Well, please have a seat and let's pray together.
Father God, we gather here around your word.
And our prayer is that you would teach us of
and let us see afresh the unsearchable riches of your son, Jesus Christ.
Father, thank you for all the truths that we've sung.
Father, thank you that because of Jesus, you've heard all of our prayers.
And so, Lord, we come on our knees this morning.
And Lord, we ask that you would show us Jesus.
Show us him as the treasure of the universe.
Father, may he captivate all of our affections.
So send your spirit to make this word alive, we pray.
In his all-sufficient, ever-satisfying name. Amen.
Well, this is the last in our series in Matthew 13.
This is our fourth week.
Matthew 13 is a collection of eight parables.
And for the really shrewd amongst you,
you'll have seen that we've done four parables in three weeks.
Which, if you do the maths, means that we're doing a bumper crop of four parables
in one week today.
And it's all about the kingdom of heaven is like.
What is the kingdom of heaven like?
And here, in the middle of Matthew's gospel, in the third of his big teaching sections,
he's kind of laid it out for us what his kingdom is like.
The first four parables that we've covered were told to a large crowd.
Chapter 13, verse 2.
Such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat in it,
while all the people stood on the shore.
These first four parables about the kingdom were said to a large crowd from a boat.
But these last four are slightly different.
Chapter 13, verse 36.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house.
His disciples came to him and said,
Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the fields.
And so these other four are kind of separate.
These are for Jesus' friends, Jesus' followers.
As he tells us more what the kingdom of God is like.
The first four parables, as Jesus tells them what the kingdom is like,
would have been very difficult for the disciples to believe.
The kingdom that Jesus is telling them that his kingdom is like
is very different to the one they were expecting.
They expected the kingdom of God to come almost instantly.
That at the moment they are under the heel of the Romans.
They're oppressed.
Temple worship is diminished.
And they thought that overnight God's Messiah would reign.
The Romans would be kicked out.
And it would be like the golden era of David or Solomon.
That's what they were expecting.
But these first four parables have said,
No, the kingdom of God is radically different to what you're expecting.
My kingdom is not like that.
They thought it would be a now and now kingdom.
That the kingdom of God would come instantly.
And that Jesus would reign over everything.
But what Jesus says is it's a now and not yet kingdom.
It's a now kingdom because Jesus the king is here.
He starts his ministry in chapter 4 verse 17.
Repent for the kingdom of God has come near.
How has it come near?
Well, because Jesus the king has arrived.
But it's a not yet kingdom.
It's not here in all its fullness.
It's not being inaugurated.
And so Jesus in the parable of the sower.
Has said the kingdom of heaven now.
Might look a little bit of a failure.
That a lot of seed has been sown.
But it seems that only a tiny fraction has grown.
That it may look largely unproductive.
Like the kingdom is not really working.
And Jesus says don't worry.
Because in the end there will be an abundant harvest.
This seed will grow even 30, 60 and 100 times.
Then he tells them another parable about wheat and weeds.
And Jesus says the kingdom of God now may look seemingly messy.
That there is still evil in the world.
Even though the kingdom of God has come near.
And Jesus has said well there is this necessary mix at the moment.
That the good seed grows to wheat.
But the evil one planted seeds.
That are producing weeds in the world.
But don't worry.
Because in the end there will be a harvest and a separation.
Then last week Jesus' third lesson about the kingdom.
Is the kingdom of God now.
The kingdom of God.
Seems so small and insignificant and pathetic and underwhelming.
Just like a mustard seed or.
Like yeast.
But Jesus says don't worry.
Because this seed will grow and eventually dominate the garden.
This seed like yeast will eventually transform absolutely everything about this world.
So he says this kingdom is not like your kingdom.
Because this is my kingdom.
And I'm telling you.
What it will be like.
The real kingdom of Jesus Christ the King.
Is radically different to the one they were expecting.
One that in the end would be like an abundant pure dominating harvest.
But in the present.
In the now.
It seems remarkably slow.
Underwhelming small.
Largely shrouded and concealed.
And so now in the privacy of a house.
Just away from the lake with his disciples gathered round.
We get four parables tightly packed together.
Which somewhat recap what Jesus has already said.
But also tell us new things.
About his glorious kingdom.
And so if you've got a Bible.
Please turn with me to Matthew 13.
And verse 44.
Jesus says this.
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.
Two parables.
A pair of parables making almost exactly the same point.
Which is this.
The kingdom of heaven.
Is of ultimate value.
The kingdom of heaven.
Is of ultimate value.
I don't know about you.
But I love treasure.
I really like treasure hunting.
If somebody gave me a treasure map.
Of say North Berwick.
