The Kingdom can be Yours

 

Scheming or Seeking

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy, he went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. (Matthew 13:44-45)

When we compare these two verses, we notice differences. By comparing the two men and their actions, we gain a clearer understanding of this passage. If you have read or heard these passages before, you found the moral taught was likely doing what needs done to gain the treasure for yourself. The treasure is salvation and eternal life. Yet, when we dig deeper, other aspects emerge from these two parables. Each verse is not a stand-alone parable. We should study each of them and note their similarities and differences.

While walking, the man in the first parable found buried treasure. We do not know if he pursued treasure or just stumbled upon it. Moreover, this man may have deceived the landowner by concealing the treasure found on his property. He may have paid less for the land than its true value by withholding the fact of the buried treasure. Overall, the man sold what he possessed to gain the treasure for himself. Treasure was valuable to him and to the hearers of the parable.

The man in the second parable was a merchant. He pursued valuable items to buy and resell. When he came upon a very rare pearl, he opted to sell all he owned to buy the pearl. This merchant sought treasures, whereas the first man may have only stumbled upon his find. The merchant looked in each oyster shell that was for sale to find the important and rare nugget—truth. He represents those who seek God and seek to understand Him in deeper ways. The merchant needed knowledge about pearls, their characteristics, and their monetary worth. In the second parable, upon finding the most important thing, he gave up everything else to possess the precious pearl. The pearl symbolizes the gospel truth. In this parable, Jesus taught in His parable that the merchant forsook other knowledge to claim the truth. He firmly grasped what was most important, the pearl of great price—the Truth.

The first man hid the found treasure. He lied by omission to the landowner. The truth he grasped was not God’s truth, but the one he wanted, as shown by the means he took to get it. To him, the ends justified the means. Jesus never taught that. Jesus taught about righteousness, loving God and people, and telling others the Good News. Ends don’t justify means. Honor, respect, relationship, and obedience are more important. The man in the first parable prioritized ownership over godliness and truthfulness. He forsook all he had. The first parable man gained earthly treasure that would decay or rust. He chose earthly treasures, not spiritual treasures—salvation and eternal life.

The second man did not “steal” the rare pearl, but acknowledged its worth, paid the price, and gained it to make it his own. The man stole the treasure by not mentioning it. He didn’t acknowledge the land’s worth. He was more interested in being shrewd than in truth, honor, and righteousness.

Which man are you like? Are you searching for God’s truth and paying the full price for its worth by reading, studying, meditating on, and praying over Scripture daily? Or do you read a verse, then use it to justify your actions without understanding God’s purposes for what you read? For example, because God, in the Bible, allowed servants, you hire servants. Yet you mistreat them and boast about having servants. The Biblical depiction of indentured servants differs from this example. The servants in the Bible sold themselves to be servants so they could pay a debt. God mandated release from servitude after seven years if the servants were Jews. Added to this, masters were to treat servants with respect and provide for their needs. If a person today boasted of having servants, and he mistreated them, his goal would be arrogance and superiority. The purpose of indentured servanthood in the Bible and this example differed; the first helped a person, and the second showed arrogance.

Which of these men represent you today: the schemer or the seeker?

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

 

Riches

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night, your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21 [ESV])

Jesus told a parable in this passage from Luke. Many of us have heard of it during our lives, either from our own Bible readings or from preachers and teachers. The obvious point of this passage is not to store up things for ourselves because we might not live to enjoy them. The second point often made is don't store up things for yourself when many people around you don't have enough food to eat one meal today, and quite possibly they've not eaten in days. The third point, and I consider the main point, is what Jesus stated in the last of verse twenty-one. He tells people seek the riches that are most important. Seek to be rich toward God.

