Word of Salvation – Vol. 31 No. 13 – April 1986

 

Real Treasure!!

 

Sermon by Rev. G. Van Schie on Matthew 13:44-52

Reading: Mark 10:17-31

Singing: 361, 448, 440, 441

 

Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Treasure..!  That’s a word that brings to mind precious things of great value.  In days past, if you look through history, you will find there was a great emphasis on treasure.  Countries like Britain, Spain, Portugal and Holland sent their ships looking for treasure, seeking new lands from which treasure could be taken.  Some of the great sea battles were over gold.  The Spanish Galleons were always being raided for the treasures they had on them.

And for the children too, I’m quite sure that they have heard what treasure is.  Maybe you’ve read a book with the title “Treasure Island” written by Robert Louis Stevenson.  Even in Australian History treasure has been uppermost in people’s minds.  We know of the gold rushes of the past.  People made great gambles selling everything they had to buy the fares and the equipment they needed to go to the gold fields in the hope that they would strike treasure.

And today it is no different.  If anything, even more people are looking for treasure today.  Just look at the millions who queue at the TAB agencies to make their winnings on the horses.  Go to the newsagent and see those seeking treasure by scratching their tickets, by playing Lotto or the Pools.  All in the hope of that instant wealth, that treasure that will set them up for life.

Our text this morning/evening speaks of treasure.  Oh, but a treasure far greater than any of the ones we’ve just spoken about.  For all those other forms of treasure, if we could call it that, are subject to inflation, subject to the devaluation of the dollar, subject to all sorts of economic circumstances and subject to death.  For when the owner of such treasure dies, it is of no use to him or her.  As the Bible says: “Such things are subject to rot, to rust and to decay and even to being stolen”.

Our text speaks of a treasure which cannot be stolen; it speaks of a treasure of far greater worth, far greater value than the treasure that the world considers to be important.  The treasure which the text speaks of is a treasure which is eternal, even death is not a barrier to this treasure.  This is the treasure you CAN take with you when you die.

The Treasure of the Kingdom

What is this treasure?

Well, when we take a look at verses 44, 45 and 47 we read these words at the beginning of each of those verses, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…”  The Kingdom of Heaven!  The treasure being spoken of in these verses is just that: The Kingdom of Heaven!  Now does that bring to you visions of great wealth?  Does that speak to you of something which is really precious?  Maybe for some of you not at all, after all just what is this Kingdom of Heaven, you ask.

I wonder how many of those who are members of the church could give me a very precise and accurate definition of what is the Kingdom of Heaven.  Why is it like a treasure?  Why is it so precious and desirable?  Let us find out what the Scriptures say about the Kingdom of God.  When we turn to Isaiah, the prophet who wrote many years before Christ, we read that he spoke of a Child to be born.  A Son was going to be given to mankind.  And there was something very important about this child, something very important about this Son.  Not only was He going to be God Himself, God coming in the flesh, God taking to Himself humanity.  But He was going to set up a Kingdom, an eternal Kingdom, Isaiah says.  A Kingdom that would last forever, unlike the kingdoms of this world.  The Babylonian kingdom has fallen… the Roman kingdom has fallen.  And many others besides, but this Kingdom will never fall and it will be a Kingdom of Peace.

God said: Through this Child I will raise up a Kingdom, a Kingdom of Peace!  Not like the kingdoms of this world that existed by force of arms, that conquered and killed by the sword.  This will be a Kingdom of Justice and Truth.  And the prophecies continued, right up to the time of Jesus Christ when we find John the Baptist declaring, “The Kingdom of God is at hand!”  In other words: it’s just around the corner, it’s nearby.

And when he saw Jesus he declared, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

What’s the connection between that Kingdom and Christ?  Well, Jesus made it quite clear on one occasion when he cast out a demon from a man.  He made it clear that this was a sign, this was a proof, that the Kingdom had come.  He was accused of casting out demons by the power of Satan.  And He said: How ridiculous!  If Satan is casting out Satan, he’s defeating himself.  Who would do that?  Even a human being wouldn’t work against himself if he was trying to win a battle.  No, said Jesus, if I cast out demons by the power of God, then know that the Kingdom of God has arrived!  Know that it’s in the midst of you, know that it’s here.

Yes, when we look through Scripture, and we take a look at all that it says about the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven, (because they’re the same thing), we are taught that Jesus is the central person in that Kingdom.  Jesus, the one who was crucified for the sins of His people, the one who came to pay their debt, the one who suffered God’s wrath for their sins on the cross, He is the CHRIST, He is the King.  The Kingdom is His.  The promised Kingdom of peace arrived with the coming of Jesus Christ.

When we take a look at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and what Christ has done for us on the cross, we see why this Kingdom is so precious.  Why is it so important, why is it so valuable?  When we turn to Mark 10, we’re given the answer.  The question was asked by the rich young ruler, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus makes it quite clear, the answer to that question is very much involved with the answer to the question, “How do I enter the Kingdom of God?”‘

The two go together.  The treasure of the Kingdom of God is that in Jesus, through the operations of His Kingdom, men are rescued from the powers of sin and death.  In Jesus Christ and in His Kingdom men are given eternal life!

The Value of the Kingdom and those who find it

Yes, these two parables that we have before us this morning/evening speak of value.  What is your estimate of the value of the Kingdom of God?  How do you rate eternal life?

When we take a look at the two parables we first of all find one man who came upon a treasure unexpectedly.  Here he was, digging in a field, for what reason we don’t know, but very unexpectedly he found something.  He found treasure and he was filled with joy concerning his find.  And how important did he consider his find?  How valuable did he consider this treasure that he’d found?  So valuable that he went back home, he sold everything that he had in order that he could get together the funds to buy the field.