I would go around all day.
Looking for the X that marks the spot.
I don't know if it was because I was brought up on Indiana Jones.
And the Goonies.
I don't know whether it was Pirates of the Caribbean.
Or listening to the famous five.
Audio cassettes on a long journey.
The idea of treasure really resonates with me.
And so to hear that the kingdom of heaven.
Is like treasure hidden in a field.
Jesus you've got me.
I'm fascinated by this.
And so I love stories about treasure.
This is Paul Coleman.
Who on the 21st of December 2014.
Went on a weekend.
With the Wanderers Detecting Club.
That sounds like a fun people to be around.
Second only to Trainspotting Incorporated.
And he went down to Buckinghamshire.
Now he wasn't going to go.
Because it was 45 pounds petrol there and back.
But he enlisted the help of his son.
And a friend.
And they split the petrol.
On the weekend.
He unearthed 5,251 Anglo-Saxon silver coins.
That were more than a thousand years old.
And were worth in excess of a million pounds.
You have to say Paul Coleman really hit the jackpot.
But compared to our guy in the parable.
This was small fried loose change.
Nothing compares to the discovery of a man in verse 44.
He's probably just a humble laborer.
Tilling in the field of his master.
And he's digging around.
Turning the soil.
When all of a sudden he digs in his spade.
And he hears the clang.
What is this?
Hidden in this field.
So he digs around it.
And in it is a treasure chest.
Now in this period.
In first century Palestine.
A really good way to keep hold of your treasure.
Was to bury it.
There wasn't a Swiss safety deposit box.
You couldn't give it to the Grand Cayman Islands Bank.
To look after for you.
And so people used to bury treasure.
We see it in the parable of the talents.
Where the guy who wanted to keep his master's talent safe.
What did he do?
He buried it.
Because it was the safest thing to do.
Now you have to say that the ethics of the man.
Are probably a bit dubious.
Because he digs it.
Digs again.
Buries it.
And then he goes and sells everything that he has.
He has a huge fire sale of everything that he owns.
And these days you could even sell your wife and your family.
Although I wouldn't go that far.
As to the sacrifice he made.
Because it wasn't finders keepers.
It wasn't possession being nine tenths of the law.
As a servant working in his master's field.
This treasure would solely belong to his master.
And so what does he do?
He pulls out all the stocks.
He sells everything that he has.
Why?
Because he wants to purchase the field.
Because he particularly likes the field.
Because he knows what's buried.
The treasure in the field.
It's a great sacrifice.
Just imagine if you found something on the meadows walking across.
Walking home today.
And it was so compellingly beautiful.
It was so valuable.
It was such treasure.
That you then went home.
Sold your house.
Your car.
Your watch.
Sold your telly.
Sold absolutely everything.
Because of the compelling value of this treasure.
I don't know whether you'd be able to buy the meadows off the Edinburgh City Council.
But we can but dream.
But notice it's not a burden.
It's very clear.
End of verse 44.
And then in his joy.
Went and sold all he had and bought that field.
It was joyful.
This treasure would bring him so much more joy.
Than his PlayStation 4.
Or his Honda Civic.
And then we read about the second guy.
Whose very job is to be a wholesale jeweler.
To go all over the world.
Looking for the finest jewels.
And the best gems.
And the most perfect pearls.
And then one day through his eyeglass.
He spies the most exquisite pearl he's ever seen.
And he knows I must have it.
I must have it.
That makes all my other things look like mere gravel in my hand.
Compared to the beauty of this pearl.
He doesn't haggle.
He doesn't barter.
He knows that he needs it at any cost.
And at any cost it would be an absolute steal.
And so he goes and sells all he has.
This is a merchant.
Just imagine what his warehouse is full of.
He has some jade and some sapphires and some rubies.
He has a number of diamonds and he gets rid of it all.
He sells his house and his shop.
His yacht.
Why?
Because he wants to own this one treasure.
This one treasure that is worth every other treasure and ten times more.
And so this pair of parables is not difficult to understand.
But it's incredibly uncomfortable to apply.
Jesus is saying that citizenship in his kingdom is of ultimate value.
It is of eternal value.
It is of a value that far surpasses any other thing that is worth anything.
To be bought by grace through faith under the rule of reign of Christ is worth absolutely everything.
Even if it costs you all of your life and all that you have and all that you are.
It is a bargain at the price.
To know salvation.
To be adopted into God's family forever.
To know forgiveness of sin and eternal security.
To have the joy of fellowship with God.
To be part of a local church family having brothers and sisters in Christ.
To be a recipient of the Holy Spirit.
To have sure and certain hope.
Unspeakable and unending joy.
