Hidden Treasure… vs. 44 / 51-52

• 1^st – Kingdom Parables… vs. 44
  • Again – the kingdom of heaven is like!
  • The phrase the Kingdom of heaven is LIKE [ὁμοιόω] – is used 11x in Matthew…
  • We call them the KINGDOM Parables – used by Jesus to describe the CHURCH…
  • The first FOUR Kingdom Parables – were given to the MULTITUDES…
  • They were all connected [ἄλλος] – and gave a warning about a compromised church…
  • These next THREE Kingdom Parables – were given only to the DISCIPLES…
  • They each begin with the word AGAIN [πάλιν] – connecting them into ONE message!
• 2^nd – Interpreting parables… 51-52
  • Hiding truth…
    • PARABLES are meant to HIDE the TRUTH – they are HARD to understand!
    • This is why PARABLES are some of the most DIFFICULT passages in the Bible to interpret…
    • Unless Jesus gives us the EXPLANATION [seed and sower]
    • Then we have NO idea for certain what the PARABLE means!
  • The Question… vs. 51
    • Jesus said to [the disciples] Have you understood all these things? They said to Him: Yes Lord!
    • When Jesus asked the DISCIPLES if they understood ALL [πᾶς] of the Parables…
    • They were quick to answer YES Lord [κύριος] – but I question if that was true!
    • When a TEACHER asks the CLASS if they understand – they will always say YES…
    • Not because they got everything – but because they do not want to look stupid…
    • The reason why teachers give TESTS is to find out how much the students really do know!
  • Old and New… vs. 52
    • [Jesus] said to them: Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven…
    • Is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old!
    • Jesus then gave them the KEY to interpreting the PARABLES…
    • EVERYONE [πᾶς] who has been TAUGHT [passive] about the Kingdom [parables]
    • And UNDERSTANDS what they mean – they are SCRIBES [scholars]
    • They are like a man who OWNS a house [parables] – by bringing out NEW and OLD treasures…
    • NEW [καινός] – referring to the interpretations Jesus gave to the DISCIPLES [seed and sower]
    • OLD [παλαιός] – referring to the OLD Testament – the established Word of God!
    • People have a LOT of opinions on what different passage of the Bible mean…
    • But in the end they are just that – their OPINION – not the TRUTH…
    • The reason why we use a LOT of cross references as we teach through the Bible…
    • Is because the BEST way to interpret the Bible – is with the Bible [expositional constancy]
    • God will never contradict Himself – I Corinthians 14:32
• 3^rd – Finding Jesus… vs. 44
  • [A] treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid.
  • And for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field!
  • We know from previous PARABLES – the FIELD represents the WORLD – Matthew 13:38
  • But there are TWO views as to whom the MAN and the TREASURE are…
  • FRIST – we are the MAN who finds the TREASURE hidden [perfect] in this WORLD [field]
  • The TREASURE is Jesus – the message of the GOSPEL that saves us…
  • Therefore because of the great JOY [χαρά] the GOSPEL brings to us…
  • We SELL all [πᾶς] we have – in order to BUY the field where the treasure is buried!
  • Luke 9:23 – “Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily – and follow Me.”
  • If someone asked us to give them ALL of our money…
  • But in return they would give us TEN billion pesos – we would happily say YES!
  • The cost for us to follow Jesus is EVERYTHING – but at the same time NOTHING…
  • Because although Jesus asks we give Him ALL our lives – in return He gives us His…
  • How SAD is a life that refuses the overwhelming riches of Christ…
  • Only to hold onto what is comparably so LITTLE that we have now!
• 4^th – Finding us… vs. 44
  • Great treasure…
    • SECOND – Jesus is the MAN who finds US – we are the treasure hidden in this WORLD [field]
    • When we look at our lives – we tend for focus on all of our MISTAKES and SHORTCOMINGS…
    • But when Jesus looks at us He does NOT see our FLAWS or IMPERFECTIONS…
    • He sees a great TREASURE – that He thinks about CONSTANTLY!
