Seeking The Kingdom

SEEKING & ENTERING The KINGDOM—Matthew 13:44-46

Attention:

Career search vs. Job search.

Investment Broker/Knows Value-Investment Potentials-Affordability

Need:

—Lax/Indifferent/Mediocrity reigns/Just ‘get by’/So-So.

—Busy(own lives to lead)/Push God out in order to have time for our duties/We pray about it but Nothing we do is bathed in prayer/Know God praises such activities but don’t know if God wants me to do it.

—Lost sight of the kingdom’s worth!—

Jesus described the pursuit of the kingdom thru the parables of the Hidden Treasure & the Pearl of Great Value.

Participation in the kingdom of heaven is sought by the saints of God.

Why should we pursue the kingdom of heaven ?

If we can see the benefits we will seek it!

3 Incentives for seeking the kingdom of heaven.

Incentive— ‘Something...that induces action or motivates effort.’

1—We seek the kingdom for its...

IMMEASURABLE VALUE(:44, 46)

Explanation:Enormous/Priceless

:44—“...the kingdom of heaven is like treasure...

The kingdom of heaven=the entirety of heaven’s working as it encompasses all of creation. It is the realm of God’s dominion. But it is particularly so as it relates to man or rather as man relates to it.

The kingdom of heaven compared to the “treasure.”

The treasure is “hidden” from most, even from those who believe they possess the “field.” The “field” appears to be the world. A person of the world discovers the “hidden” “treasure.” He then gives up everything he has for the sake of owning the “treasure.”

One aspect of the kingdom of heaven is described in these verses. The kingdom is apprehended on earth by mankind, that is, in regard to how anyone can obtain entrance to the kingdom because it is restricted.

Entrance to the Kingdom can be compared to hidden treasure that has been found in the field.

‘The field’ would have been locally owned & thus accessible for purchase.

The man hurriedly prevented another from accessing the treasure by acting immediately. If he had put off the purchase, it would reveal his hesitancy to believe the treasure’s comparative value.

While exploring God’s possession/land we may come to a knowledge of the truth.

Good news may be discovered, even unexpectedly so. But it is our prerogative to handle it rightly...to act on it then-&-there.

The “treasure” found is worth more than all one’s current possessions. But it can become one’s own possession. Thereby a person gladly exchanges current possessions for that which is more valuable than all. The man’s “joy” over finding such “treasure” is what drives him to give up “all” that he currently has. Such a recognition compels him to seek the “treasure” by established means(purchase of property).

He didn’t buy the treasure but bought the land which contained the treasure. It was the right thing to do. He recognized the worth of the “treasure” as something to be had.

*Entering “the kingdom of heaven” is the most valuable asset/benefit/resource a person can possess. Because of a person’s recognition of this fact, they will also obtain everything associated with such “treasure.”

:46—“...pearl of great value...”

TREASURE= “Found & hid”

Accidentally discovered

PEARLS= “of great value”—Lustre—Color—Shape—Surface—Size

Actively Sought out

The merchant knows the value of pearls. He seeks only those that are ‘fine’.

“...the wife of the Roman emperor Caligula often wore a vast fortune in pearls in her hair & on her ears neck, wrists, & fingers. Cleopatra is said to have owned two extremely valuable pearls, each of which would be worth several million dollars in today’s market. When an extravagant ruler wanted to flaunt his wealth, he would sometimes dissolve a pearl in vinegar & drink it in his wine.”—John MacArthur

“Treasure”—yhsaurov—1) The place in which good & precious things are collected & laid up—1a) A casket, coffer, or other receptacle, in which valuables are kept, 1b) A treasury, 1c) Storehouse, repository, magazine; 2) The things laid up in a treasury, collected treasures. Strong—A deposit, i.e. Wealth (literally or figuratively). Used 18X.

“Hidden”2X—kruptw—V.—1) To hide, conceal, to be hid; 2) Escape notice; 3) metaph.--To conceal (that it may not become known). Strong—a primary verb; To conceal (properly, by covering). Used 16X.

“Field”2X—agrov—1) land—1a) The field, the country, 1b) A piece of land, bit of tillage, 1c) The farms, country seats, neighbouring hamlets. Strong—A field (as a drive for cattle); genitive case--The country; specially--A farm, i.e. Hamlet.

“Joy”—cara—1) Joy, gladness—1a) The joy received from you, 1b) The cause or occasion of joy—1b1) Of persons who are one's joy. Strong—Cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight.

“Seeking”—zhtew—1) To seek in order to find—1a) To seek a thing, 1b) To seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into, 1c) To seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after; 2) To seek i.e. require, demand—2a) To crave, demand something from someone. Strong—of uncertain affinity; To seek (literally or figuratively); specially(by Hebraism)--To worship (God), or (in a bad sense)--To plot(against life).