Priceless: An Ever Satisfying Reality

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.

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.

Forever.

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,

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.