    • Psalms 138:17-18 – “How precious also are Your thoughts to me O God! How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them they would be more in number than the sand.”
    • There is a LOT of SAND on the earth – 7.5 sextillion grains…
    • Thousand [three zeros] – Million [six zeros] – Billion [nine zeros] – Trillion [twelve zeros]
    • Quadrillion [fifteen zeros] – Quintillion [eighteen zeros] – Sextillion [twenty one zeros]
    • There are also 86,400 seconds in a day – or 31,536,000 seconds in a year [365 days]
    • Earth is SIX thousand years old – 190 TRILLION [189,216,000,000] seconds in ALL history…
    • That equals almost FORTY billion [39,637,239,979] thoughts per SECOND…
    • It is estimated that around 40 BILLION people have every lived [Adam to today]
    • Meaning God thinks about EVERY one of us – EVERY second – since the world began!
    • We can tell a LOT about what is valuable to someone by what they spend their time doing…
    • God spends ALL His time thinking about US – because we are His greatest TREASURE!
  • Great Cost…
    • Because of the great JOY [χαρά] Jesus had when He found us…
    • He was willing to SELL all that He had – to redeem the WORLD [field] – Revelation 5:5
    • The COST was His life [cross] – He was the LAMB who was slain for our SIN!
    • Hebrews 12:2 – “Who for the JOY [χαρά] that was set before Him endured the CROSS.”
    • If I am willing to pay a HUNDRED pesos for a cell phone – it is NOT worth much to me…
    • But if I am willing to pay HUNDRED thousand pesos – it must be VALUABLE!
    • Stop and consider what the CROSS says about how VALUABLE we are to God…
    • We were purchased with a KINGS ransom – bought with the BLOOD of Christ – I Peter 1:19

• 2^nd – Pearl of great price… vs. 45-46
  • 1^st – Repeated…47-49
    • Again – the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls.
    • Who when he had found one pearl of great price – went and sold all that he had and bought it!
    • AGAIN [πάλιν] – Jesus gives the DISCIPLES a SECOND parable very similar to the FIRST…
    • The interpretations [TWO] are IDENTICAL to the FIRST parable [hidden treasure]
    • The PEARL is the GOSPEL – that we give ALL [πᾶς] in order to receive…
    • Or we are the PEARL – that Jesus gave ALL [cross] in order to purchase us – I Corinthians 6:20
    • The question becomes – WHY did Jesus REPEAT the same truth with another PARABLE!
    • We not doubt have noticed that the Bible OFTEN repeats itself…
    • The reason is because often we do not HEAR it – or does not SINK in – the FIRST time…
    • The Bible tells us over and over in the HOPE we will eventually get it…
    • They KEY to grasping TRUTH – is to REPEAT it as many times as needed!
    • Philippians 3:1 – “I never get tired of telling you these things – I do it to safeguard your faith.”
  • 2^nd – Unclean…
    • PEARLS – came from an UNCLEAN animal – Leviticus 11:12
    • Meaning they were something that JEWS would avoid…
    • They certainly would NOT sell all that they had in order to purchase one…
    • But Jesus was laying the foundation for a GREAT truth…
    • He did NOT just come to save JEWS – He also came to save UNCLEAN gentiles!
    • God gave Peter a VISION when he was staying in the city of Joppa – Acts 10:10
    • A sheet came down from Heaven filled with UNCLEAN animals…
    • A voice from heaven told Peter to EAT them – but he refused because they were UNCLEAN…
    • God told Peter NOT to call something unclean if God has made it clean [happened THREE times]
    • Right at that moment some GENTILES showed up at his door from the house of Cornelius!
    • God does NOT look at the world the way we do…
    • We see people whom we assume will NEVER be saved – they are UNCLEAN…
    • But God sees a PEARL of great price – and He is willing to give EVERYTHING to redeem them…
    • Meaning there is NO one who is beyond the reach of the GRACE of God!
    • I Timothy 1:15 – “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

• 3^rd – Fishing net… vs. 47-50
  • 1^st – Familiar story… vs. 47-48
    • Again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind.
