February 15, 2016
WHERE'S MY TREASURE?
Matthew 13:44–52
Jamie Bauknight
Central Truth
The joy we find in knowing Christ is worth it no matter the cost and should impact every area of our lives.
Key Verse | Matthew 13:44
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)
Matthew 13:44–52
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
New and Old Treasures
51 Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Dive Deeper | Matthew 13:44–52
Merriam Webster defines joy as “a source or cause of delight.” When I first read this passage, I skipped completely over it—but that short phrase in his joy holds great significance in understanding these verses more fully. In just eight verses Jesus presents three parables—the first two address the cost of following Christ, and the third addresses our responsibility as followers of Christ. But joy is the key to understanding how all three tie together.
In verse 44, when the man finds a treasure in a field, he sells everything he has for the sake of possessing that treasure. That treasure, we know, is the kingdom of heaven—but understanding that the man did everything in joy gives us a deeper perspective into the value he found in it.
Salvation is not something every person sees—it is "hidden" because we need faith to trust in Christ. But those who "find" it are willing to sacrifice everything because Jesus is worth it. Paul said it best: "I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done." (Philippians 3:7, NLT) The man sold everything he had, yet he did it with joy because he knew he was gaining something so much better—something that has great value (verse 46).
At the end of our days, we will be held accountable for all of our actions here on earth. Once we understand the teachings of Jesus, we have a responsibility as disciples to help others understand (verses 47-50). And why wouldn't we? Why would we not want to share the ultimate source of joy with every person we meet? If it really is so life-changing that people are willing to sell everything they have for it (spoiler alert: it is 100% worth it!), shouldn't it impact the way we live our lives? Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21, "[W]here your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Are you living a life that reflects where your treasures truly are?
Discussion Questions
1. Where are your treasures?
2. What does it mean to you personally to “count everything as loss” (Philippians 3:8)?
3. Do you have joy in knowing Christ? If someone were to ask those closest to you the same question about you, would their answer be the same?