To bathe in unconditional love.
To know death is dead.
To have life in all its fullness and be under the righteous rule and loving lordship of Christ Jesus.
To know fresh starts.
New mercies.
Uncountable blessings.
To receive every good gift.
To be a new creation.
To have sovereign purpose.
To possess for yourself and take hold of Jesus as the treasure of your life.
Is a priceless privilege.
One that is worth forsaking every other privilege.
That you might gain Christ.
And the beautiful thing is that this treasure today is not hidden in a field.
It's not something that we need to join the Wanderers Detecting Club to go and find.
It is available to us if we will but turn and trust Jesus Christ.
And if we have this treasure is ours.
And it's all ours.
Forever.
And it's free.
But it's very costly.
To put our faith in Jesus, it's all of grace.
But the response we need once having acquired that treasure is total.
The cost of discipleship is everything,
but nothing compared to the all-surpassing value of Jesus Christ and his kingdom.
Jim Elliott wrote these words,
He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot.
It's loose.
And that's the equation.
That's the truth of the economics,
that everything we have and everything we own is either going to be moths and rust.
It's all it's going to amount to.
At the end of life, all the chess pieces, whether you are a king or a pawn,
you all go back in the same box.
And what is going to make the difference is what we've done with Jesus Christ.
To deny oneself, take up your cross and follow after Jesus is a high tariff.
But the reward is eternal and infinite and will satisfy always.
The merchant and the laborer saw that it was a no-brainer.
They saw the scale of the economics and they laid it all down that they might gain Christ
and have all of their joy, all of their hope, all of their life bound up in him.
They come to the point of purchase in different ways.
The laborer by chance, the merchant through a search.
But don't we know the reality of the spiritual seeker
who in Jesus finds everything that they were looking for and so much more?
And the person who almost just stumbles across the gospel,
who almost hears it by accident but are so compelled by Jesus
that they cannot but turn and follow him.
When I was three working in Glasgow,
I did Bible study with a guy called Sasan who was Iranian.
He was a very serious Muslim.
And yet had become dissatisfied with Islam.
And so he started reading the Bible and was utterly compelled by the Lord Jesus.
And one day while we were doing Bible study,
there was this guy called Rab,
who was definitely Glaswegian in every sense of the word.
And he just wandered into the church because he wanted to get out of the rain
because he'd be thrown out of Tesco for bad behavior.
And he said, well, what are you doing?
And I said, well, we're reading the Bible.
And he said, can I join in?
And I thought, well, this will be fun.
John Gemmel, who's English, Sasan, who's Iranian,
and Rab, who's Glaswegian in every sense of the words.
And for three months we read the Bible.
And just towards the end of my time,
we baptize both of them.
One who searched diligently
and one who just stumbled upon it getting out of the rain.
The kingdom of heaven, you see, really is of ultimate value.
And it's on offer to each of us today,
whether we're searching diligently
or whether we've just come because a friend invited us
and we couldn't say no for the 24th time.
The kingdom of heaven is of ultimate value.
The truth we learn in these parables is clear,
but is it a reality in our lives?
Is it?
Can we sing, I'd rather have Jesus than silver and gold?
Is that true in my life?
Or do I sing that with a certain sense of hypocrisy?
What about you?
This week I was really stressed out.
You can ask Peter.
I was a miserable man to have in the office next door.
There's so much going on,
and I thought, is it really worth it?
Until I read this parable
as I was preparing this sermon on Thursday.
And I thought, Jesus, of course you're worth it.
You're worth every bit of stress,
every sleepless night.
That truly it is you
who is the source of all joy.
And so what about our priorities?
Is this truth reflected in our priorities
that the kingdom of heaven is of ultimate value?
We'd all put Jesus in the importance column,
but my question is,
is he so high up the importance column
that the rest, everything else,
is so far down?
So Jesus is at number one.
And we have to turn several pages
before we get to family,
job, reputation,
and all the other things
that so easily become big
and dominant in our lives.
The reality is,
we can all be guilty of playing it safe,
retreating to comfort
and self and tokens,
of thinking,
how little can I give up
in order to keep up appearances?
And yet this parable says
it is in joyful abandonment
for the sake of Christ
that the treasure is ours
and ever satisfying.
To count the cost
and declare,
Jesus, you're worth it today.
You're worth it tomorrow.
You'll be worth it
and glorious forever.
I wonder,
we've had a lot of people
become parents
recently in our church.
I wonder,
what is the ambition
for your children?
If you could have one ambition
for your children,
what would it be?
And I pray it would be this,
that they would know
and trust Jesus Christ,
far and above anything
and everything else.