He didn’t just sell his chariot, if he had one; he didn’t just sell a donkey; he didn’t just sell a house; he sold everything the text says!  And from what we see in our text he didn’t seem to have any hesitation either.  He wasn’t fussed about heirlooms that had been handed down from generation to generation.  He didn’t have any qualms about sentimental objects which he wanted to keep a hold of at the risk of losing the treasure he had found.  No, he was willing to let it all go just to get that treasure.

Such was the value that he’d placed upon it.  Anything that was going to get in the way, he was willing to get rid of that he might take hold of what he had found.  And he did it with joy and speed, for he considered this treasure to be everything.  He did not want to lose out on it.

In the second parable we find someone who had set out to look for treasure.  Someone who was looking for a treasure of infinite worth.  He was looking for a fine pearl.  Not just any pearl, buy a perfect pearl.  And when he found it he did very much the same as the man of, the other parable.  He too went home and sold everything in order to but that one to one pearl.  He too, considered that the treasure he had sought and had found to be so valuable, so important to him, that he was willing to forsake everything that he had in order to get this one thing.

Now at the beginning of both parables we’re told, “Such is the Kingdom of Heaven”.  It is so valuable, it is such a precious treasure that there should be nothing upon this earth that would hinder us from taking hold of it.  Nothing..!

When you go home this morning/ evening take a look at your home, take a look at your possessions.  Think about your career, think about your job.  Even think about your family members.  And the Scriptures declare, not one of these things should come in the way of your taking possession of this treasure of infinite worth, the Kingdom of God and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

It’s amazing, when we turn to Mark chapter 10, that’s precisely the detail that we find there.  The rich young ruler had a real problem.  Oh yes, I’ve done this and I’ve done that and I’ve kept the 10 commandments, but when Jesus asked Him was he willing to forsake what he thought was treasure in his life in order to come and follow Him, he couldn’t.  There was something more important in his life than Christ.

There was something more important in his life than the Kingdom of God.  He was a fool.  He was more content with fool’s gold, with the fool’s treasure, the treasure of this world that is subject to rot and decay.  He was willing to keep a hold on this and forsake eternal life.  He was willing to turn away from Christ and keep a hold of an earthly  treasure that would condemn him.

Brothers and sisters, this is the thrust of the Word of God at this point.  How do you rate eternal life?  How much of a treasure do you really consider it to be?  How important to you is Jesus Christ through whom alone you can gain this treasure?  If there’s anything on this earth which would hinder you from accepting Him and taking hold of the treasure it’s fool’s gold.  The true treasure is in in Christ, in Him is eternal life.

The Difficulty and the Solution

It’s a hard teaching isn’t it?  As we consider the reality of what Jesus says here we can become very disturbed and we can feel that this is an impossible demand of Christ.  You may even say to yourself, “I think at this time I would be very much like the rich young ruler who went away with downcast eyes”, not being able to give up that which was a hindrance to accepting Jesus Christ.  Well it may surprise you that when you turn back to Mark chapter 10, our first reading, that even the disciples had a problem with this.

“Lord, they said, if this man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, if not by all that he has done, if he can’t inherit the Kingdom, and it’s impossible or just as impossible as the camel going through the eye of a needle for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, then who can be saved?”  Do you see the difficulty they had?  They weren’t just asking the question about the rich young ruler, they were asking the question for themselves.

If this man can’t be saved, then what chance have I got?  If that’s what you require Lord, who can be saved?  Can even I myself be saved?

Jesus gave a very important answer.  To take hold of this Kingdom, to take hold of this treasure in heaven is impossible for man to do.  With man it is impossible, Christ said.  Let’s face it.  We know ourselves.  We know how easily we find the stupid toys of this world to be far more attractive than Jesus Christ.  With man it is impossible of himself to accept Jesus Christ, as Scripture says He should be accepted, and through Him, to gain this treasure.

But it’s not impossible altogether.  Because Christ didn’t stop there.  Yes, for man it is impossible, but not with God.  For all things are possible with God.

Treasure…!  Treasure that will last!  The treasure of eternal life, the treasure of peace with God.  The treasure of not only being His child but an inheritor of His Kingdom.  How do I gain it?  Only by God giving it.  Yes, with God it’s not impossible that man be saved.  God gives men Jesus Christ.  And Jesus has paid the entry fee into the Kingdom of light and peace.  Jesus brings men out of the realms of darkness and decay into the Realm of Life.

Brothers and sisters, we are really called here by Christ to follow Him.  Yes, come follow Me, says Christ in this passage.  That’s what He’s really saying just like He said to the rich man: come follow Me and you will have treasure in heaven.  Have you heeded that call as yet?  Have you even begun to really follow Him?  If not you must call upon God to give you the ability to do so.  Call upon Him that He will grant you strength and the power to accept Jesus Christ.  With you it’s impossible but not with God.  He will give you what you need.  And the Scripture declares that He does not turn away those who seek Him.

Have you already found Him?  Do you already have this treasure?  Then also heed this call of our text; reassess that life of yours also.  Are you really counting what you have to be the greatest treasure, or have you fallen, as we all we all so easily do, into that trap of allowing our own life here upon earth to become so involved that we have no time for the Kingdom of God?  So busy, that we tie ourselves up so much that we cannot really value this treasure that we have and give to God the fruits that He commands from us?  To all alike, believer and unbeliever, the Lord calls, “Come, follow Me, receive from My Hand this treasure, treasure that will last.”

AMEN.