This motto is a result of the work of the early Christian missionaries who came from New England in the 19th century. They have erected great organizations to try to bring it about, to produce this hidden treasure. i. - Matthew 13:44, Props: Small plate of fruit, dark glasses, bandana; Strand of pearls (artificial is fine). This parable and the one following are different in character than the previous three. The kingdom of God is the treasure. Teacher: Call up a volunteer. i. Here is the treasure that will make you rich, because it will pay your debts, and endow you with capacity enough to meet all future expenditure-viz. And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? That is the story of the gospels. Jesus takes away the sin of everyone who trusts in Him (John 1:29). But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. It was hidden when our Lord came. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. The main idea is that the disciples who had just claimed to understand what Jesus taught are now responsible to bring forth their understanding to others, as if they were distributing from the storehouse of their wisdom and understanding. This stood for the people who hear Gods word and believe it fully. Now, lets turn to Matthew 13:44 and read what Jesus said about hidden treasure. "Many turned back," the record says, "and no longer walked with him," (John 6:66). Matthew 13, verse 44: "In his joy, he went and sold all he had and bought that field." These two short parables tell the story of the whole Bible. This has certainly proved true in history. That person is part of Gods kingdom. In these actions, the power of that which has been found is seen to be at work. The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl. For 1900 years Israel was utterly lost among the nations, dispersed. His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas: Jesus plainly had many brothers and sisters; the Roman Catholic idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary is in contradiction to the plain meaning of the Bible. They said to Him, Yes, Lord. We wonder if the disciples really did understand Jesus here. He ended them, and then he said to the people, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruits of it," (Matthew 21:43). They speak skeptically and will refer to Him only as this Man.. But then the parable says, "Then in his joy the man went and gave all that he had and bought the field." The man who finds the treasure does not simply take it. The nation would not have it, would not have him, and they rejected him. c. He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief: It is truly remarkable that Jesus was, in some manner, limited by their unbelief. In a land as frequently ravaged as Palestine, many people doubtless buried their treasures; butto actually find a treasure would happen once in a thousand lifetimes. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Basic Supply List: Bible Construction Paper Crayons Candy Bar Sensory Table or large tote Rice That is why it is not enough to preach the gospel to people; you must also live it. And the crowds who had followed him, the multitudes who had hung upon his words faded away. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44) "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure 1 hidden 2 in a field. The conduct of the man would be dishonest. But we need to recognize that the parable of the treasure hidden in the field is the first of a series of three which our Lord gave in connection with the other four and on the same day, but, as Matthew is careful to tell us, he gave these to the disciples alone after they had gone back into the house. The kingdom of heaven is like 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. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field. In the days of David, and especially in those of Solomon who followed, the world beat a path to Israel to see what God was doing. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. When a man found it, he hid it again. The bigger and more perfectly round the pearl, the more valuable it is. You can check these in your browser security settings. And you and I are making a great mistake if, as Americans, we think that this country is being held together by the Constitution of the United States or by the Declaration of Independence. Who when he had found one pearl of great price: for such who seek after wisdom and knowledge in the use of proper means, are like merchant men, that trade abroad, and for things of value; and these, under divine direction, find in the Scriptures, and through the ministry of the word, and by prayer and study, the truths of the everlasting Gospel, respecting Christ, his person, office, grace and righteousness; which are equal to, yea transcend a pearl of the highest price; for their original, coming from a far country, from heaven; for their brightness, clearness, and perspicuity; for their ornament and glory; for their firmness and solidity; for their virtue and value, to them that know the worth of them; and such will buy, but not sell them; reckon all things but loss and dung, in comparison of them; and will contend for them, and stand fast in them. Kingdom life is here and now. In the parable of the soils, the seed represented the Word of God; here it represents true believers. By that he indicated that the privilege of demonstrating the grace of God would he taken from Israel and given to the church. ii. He set them out as a sample, an example nation, to indicate by visible demonstration what God wants to be and to do with all the other nations of the world. It is a visible example to all mankind of the way God deals with humanity. It would grow into an ungainly tree with many great branches, a powerful, prestigious structure that would attract birds of prey, evil men who would come into the church and build their nests there, i.e., establish their authority there, and thus would produce something entirely different than the effective, pungent, but low-profile approach to humanity that the Lord desired. Therefore, those closest to truly spiritual people see just how normal they are and sometimes think that they arent spiritual because they are normal. Life outside of the kingdom of God is way less than God intended it to be. God is speaking to this nation which he has given the Law and he says, "Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:" Exodus 19:5a KJV). Read full chapter. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the spirit forces that are in high places." 5. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. The Lord Jesus says that he came and uncovered for a brief time the secret of world peace and prosperity. And Congress is trying to put its finger on where you begin and how you relate peace of heart in an individual to peace among men. Application: The point of these two parables is the great value of being a part of Gods kingdom. Say: This summer we have been studying the parables that Jesus taught. 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) In our day, we can store treasure in the bank or in a safe deposit box. Last week, we read Jesus parable about the four soils. He was full of joy over this discovery. Our heavenly Father, how we thank you for the marvelous truth that you, Lord, have bought the world, that it belongs to you, and that you shall some day rule and reign in power and glory in its midst and all your promises shall be fulfilled. The multitude went away (as most people do from sermons) never the wiser, understanding nothing of what they heard, nor caring to understand it. (Poole), b. The truth often lies buried: it is like rich veins of ore in the sacred Scriptures; it must be searched out with diligence, and its discovery will repay a man for all his sacrifices, Luke 14:33; Philippians 3:8. the which when a man hath foundthat is, unexpectedly found. Say: The hard path was a symbol for people who hear Gods word but ignore it. Put dark glasses on her and tie the handkerchief LOOSELY to cover her nose and mouth (bandit style). [That is, when Israel comes back into its right relationship with God, how much more blessing will this world understand and realize when they see worked out before their eyes what a nation can be with God in its midst!] Then he went and gave all that he had and bought that field of humanity. So, through the course of history, there has been a counterfeit Christianity, a sham religion, a phony, a fake, which bears the name of Christianity but which is absolutely false. Politicians have struggled for centuries to try to find the secret of world peace. Two weeks ago, we read as Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed. RayStedman.org/permissions. Why? Pearls were highly prized in that time and place. I. i. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Because each of us sins, none of us can do the perfect will of God. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a. I. Again, let me ask you to notice, further, the two ways of finding. The previous three parables (the wheat and the tares, the mustard seed, and the leaven) each spoke of corruption in the kingdom community. They know there is some kind of tie between them, but they don't know what it is. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. 13:49). It is recorded in the motto of that fiftieth state. And the queen's heart melted and she said, "I didn't believe the reports until I had seen all this with my own eyes, but the half has never been told me," (1Kings 10:7). All rights reserved worldwide. Then, building on that, in the second parable the Lord said that he would take the sons of the kingdom, who are produced by the seed of the Word, and sow them like wheat throughout the world. He, too, knew that nothing he owned could compare to the great treasure he had finally found. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! Well, is it not obvious that there is something lost with relation to humanity, something every human being seems to be seeking, consciously or unconsciously, something every thinking person in this room and throughout the world is searching for and longing for with an ache that is almost physical? THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls" (v. 45). He hideth - That is, he conceals the fact that he has found it; he does not tell of it. (Matthew uses the phrase kingdom of heaven while the other authors use kingdom of God, but they are one and the same.) You need only read the book of Deuteronomy to know that God set aside this people, the Jews, in order that they should be a showcase of theocracy to all the other nations of the world. In 1998, a man named James Hill found a small cave full of emeralds on his familys property in North Carolina. They have not found it yet. Treasure seekers searched the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean to find oysters with pearls inside. But thats not what he did. - Matthew 13:44 We are not sure what this man was doing in someone else's field. We pray, Lord Jesus, that we may all apply this to our lives, and that we may understand that you desire to heal us and bring us right now into an experience of joy and glory and gladness and fruitfulness. They are intended to demonstrate how any nation can be blessed and fulfilled and find prosperity and peace and harmony and happiness if they discover the secret of their relationship to God. It is right that you should pursue it. i. 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