Mat 13:44-50; Field of Dreams.

Class Outline:

Thursday April 10, 2025

 

What fills the wonder of your mind? Is it treasure on earth or in heaven?

 

1TI 6:17

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

 

MAT 13:44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

 

The kingdom of heaven is more valuable than all the earth and the Lord wills for all of His own to see that very clearly.

 

They are about enthusiastic and wholehearted commitment to the kingdom of heaven, above all else and secondarily, renunciation of earthly things when they compete, i.e. for the way of heaven (greater good).

 

Discipleship to Christ is a single-minded commitment.

 

In keeping with the mystery theme of all 7 parables, the treasure is hidden and the pearl must be sought and found.

 

Taken together, simply, without overcomplicating, the kingdom of heaven is more valuable than all the earth.

 

In what way is the kingdom of heaven more valuable than all the world to you?

 

What and why are we?

 

We have been made in God’s image to walk with Him in love.

 

MIC 6:6-8

With what shall I come to the Lord

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

7 Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,

In ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?

 

DEU 10:12-13

"Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

 

JOH 17:6

"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

 

JOH 17:15-16

"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

 

JOH 17:24-26

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

 

25 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

 

You can always see grand purpose in the endgame:

REV 21:3

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…

 

God uses language like adoption and marriage. Christ is the Head and the church His body. We are to praise His glory. He seated us together with Him in the heavens. We have been brought near by the blood of Christ. We are the holy temple of the Lord. He is the cornerstone and we make up the stones that comprise His one house. We are fellow heirs, which is supposed to unify the whole body together in peace. To live is Christ, which means with Him, not apart from Him. We fellowship with Him even in His sufferings. All things are created through Him and for Him. We put on Christ. We will be revealed with Him in glory. He will crown all who have loved His appearing.

 

Can we find any manifestation of these things in the treasures of the world? (What are the treasures of the world?)

 

The only way you can experience the reason for who you are and why you are is to find the ways of the kingdom of heaven and treasure them above all else.

 

Let’s let the Lord Jesus teach us application:

 

MAT 19:27-30

Then Peter said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?" 28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.  30 "But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

 

This passage is provoked by the example of the rich man who was unwilling to sell his possessions. 

 

MAT 19:21-22

"If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. 

 

Do we have to sell everything to enter the kingdom? No. The revelation is that the treasure in heaven is infinitely greater than the treasure on earth. This will always be true whether a person sees it or not.

 

Jesus emphasizes this principle to us. 

 

MAT 6:19-21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

 

MAT 6:33

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

 

Christians will struggle to compromise on single-minded commitment. Christians will not know what it really means.

 

Like a going out of business sale - everything must go. But when you do, or at the least know that you must and truly desire to, you will wonder why it took you so long to comprehend such a simple principle of life with the Son of God. 

 

For now, know that this is where you are headed. But don’t take too much time getting there. You might miss it before you’re called away.