How can we be rich toward God? Jesus gave us several things to think about in this chapter of Luke. He told His followers in the first three verses to beware the leaven of the Pharisees. Don’t be hypocrites; don’t teach and preach one thing but do another. If you say you are God’s child, then act like you know God and obey His will. In the second section of this chapter, Jesus told the people following Him, not to fear the ones who can kill your body. Instead, fear the One greater who can kill your body and soul. Understand you are more than body; you are spirit, too, and are more valuable to God than sparrows (vs. 4-7). Fear not your death instead know and obey God by acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Son of God and your Savior (vs. 8-12). The Spirit He puts in you will always tell you what you should do and say. Don’t be anxious about these things. Remember, God will give to you what your body needs, so don’t worry about those things and become lustful or covetous. God will give you everything you need for living, shelter, clothes, food, and drink. Just as the flowers, grass, and birds do not toil for their life and beauty, God will take care of you, too. Instead, seek His kingdom and He will provide everything else you need. (vs. 22-31) Besides this, the taking care of your body, God knows He created you with spirit, unlike flowers, grass, and animals. He knows your spiritual needs differ from your bodily needs. So, fear not; God wants you to receive the gift of His kingdom. Your true treasure is in heaven, not on earth; therefore, sell what you have and give to the needy. Instead, give yourselves moneybags that don’t grow old or get eaten by moths. Decide for yourselves where your treasure is–tangible things or in God who provides for the body and soul. (vs. 32-34)

Each of the “do nots” and “fear nots” in the verses before verse 35, relate to a person’s earthly body, heart, and mind. Jesus relates it in a way for each listener to understand their bodily life is or can be affected by their spiritual life. Don’t be hypocrites; obey God. Don’t worry about what you will eat or wear, you are more than body; God takes care of your spiritual needs and your physical needs. Don’t deny God with your actions and words, but allow the Spirit to speak through you. Don’t be anxious. Seek God’s kingdom first. Trust in God for all things. As you do these things, you grow in your spiritual life; you grow closer to God. You expect and wait for God’s moving in the world around you. So, keep on the alert so you are ready when God moves among people and for Jesus’ second coming (vs. 35-40). Don’t be caught unaware by taking care of your needs and desires, but be ready for Jesus to come. Blessed is the faithful and wise manager, His child, for you do the work He told you to do even if the Master is delayed in His coming. (vs. 41-48)

These things are richness toward God, as Jesus spoke of in verse twenty-one. Jesus will return one day. Until then, God provides for His children, the ones who believe Jesus is the Son of God. He provides all their bodily needs and their spiritual needs. So, don’t live like those who call themselves religious. Don’t live like God made you as only a physical body. Live recognizing God made you of spirit and body, and only He provides each thing body and spirit need–food, drink, clothing, shelter, and cleansing from sin, which gives you eternal life and relationship with Him.  Don’t delay accepting Jesus as your Savior. You don’t know when He is coming. He may come to take the children of God to His kingdom before you accept Him as your Savior.

Give your life to God.

Believe Jesus is God’s Son, the Savior for all people.

God will make you rich in body and spirit from His storehouses.

Lord, I must confess I fail. I fail at obeying you always. I fail to hear you because I allow myself to get busy with the day. I fail to make You more important in my life than what I want. Lord, You know we all do these things. Everyone sins against You with this rebellion to lead their own lives and take care of themselves. Then, when verses like these arise, I remember I am more than just my body. You created me with a spirit, too, one that will exist long after my body dies. When I think of that, I tremble knowing what the consequences could be if I had not accepted You as my Savior. Lord, help me to be faithful to You. Help me to obey Your command to tell all people about You. I am not so heartless that I want anyone to die an eternal separation from You in hell. Show me where You are at work and put Your words in my mouth so the people I talk to hear about You. Lord, work in the hearts of people who aren’t saved so they will seek You and accept You as their Lord and Savior. Thank you for Your patience over the years as I have vacillated between obedience to You and striving for what I thought I needed. Help me to remember You love, majesty, and power and seek only You. You will provide everything I need for life now and for eternity. Amen.