avg. one would have to shuck about 1000 oysters to find a parable, and that only about 1 in 1million would be comparable to what is described here. Isn’t it funny, we use that phrase: “1 in a million” to describe great odds or an incredible find, or the value of the person’s worth. “Caitlin Clark is a 1 in a million BB player.”
2. In these 2 Parables We Notice 2 Very Different Types of People who Find Treasure.
a. In these scant 3 verses we see 2 incredible tales. Jesus is pointing to the fact that 2 types of people will be included in the KOH. In the first story one man accidentally finds the treasure, whereas in the 2nd parable a man is deliberately and intentionally seeking out the pearl.
b. Certainly, the same was true in the time of Christ. Christ’s message was the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. After being victorious over Satan during His 40 days of trial in the wilderness, the message Christ begins preaching is: “Repent, for the KOH has come near…” (Mt. 4:17). In the Gospels we see both types of people responding to Christ’s ministry. (The Gadarene Demoniac literally stumbled into Christ, whereas Nicodemus carefully sought out Christ and was looking for His coming Kingdom.)
B. Requires Finding the Treasure.
1. Both Men Found a Treasure of Incredible Value.
a. Illust – At the time of Christ there were no real banks in Palestine, at least not as we would understand them. The average person would simply hide their valuables in their home or bury them in clay pots in their fields.
b. The point of the parable is that both men found something of incredible, life-changing value. They recognized how it would change their lives to possess and took appropriate measures to do so.
2. There was an inherent Joy in Finding a Treasure of Value.
a. V.44 – What is the motivation of this man who discovers and then covers (hides) a treasure so he can then purchase the field in order to possess that which he has found? JOY! Jesus is telling His audience the KOH is here! For 400 yrs God had been silent with the Jewish people. They experienced the harsh cruelty of Rome. Now, after all this hardship and delay, the KOH is revealed! What should the response be? JOY!
b. Illust: Don’t you love that scene in National Treasure where Ben, Riley, Abigail, and Patrick, after all the trauma and terror they have been through, after the years of searching, light the lamps that reveal the unbelievable hidden treasure! Joy!
C. Requires Going: IN the parable both men had to act. They both went – walking to the field, walking to the market. There was a need for action. In order to secure the treasures the men had to take life changing steps. True for you and me today. Hear his voice don’t harden your heart! Come to Christ today!
D. Requires a Total Commitment: Selling Everything
1. In both Instances each man “sells all that he has” in order to secure the discovered treasure.
a. Hermeneutically speaking, we see here an example of deliberate hyperbole. Again, don’t make the mistake of allegorizing a parable. No one actually buys their salvation. No one earns salvation for themselves or others thru indulgences or penance.
b. Rather, the point of the selling and buying points to Christ’s emphasis here on the response of a disciple.
2. Christ’s point of total commitment in the two men illustrates
a. Christ is telling His audience in this parable that to be a disciple in the KOH, one must make an unrestrained response of absolute discipleship.
b. Illust: Consider the words of Jim Elliot, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” The emphasis is not on what we give up, but on the unfathomable new life that is being offered to us.
E. Requires a Transaction taking Place: Both treasures ultimately had to be purchased.
1. Obviously not everyone perceived the value of each treasure.
a. The parable of the treasure in the field implies that many have traversed its boundaries. Many have walked its paths, but only one has found it’s hidden worth. The parable of the pearl implies something similar. Although out in the open for all to see, only one man wants to pay the price of the transaction.
b. A point of the parable is that a transaction must take place. An evaluation must be made. Illust: maybe you are here today or listening online. Jesus is offering you a place in His Kingdom. Yet, it comes at a cost. It will require a changed life, Changed values. Changed priorities. Is it worth it to you.
2. As
a. I have heard some people wonder about the ethics of this illustration. Again, that’s not the point. However, if it helps ease one’s conscience, John MacArthur helps to give us good insight into 1st century ethics. (Bibleoutlines.com Mt. 13) “The treasure in the field would not have belonged to the man who was the owner at the time of this fictional purchase, otherwise he would have dug it up before selling it. Rather, it would have been the treasure of at least the previous owner, who most likely had already died. Thus, the owner of the field only had a right to the treasure by virtue of owning the field, but would have lost that right when he sold the field.
b. The pearl merchant possessed the pearl and was selling it for an enormous price. It was his and he was willingly selling it. Possibly he didn’t know or appreciate it’s total worth. However, how is this any different from any of us who antique or go to flea markets or comb Govdeals or FB marketplace? We all look for deals.
D. Applic: The five similar elements of these 2 parables teach us the enormous value of the KOH and our need to take whatever means to secure it’s ownership in our lives.
III. Let’s Realize 5 Important Applications We Can Make From these 2 Parables.
A. The KOH is Available to Everyone Who Perceives it’s Worth.
1. In these Parables Jesus was illustrating the Enormous value of the KOH.
a. In these parables, one man literally stumbles over it whereas the other man knows exactly what he was looking for, and when he finds it, he secures it for his own.
b. Illust: I enjoyed Pete’s testimony when he joined the church. He had grown up experiencing everything the world had to offer. Played in a band for years, but saw the emptiness in the eyes of those for whom they performed. Knew there had to be more to life. Had to be meaning. Began to explore various religions. At a family wedding asked an uncle who was a Christian how to be saved.