There are many
who are unwilling
to count the cost,
who see Jesus as treasure,
but cling to other things
way more.
Like the rich young ruler,
who was told
he's not far from
the kingdom of God
but then had to give up
his enormous wealth.
And we read that
he went away sad
because he was very rich.
The kingdom of heaven,
you see,
is of ultimate value.
And even more valuable
when we put alongside
our next parable,
the parable of the net.
So let me read
chapter 13,
verse 47.
Once again,
the kingdom of heaven
is like a net
that was let down
into the lake
and caught all kinds of fish.
When it was full,
the fishermen pulled it up
on the shore.
Then they sat down
and collected the good fish
in baskets
but threw the bad away.
This is how it will be
at the end of the age.
The angels will come
and separate the wicked
from the righteous
and throw them
into the blazing furnace
where there will be
weeping and gnashing
of teeth.
Because the kingdom
of heaven
is of ultimate value
but it's also
of ultimate importance.
Bear in mind
that Jesus is
still by a lake
and so this idea
of fishing
and this dragnet
would have been
something they may have seen
during the course
of the day.
Some of the people
listening,
the disciples,
this is what they did
for a job
before they met Jesus.
They knew the reality
of hauling it
onto shore
and separating
the wrasse
from the herring.
And Jesus says
this is what it's going
to be like
at the end of the age.
The time
when the space
for grace
has run out.
The time
for acquiring
this treasure
has gone.
Jesus says
my kingdom
will ultimately
be ushered in
like a big
fishing trip
and carried
will be
a massive net
and everyone
will be caught up
in it.
All kinds of fish
that word
kinds
is not the
Greek word
for types
it is the
Greek word
for tribes
how it's
translated elsewhere.
That Jesus
is talking about
the totality
of his kingdom
that this
net
this kingdom
will involve
absolutely
everyone.
And after
hauling
them
ashore
the good fish
is separated
from the bad.
And the separation
isn't done
on account of
whether you've
paid your
council tax
and your TV
license
whether you've
recycled into
the 29
different bins
that the council
have given you
this week.
It's not about
whether you gave
up your seat
on the bus
or helped
the old lady
across the road.
The defining
factor for
all eternity
for each
of us
between
whether we're
good or
bad
is what
we've
done
with
Jesus.
Whether we
are citizens
of his
kingdom
or not.
Whether we've
trusted him
and have him
as the
treasure of
our lives
or whether
we've rejected
him
and seen
more valuable
treasure
elsewhere.
And it's
not comfortable.
Verse 50
after the
separation
has happened
see what
happens to
the bad
fish.
they're
thrown
into the
blazing
furnace
where there
will be
weeping
and gnashing
of teeth.
This is not
just saying
that the
kingdom of
heaven is
valuable
and is
a viable
option for
many of
us.
It is
saying it
is the
most crucial
thing we
can ever
ever do.
To be
citizens of
this eternal
kingdom so
that we
won't be
left on the
outside suffering
eternal loss.
that is the
truth of
this parable.
That what
we do with
Jesus is of
ultimate
importance.
Those left
on the
outside suffer
eternal loss.
In the end
says this
parable how we
have responded
to Jesus will
be the eternally
defining feature
about each of
us.
It will mean
the difference
between heaven
and Jesus'
kingdom forever
or hell
left on the
outside of
everything that
is good and
everything that
is God.
It will mean
the difference
between inclusion
and exclusion.
It will be the
difference between
eternal glorious
satisfaction being
in the presence
of the treasure of
our lives Jesus
or suffering
eternal loss.
I don't know if
you saw this in
the paper a
couple of weeks
ago but there
was a BA
flight.
on the runway
at Las Vegas
that caught
fire and the
reason it made
the news was
because all the
passengers coming
off got their
hand luggage.
As smoke was
filling the
cabin they got
their hand
luggage and
then made their
way out.
And so many
people criticised
them saying they
put others in
grave danger by
lifting out and
clinging to their
hand luggage when
their very lives
were at stake.
And the truth
from this parable
is that many
people are putting
their own lives
in the gravest
danger.
Clinging to
things that will
ultimately not
last and ultimately
will not save
rather than
clinging to the
security available
in Jesus Christ.
Christ.
And so the
question that
comes out of
these two
parables,
these three
parables are
what are you
doing with
Jesus Christ?
How are you
responding to
him?
Are you a
joy-filled
citizen of his
kingdom?
Or are you on
the outside
peering in
thinking there's
no real value
there?
So C.S.
Lewis wrote
Christianity,
if false,
is of no
importance.
And if true,
of infinite
importance.
The only thing
it cannot be is
moderately
important.
