Treasure hidden
in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells
all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls, who found one
pearl of exceedingly great value, so he went and sold everything he owned and
bought that pearl.
Traditionally
these parables have been understood to be about the cost of discipleship.
People generally understand these to be about us being willing to give up
everything to follow Jesus and receive his salvation. Now, is that a biblical
message – that we are to be willing to give up everything to follow Jesus?
Yeah! We’ve had a couple readings about this recently talking about taking up
our crosses and following Jesus. I reminded you that salvation costs you
nothing even though it cost Jesus everything. But when we follow Jesus,
eventually, there will be a cost. It will cost us something to follow Jesus.
But let me
ask you. Who here has given up everything to follow Jesus? None of us! So
should we use this message to beat ourselves up with it? Is this another time
that we’re seeing just how poor and miserable of sinners we are? Or perhaps
this should be the theme of our next stewardship series. “Give it all up and
you’ll get Jesus.”
I’m not sure
that that is what Jesus is talking about here. I’m not sure that he’s saying
that we should be ready to give up everything to get the kingdom of heaven in
these verses. In fact, I think these verses aren’t about anything we do, but
are actually about what Jesus does.
When Jesus
talks about the kingdom of heaven he’s not so much talking about a place as he
is talking about God’s reign – r e i g n – his authority and kingship. So how
does God reign on earth? Does he act as a political leader issuing decrees and
declaring laws that the people of earth are to obey? He has done that. He did
that with Israel. But that’s not what he does now! The reign of God has
everything to do with his work through Jesus. He reigns through his Word and
Sacraments distributing his mercy and grace and the impact of Jesus’ sacrifice
and resurrection.
So both
parables talk about a singular person – a man or a merchant – who finds
something very valuable and gives up everything to get it. I think … I think
the man and the merchant are Jesus. The treasure and the very valuable pearl
are us. He’s telling us about himself here! He’s telling us how valuable we
are. And to show us how valuable we are, he really did give up everything so that
we can be his people and live with him forever. Except he didn’t buy us back
with gold or silver, did he? No. He paid with his innocent suffering and death.
He paid with blood and with his very life – for the joy of saving you.
Jesus isn’t
laying a heavy burden on us here saying, “give up everything to follow me.” He’s
saying, “You are so precious to me that I will give up everything to have you.”
And he turns
right around after that and tells the parable of the net and the fish, and we
are reminded that the reign of God isn’t just for us. There is a whole world
full of people – good and bad – and what makes the difference as far as God is
concerned? Faith in Jesus! So we are reminded that there is a mission – Jesus mission
to seek and to save the lost – and it translates into our mission to be fishers
of men. To go out and share the hope we have because Jesus gave everything to
save us.
Do you see
how the one flows from the other. That Jesus values you. He values people. So
he gives up his life to save everyone – everyone! – who will believe in him.
And just as he sought you out and saved you, he sends you and me – his treasured
possession – back into the world to share the good news of his salvation.
Friends, you
have a great treasure. You have faith in Jesus and because you have faith in
Jesus you have forgiveness of sins. You have access to God and assurance that
he hears and answers your prayers for Jesus’ sake. You have God’s blessings,
comfort, and presence with you always. You have eternal life and you will rise
from the dead with glorified, sinless, bodies. And all of these are ours to
share. We share them when we share Jesus with others and we speak of the hope
we have because of him.
We’re kind
of in a strange place on that front right now, though. Did you know that right
now our Evangelism Board – the group of people who are committed to helping our
congregation share the Gospel – is vacant? Now I’m a big believer that all of
us are called to share the faith we have in Jesus as God gives us the
opportunity to do so in our individual lives, but we also need people who will
think about this aspect of our mission – gathering people to Christ – and help
us as a congregation to reach other in our community. I would love to talk to
any of you care about that part of our mission – our mission to be fishers of
men, our mission to cast that net and catch people with this amazing message
that Jesus valued them so much that died to make them his. I hope some of you
will seek me out during the picnic and we could talk some more about this.
But for now
the reign of God is like treasure hidden in a field (a pearl of great value!)
and a man having found it gave up everything to buy it. But the treasure isn’t
hidden any more. Jesus has paid the price – he gave his very life! – and you
are his! Go share the good news! Amen.
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