2. Today, as in the time of Christ, and in the parables of Christ, individuals don’t appraise the KOH’s the same.
a. Illust: Have you ever attempted to sell a used car to a dealership as a trade in? In my experience they usually offer you about ½ of its value on the open market. Not being cruel or rude. It’s their business and appraise it differently than I do. There is a cost and risk to them they may not wish to expose selves to.
b. Illust – I have an extended family member who sees the Christian faith as something to be mocked in memes on social media. Its worth is the denigration he thinks he can cause to Christ’s cause. Juxtaposed to his position is me. I see Christ and His Kingdom to be the ultimately value in this life and the one to come. We both think we are right in our assessment. The truth is, one of our assessments will be proven wrong.
B. The KOH is of Incomparable Worth.
1. Jesus is saying here that the one who possess the field or the one who secures the pearl at their own possession is exceedingly wealthy.
2. Secondly, Jesus is saying here that it’s worthy giving up something so as to acquire the KOH.
C. The KOH Must be Personally Appropriated.
1. Both treasures in the parables are costly to acquire.
a. Both men sell all that have so as to acquire the field and the pearl. The great expositor, William Barclay: “In this parable, the great point is the joy of the discovery that made the man willing to give up everything to make sure beyond question that the treasure became his own. Nothing else in the parable really matters.”
b. Both parables Point to the Fact that the KOH is of Incomparable Value and we must never allow lesser thing
2. These parables teach the fact that the KOH must be personally appropriated.
a. Didn’t Jesus teach this in Mt. 6:33 “Seek ye first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”
b. Jn. 1:12 tells us: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Received and believed. Have you?
D. The KOH is not Superficially Visible.
1. In these parables Jesus is teaching that most people fail to recognize the Superior Value of the KOH.
a. Countless individuals walk over the field without realizing there is a treasure. Even the current owner does not appropriately account for its value. How many individuals walked past the pearl in the marketplace not realizing enormity of value until this one man came along to recognize and estimate it’s true worth? Yet, two men appropriately appraise that value! Illust: 2010 a scrap metals dealer in London stumbled upon what appeared to be a golden Faberge egg. Paid $14k. Was going to literally melt it down for the price of the gold. However, after doing a little research found that was the 3rd Imperial egg, Presented by Czar Alexander III to Maria Feordorovna in 1885. At auction it sold for $33 million!
b. I think there was a special application Jesus was making to the Jewish leadership of His day. They should have been willing to gladly throw away their entire religious system, heritage, and traditions, for the joy of discovering Christ and His Kingdom. But the majority did not. Is this not exactly what the chief priests and Pharisees said when they convened their council and exclaimed in Jn. 11:48 “If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place (temple) and our nation.”
2. It takes faith to recognize the Value of Christ’s Kingdom and my commitment to it.
a. The KOH takes keen spiritual eyes to truly evaluate and appreciate its value. It undoubtedly takes faith. The Apostle Paul state this very truth in Phil. 3:7-9 when declared: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:7-8)
b. What value do you and I place on our salvation?
E. The Treasure of the KOH must be Valued Above Earthly Treasure
1. Ultimately We Must Choose Which Holds Inestimable Value: Our Earthly Treasure or the Treasure of the KOH.
a. In each parable the men who found the treasures had their own wealth but had to make a determination that the treasure in the field and the pearl were of greater value than what possessed. Didn’t Jesus say this in Mt. 6:19-20? ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (ESV)
b. Illust: One of the saddest encounters in the Gospels is Jesus & the rich young man in Mt. 19:16-22. The devout young man wanted to know what needed for eternal life. Jesus pointed to the real matter of his soul: “Give all you have to the poor…” But this saddened him, because he had great wealth. The rich young man went away sad. The two men in the parable found the Kingdom of inestimable value and went away glad! Joy in knowing Jesus!
2. Ultimately the KOH is Received Thru a Personal Transaction.
a. Is. 55:1 – ““Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk, Without money and without price.” Entrance into Christ’s Kingdom is a transaction. Just not with money. You give up all you have for all He has. . . Salvation is an act where I exchange me for Him as ruler of my life.
b. Have you exchange your life for Christ living in you? By faith you can today.
Conclusion: In 1998, a man named James Hill found a small cave full of emeralds on his family’s property in North Carolina. The total weight of the emeralds was about 3,300 carats. (Just as a comparison, the diamond on a woman’s wedding ring may be about one-quarter or one-half of a carat.) It turns out that Mr. Hill’s emeralds were some of the best quality emeralds in North America. When they were cut and polished, they were worth millions of dollars. Was this a big hidden treasure? It sure was, and it was right in the man’s own backyard! The supreme value of the KOH motivates an appropriation of total commitment.
C. Applic:
