When I was very young, my parents used to take me and my two sisters to my godparent’s cabin at Lake Tahoe. They lived on Rubicon Bay – I always liked that name – I don’t for the life of me know what it means, but it sounds kind of mysterious, doesn’t it?
Anyway, they always told stories of the lake – you know it’s huge and deep and high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. So they would try to scare me by saying that when people fall out of their boats and drown their bodies just hang there in the water for years, neither sinking nor floating. So of course I was afraid to go in the water.
That atmosphere led perfectly into the game we would play each time we went – Captain Hooks Treasure Hunt. My dad and Mr. Vukason would hide a treasure, then create elaborate clues for us to find (at least we thought they were elaborate). You know, they were “walk 6 paces to the left of the stump, turn right and see a low hanging branch” – stuff like that.
Well, by the time we found the actual treasure, always buried on the beach, we were thrilled. It didn’t matter that the “treasure” was made up of plastic toys, beach buckets, and dolls – the whole experience was magical and the search for the treasure was just as memorable as finding it.
Today Jesus paints His own picture of a treasure hunt – except that the treasure He offers us isn’t made of plastic but eternal life.
44 "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.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
In one case the man found treasure by accident – in the other the merchant sought long and hard for that pearl that would set him up for life. In both cases they realized the value of what they had found, and gave up everything to get it.
In the first parable Jesus is probably talking about a day laborer. Rabbinic law stated that if a worker found something of value in a field, it belonged the owner of the property. However, in this case the man quit, got some money together, and bought the entire field – then the treasure would belong to him. This isn’t a story about how to cheat someone out of property – the point is much larger.
Sometimes people just stumble onto the kingdom of God. They might be walking down the street and hear music playing and step in the doors, hear the gospel and respond. Or someone might feel that empty void in their life and search and search for the answer until they find it in Jesus.
The point is that once they discover the treasure, they give all they have to obtain it. Jesus is trying to get across the point of how valuable the kingdom of God really is. I wonder if some of us who have known the Lord a long time see the same value as someone who has just discovered it. I think this should cause us to re-evaluate just what we have in Jesus, and what we are willing to give in response.
47 "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable is like the weeds and the wheat – but where that parable dealt with how long the people of God must co-exist with those who reject God, this one focuses on what happens at the end.
The mental picture the audience would have had is this – either a drag net between to fishing boats, or a net attached to the land, and attached to a boat out in the water. They would go in a wide semi-circle, with the top of the net buoyed by cork, and the bottom slightly weighted – they would catch a bunch of fish. Then the fishermen would sit on the shore and divide up the fish – throwing the good ones into baskets and throwing the bad ones – those inedible or unclean, out.
God’s kingdom is valuable – it is also exclusive. You are either in it, or not. I certainly would not want to be one of the ones a huge angel grabs and says “you, out!” The fishermen didn’t throw bad fish into a furnace – Jesus adds this to show the judgment to come. It’s a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth – signifying remorse, punishment, and anxiety.
You know – part of that will be a real punishment – meant for Satan and his demons, but inflicted on any who belong to him. But also just being separated from God is a huge punishment enough. We have no idea how much influence the Holy Spirit has in this world. Remove all that is good, all that brings happiness and joy and peace and fulfillment – all relationships and good things – and you have just a little picture of what it will be like.
So Jesus then says:
51 "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.
"Yes," they replied.
I think Jesus wanted to make sure the importance of what He had said was getting through. So then he says:
52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
This verse puzzled me for a long time – but I think this is what Jesus is saying: if you understand the law, the old covenant between God and Israel, then you will know that the old covenant points the way to the new – Moses pointed to Jesus. We as Christians don’t reject the Old Testament – we embrace it as having been fulfilled by our Messiah Jesus. And there is much in the Old Testament to instruct us – as long as we understand it in light of the New Testament, or agreement, forged by Jesus’ blood.
The Pharisees, on the other hand, because they rejected this, are invalid in their teachings.
So Jesus leaves the scene.
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. 55 "Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Interesting account – Jesus goes back to Nazareth, where He grew up a carpenter’s son. Nazareth is about 20 miles from Capernaum so the distance is not that great geographically, but the distance attitudinally is huge.
The last time Jesus came here the people tried to kill Him. Now He’s giving them a second chance to believe. But even after all of the things He’d said and done – they can’t get past one fact – they knew Him when.
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” they say. ‘We knew him when he was knee-high to a grasshopper. He couldn’t be anything special now, could He?’
Yes, in fact, He could. Its interesting that it says Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith – and there are some good lessons here.
One side note, though – notice how it says “aren’t his brothers and sisters with us? ” Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus, but did not remain a virgin after that. Don’t let others try to work around these verses – Jesus had physical half-brothers and half-sisters – sons and daughters of Mary.
There is an important point about this account that we need to take heed of. Do you ever find yourself looking at a young person whom you’ve known – now that they are grown and wanting to do great things for God – you scoff. “How can they do anything, I remember when they used to fall off of their bikes riding around the block.”
We need to make sure we give God room to move in the lives of others. Maybe He isn’t doing the same things through you and perhaps you are a little envious. Put that away and rejoice with another’s zeal. Who knows, you might just catch some of that excitement yourself.
Treasures
There is another application I want to make from this – something to take away and ponder.
Remember the treasure? Finding treasure doesn’t stop when we find the Lord, or He finds us. Each day can be a treasure hunt. Whenever we break open the Word, we can search for gold nuggets of truth left there to bless us and challenge us and heal us. When we pray we can expect treasures of comfort and power and revelation. When we worship we can seek the treasures of love found in His presence. When we see other believers doing well, grasping their own truths – we can rejoice and learn from them.
That is, unless are no longer looking for treasure at all.
When I grew up I quickly got tired of the Captain Hook’s Treasure Hunt. I thought it was child’s play. Maybe it was – but I think for us Christians we lose that child-like excitement for the Lord and discovering new truths about Him and learning new facets of His character. We become like the people of Nazareth – they couldn’t see past the son of Joseph to see the Son of God.
So I want to encourage us all to take on a new attitude when we approach the Lord. Say: “God, what exciting new treasure do you have for me today?”
So – how do we do it? I want to offer a couple of suggestions along the lines of a treasure hunt.
Join the hunt and be willing to take the adventure
In fiction there is a certain series of events that take place in almost every story. One of those elements is the “call to adventure.” If you think about almost every story the hero must decide if he or she is going to take on the empire, move out west, go after the story – or sign on board the Hispaniola with Jim Hawkins and look for Treasure Island.
Sometimes we are just as happy to sit in port and wonder why our lives aren’t going anywhere. We need to be willing to set out and let God take us on an adventure to discover new things about Him and about us –we need to be willing to open up to Him and shake off our ordinary lives and let Him lead us into sometimes dangerous waters of discovery. If we never set out we will never find the treasure.
Use a treasure map to guide you
A treasure map to the riches of God can be as simple as your Bible – looking at in a new way, or it could be picking up a good book about the Word or the Christian life – Knowing God by J.I. Packer, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Also – make sure you stick to the map – don’t let anything stray you from the truth as revealed in Scripture.
Look for clues along the way
In your hunt, look for clues to the treasure. You may not find the mother lode right away – but if you are open God can give you small tidbits, little encouragements and challenges to keep you going. Don’t give up just because you haven’t “struck it rich” – sometimes the treasure is in the searching as much as in the finding.
Join with other searchers in looking for treasure
Look for others who want to find nuggets of truth in the Lord and share you clues and maps to encourage each other.
Be willing to dig deep
Everyone knows that treasure is hard to find – sometimes you have to be willing to study hard, think hard, be patient, ask good questions, seek further clarification – but it’s all worth it.
Be excited about what you find
When God does reveal truth – it may not set the world on fire, but that’s okay. As long as it changes you – makes you a little more like Christ – then it is gold.
I conclude with this verse: Proverbs 3:13-14
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
Now – before we go I want to offer you another interpretation of these parables – in it, the worker and the merchant are not us – they are Jesus. Jesus looks through a field and discovers a great treasure – that treasure is you and I. He then gives everything He has – his own life – to buy the field and us. We are the pearl of great price that Jesus gives everything for.
That’s how He feels about you and I. That is the love and the sacrifice He has given for us. So rejoice in that, be comforted in that. Be encouraged because your Lord really loves you.
