Matthew 13:44-46
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
On April 21, 1986, a sensationalist reporter named Geraldo Rivera hosted a live T.V. show during which he promised to open Al Capone’s vault.
The “vault” was a sealed and secret room in an old Chicago hotel believed by some to contain loot from Capone’s criminal ventures or even dead bodies.
Mr. Rivera breathlessly told his television audience that agents from the Internal Revenue Service and a medical examiner were on hand to deal with whatever was found when the secret vault was opened.
When the vault was finally opened, before an estimated 30 million viewers on live television, the only things found were dirt and several empty bottles. That’s it.
As it turns out some treasure hunts aren’t worth the trouble at all.
So the question is, of course, is there a treasure that is worth the hunt? Is there a treasure to be discovered that is more valuable than all others?
And that’s what Jesus is teaching us about the kingdom of heaven.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The point of both of these brief parables is the same: Jesus is declaring the surpassing value of the kingdom of heaven.
In the first parable a man, possibly a hired farm hand, stumbles across a hidden treasure seemingly by accident. Realizing his incredible good fortune, he quickly sells all he has in order to buy the field and secure the treasure. This parable emphasizes the surprising grace of the kingdom of heaven.
In the second parable it’s clear that a merchant is actively searching for fine pearls. Pearls were regarded as enormously valuable in that day and this merchant would likely have been an expert in determining the worth of any particular pearl. His search eventually leads him to a pearl of such exceeding value that he gladly liquidates all his other assets to purchase that pearl.
In one case, the kingdom is discovered by accident; in the other, it is discovered through an intensive search, but in each case, once the true treasure of the kingdom is discovered, every other treasure and every other pursuit suddenly pales in comparison. Each character willingly and joyfully sells everything they have in order to possess, know or experience the treasure that is kingdom of heaven.
Years ago Geraldo Rivera led his viewers on a hunt that ended in rather humorous disappointment. Jesus is telling us the kingdom of heaven is not only worth everything we have, but will exceed our wildest expectations.
Pastor Brian Coffey
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