    • Which when it was full – they drew to shore. 
    • And they sat down and gathered the good into vessels – but threw the bad away!
    • Jesus was talking to FISHERMEN – they were familiar with the trade…
    • So He gave them a FINAL parable that they could easily relate to…
    • When they cast their NET into the SEA – they would gather ALL kinds [γένος] of fish…
    • But they would only keep the GOOD [καλός] – they threw away the BAD [σαπρός]!
    • I LOVE that Jesus knows how to RELATE to us…
    • He does NOT require us to be SCHOLARS in order to understand TRUTH…
    • He is more than capable of – and desires to – help us UNDERSTAND…
    • If we are willing to come to Him and LEARN – if we desire to GROW…
    • He gives us the Holy Spirit – He opens our eyes – He reveals to us His WORD!
    • John 14:26 – “The Holy Spirit… will teach you all things.”
  • 2^nd – The Harvest… vs. 49-50
    • Separated… vs. 49
      • So it will be at the end of the age. 
      • The angels will come forth – separate the wicked from among the just.
      • This is the THIRD Parable that Jesus interprets for the DISCIPLES…
      • At the END of the age – speaking of the WHITE throne Judgment…
      • ANGELS will gather the HARVEST – like fish in a BIG net – out of the OCEAN [sea of humanity]
      • They will separate the WICKED [πονηρός] from the JUST [δίκαιος]!
      • Revelation 14:19 – “The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth – and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”
    • Two categories…
      • Note the change in WORDS – the FISH are described as GOOD or BAD [rotten]
      • But the people are described as either JUST – those who have been JUSTIFIED [forgiven]
      • Or those who are WICKED – those who are NOT forgiven…
      • Interestingly the word for GATHERED [συνάγω] is the root of Synagogue [church]!
      • The world tends to think of people in term of GOOD or BAD…
      • GOOD people are those who go to CHURCH – those who HELP others…
      • BAD people are those who are in PRISON – those who HARM others!
      • But that is NOT how God separates those who are SAVED from those who are REJECTED…
      • It does NOT matter what we have done – if we are HELPFUL or HARMFUL…
      • All that matters is what we do with the GOSPEL – do we put our faith in Jesus…
      • If we do – then our names our in the Book of Life – and we are JUST – Revelation 20:15
    • Judged… vs. 50
      • And cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth!
      • For those who do NOT put their FAITH in Jesus – thrown into the FURNACE…
      • There is a common teaching today that says that HELL does not exist…
      • The TERROR of being eternally separated with NO hope of escape – is too much to accept…
      • The common view is either that BAD people just cease to exist – annihilationism…
      • Or that there is some sort of penance [purgatory] that gives them a SECOND chance…
      • But HELL is very real – the New Testament references it FORTY times…
      • It is called Hades [ᾅδης] ELEVEN times – Gehenna [γέεννα] TWELVE times…
      • Outer darkness THREE times [Matthew] – the furnace of fire TWO times [Matthew]
      • Lake of Fire FIVE times [Revelation] – Weeping gnashing of teeth SEVEN times [Matthew]
      • Considering what is at stake – our ETERNAL destination…
      • It is extremely important that we KNOW that we are FORGIVEN [just]
      • We want to be the PEARL of great price – the HIDDEN treasure…
      • Jesus was willing to give up EVERYTHING to save us – all we have to do is BELIEVE!

• 4^th – Rejected… vs. 53-58
  • 1^st – Moving on… vs. 53
    • Now it came to pass – when Jesus had finished these parables – that He departed from there!
    • Jesus departed from the area of the Galilee [Capernaum]
    • He had spent well over a YEAR there: preaching – teaching – and healing the people…
    • But because of the HARDNESS of their hearts – He began to use PARABLES…
    • And the PARABLES showed was they did NOT want to listen – so it was time to MOVE on!
    • Genesis 6:3 – “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”
    • God is PATIENT – and He desires for EVERYONE to be saved – II Peter 3:9
    • But there does come a point when God will give us people what they want…
    • And if that means they WANT to be HARD – refuse to LISTEN to the SPIRIT…
    • Then God will move on to somewhere else where the people are HUNGRY!