The kingdom of
heaven is of
ultimate value.
And the kingdom
of heaven is of
ultimate importance.
And then in our
last parable,
we see the
kingdom of heaven
is ultimately
about Jesus.
verse 51 of
Matthew 13.
Have you
understood all
these things,
Jesus asked?
Yes, they
replied.
He said to
them,
therefore,
every teacher
of the law
who has become
a disciple in
the kingdom of
heaven is like
the owner of
a house who
brings out of
his storeroom
new treasures
as well as
old.
Jesus finishes
by asking his
disciples,
have you
understood?
Because we
learn in the
parable of
the sower,
it is
understanding
that brings
good soil.
Verse 23,
but the seed
falling on
good soil
refers to
someone who
hears the
word and
understands it.
So he says
it is
understanding
all these
parables that
make you
good soil
and are going
to bear a
crop in
your life.
Jesus then
says,
you disciples
and anybody
who follows
Jesus Christ,
you're like
the owner
and a
curator of
a stately
home.
And it's
a brilliant
stately home
because it
has a vault
full of
treasure.
And we
love treasure.
And what
do they do
with this
treasure?
Well, they
bring out both
the new
treasure and
the old
treasure.
And what
is this new
treasure and
this old
treasure?
It is
Jesus.
It's all
Jesus.
Every
artifact is
Jesus.
Every exhibit
is Jesus.
The treasures
of the Old
Testament, now
fulfilled by
Jesus,
pointing to
his kingdom
and his
reign forever.
The treasures
of the New
Testament, seen
and available
in Jesus and
tangible as
citizens of
his kingdom.
Hasn't he
already said in
13 verse 17,
for truly I
tell you, many
prophets and
righteous people
longed to see
what you see but
did not see it.
Talking about
all the saints
of old, how
they longed to
not only have the
old treasure
pointing to
Jesus, now
fulfilled in
Jesus, but the
new treasure,
Jesus Christ
himself, the
King who
has come
near.
This treasure
centers on,
revolves around,
and is each of
ours through
faith in
Jesus.
J.I.
Packer writes
that Christ is
the subject
matter of
scripture.
All was
written to
bear witness
to him.
He is the
sum of the
whole Bible,
prophesied,
typified,
prefigured,
exhibited,
demonstrated,
to be found
in every
leaf, almost
in every
line, the
scriptures being
built, as
it were, as
the swaddling
bands of
the treasure,
Jesus Christ.
See, the
treasures, though,
are not simply
displayed for
personal enjoyment.
This is not the
curator sitting in
his living room
thinking, oh,
isn't that
beautiful?
They're displayed
to others,
sharing, showing,
and teaching
people about
the matchless
treasure and
paramount importance
of Jesus Christ.
But today, if we
are owners of
this treasure,
it's not just for
our personal
enjoyment, but it
is that this
treasure, this
boundless,
fulfilling,
eternal treasure,
would be shown in
our whole lives,
would be exhibited
to others,
others whom we
love, conscious
that it is eternal
loss to die,
rejecting Jesus
Christ.
And so, if you're a
disciple in the
kingdom today,
may it be our
role, our joy,
our task,
to take this
treasure that we've
received by grace
and put it on full
display in our
words and actions
to others.
So what have we
learned today?
We've learned three
things.
The kingdom of
heaven is of
ultimate value,
like nothing this
world has.
The kingdom of
heaven is of
ultimate importance,
knowing it is
eternal loss if we
fail to acquire this
treasure for
ourselves.
And the kingdom
of heaven is
ultimately about
Jesus, this
eternal treasure,
foreshadowed in
the Old Testament,
fulfilled in the
new, and one day
present in his
kingdom forever.
Why don't we
pray?
Pray.
Father God, thank
you that Jesus is
the priceless,
eternal, and
ever-satisfying
treasure of the
universe.
Father, I pray
you would help
us who know
him to show
that through our
lives, help us
display this
unsearchable
treasure to
others, in a
way that is
compellingly
beautiful, and
in a way that
will make them
give up absolutely
everything with
joy, in order
that this treasure
available to them
might be theirs.
Father, I pray
for my friends in
this room.
If there are
people who know
nothing of this
treasure themselves,
would you show
them grace and
mercy, and grant
faith that they
might trust him
for forgiveness
and life.
that Jesus
might be the
Lord of their
lives, and
that they might
know him as
their treasure,
their all-satisfying,
ever-satisfying,
eternal treasure.
Father, thank you
so much for this
series in Matthew
13, and I pray
you would sear its
truth onto our
hearts that these
words might resonate
in our lives long
after we leave this
service today.
Father, bless us in
Jesus' name.
Amen.