  • 2^nd – Coming home… vs. 54
    • Rejection…
      • When He had come to His own country!
      • Jesus returned to NAZARETH – where He had grown up – Matthew 2:23
      • This is the SECOND time Jesus had come to the city since beginning His ministry…
      • The FIRST time did not go well – He taught in the Synagogue – Isaiah 60:1-2
      • He told the people He was the CHRIST [χρίω] – but they REJECTED Him!
      • Luke 4:29 – “They led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built that they might throw Him down over the cliff.”
    • Second chance…
      • He taught them in their synagogue!
      • Jesus came back and spent some time TEACHING [imperfect] in THEIR synagogue…
      • The question has to be asked – considering they tried to KILL Him the last time…
      • Why would Jesus bother to come back and TEACH them again!
      • God knows we are messed up sinners – remembers we are just dust – Psalms 103:14
      • The good news is even if we REJECT Him – God is the God of SECOND chances…
      • There is always GRACE – there is always HOPE – if only we are willing to turn back to God!
  • 3^rd – Stumbled… vs. 54-57
    • Carpenters son… vs. 54-56
      • They were astonished and said: Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
      • Is this not the carpenters son? Is not His mother called Mary? 
      • And His brothers James – Joses – Simon – and Judas? And His sisters are they not all with us?
      • Where then did this Man get all these things? So they were offended at Him!
      • When the people of NAZARETH heard Jesus TEACH [imperfect]
      • They were BLOWN away [ἐκπλήσσω] because they had grown up with Him…
      • He was the son of the CARPENTER [Joseph] – only mentioned here and – Mark 6:3
      • They knew MARY and His brothers and sisters [Mary had a LOT of other kids]
      • Therefore – they did NOT understand how Jesus had this WISDOM [σοφία] – POWER [δύναμις]
      • And rather than BELIEVE – they were [imperfect] OFFENDED [σκανδαλίζω] by Him!
    • No Honor… vs. 57
      • Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honor except in his country and in his own house!
      • Jesus responded by telling them a PROPHET always has HONOR…
      • Except [μή] when he comes to his own COUNTRY and his own HOUSE!
      • It is always interesting for me to return to my hometown…
      • I have been a pastor for over TWENTY years – traveled all over the world…
      • Yet in my hometown I am still the little BRAT who always got into trouble…
      • The problem is that they saw me grow up – they know who David was…
      • But what people so often do NOT want to see – is who God has made us to be!
      • The hardest people to reach – are your family and friends…
      • The problem is they know us to well: our mistakes – flaws – and sins…
      • When we share Jesus with them – they are quick to remind us of them all…
      • What they miss is that ALL that we were is GONE – Psalms 103:12
      • We are NO longer defined by our PAST – instead we are defined by Jesus!
      • II Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.”
  • 4^th – Unbelief… vs. 58
    • Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief!
    • Mark tells us that Jesus was AMAZED [imperfect] by their lack of FAITH – Mark 6:6
    • It was because they did NOT believe – He did NOT do many WORKS [δύναμις] in NAZARETH!
      
    • I have had a lot of people ask – why do we NOT see miracles anymore…
    • People will argue that the reason they do NOT believe is because they do NOT see…
    • But SEEING is not BELIEVING – it is only when we BELIEVE that we can SEE!
    • II Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by FAITH not by SIGHT.”
    • We are the PEARL of great price – and the LORD was willing to do EVERYTHING to save us [cross]
    • And considering God is the ALMIGHTY – ALL [πᾶς] POWERFUL [κράτος] – Revelation 1:8
    • We might assume that means that EVERYONE will be SAVED…
    • But the one thing that can STOP the work of God – is our UNBELIEF…
    • God will NOT force us to put our FAITH in Him – He will NOT make ANYONE follow Him…
    • The KEY that opens up the DOOR to HEAVEN is FAITH…
    • We must CHOOSE to believe – only then do we become His great TREASURE!