Cashing in on the Mother Load: Matthew 13:44

Matt 13:44 Cashing in on the Mother Load

Matthew highlights some of Jesus' teaching on the kingdom of heaven, which is synonymous with the kingdom of God. Growing up I did not hear much teaching about the kingdom of heaven. I heard much about the church and how individuals are to live out their faith. Until recently I never put the two together. The church is not the kingdom of heaven or God, but the church is part of or a sign of the kingdom of God. With this said, Matthew 13:44 provides for its readers what Jesus taught about the value of the kingdom. Jesus said, "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 the field." There are couple of inferences we can make regarding this one verse regarding the kingdom of heaven.

First, the kingdom of heaven, as of now, is much in obscurity to people. This man found what no one else had found, a treasure hidden in a field. We do not know if this man went on a treasure hunt. We do not know if this man found some secret map outlining where a valuable treasure lay hidden. All we know is this treasure was obscure, that this man happened to find. Is that not the truth today. We live in a day in which people are spiritual, yet in their own right. The church, especially in America, mostly act independent of themselves as well as much of their membership. Therefore, by their actions they do not see themselves as part of this valuable kingdom. The kingdom is obscure to people. Is it obscure to you? To me?

Second inference we can make regarding this parable on the kingdom, is this man understood he had just uncovered the mother load. In other words, this man understood the value of this treasure. So much so, he covered it back so he could make arrangements to purchase it. When people do find the kingdom of God today, do they really understand what they have found. Do they really understand what they possess. Or is it like a buying a new car, where they are happy and joyful at first, but the older it gets and the more miles it piles on, they grow detached? For this man who found the treasure, this treasure was the treasure of all treasures. This was to him, what the Templar's Treasure was to Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage in National Treasure). How valuable is the kingdom and being part of the kingdom to us?

Third, this man was ready to sell all he had in order to acquire or obtain this treasure. Jesus in describing how this man went about selling all he had, said he had 'joy' in his going. Jesus tells his listeners, and Matthew communicates to his readers, that this man had joy when he went to sell all he had. We are not privy to what he sold. But, he probably sold his land, his dwelling place, his animals, maybe his inheritance, and whatever else he possessed in order to purchase this field. He had joy in selling what was once dear to him, so that he could obtain this treasure. What this man teaches us, is once we find the kingdom of God, we will be willing to sell all and give all in order to be in possession of this kingdom. And in our selling and giving we will have joy, because we know what we are getting in return. For those of us who are believers, children of God, citizens of the kingdom, do we know what we have? Do we know what we are part of? If we do, we will be willing to sell and give all we have for the kingdom! For those who are not believers, children of God, citizens of the kingdom of heaven, do you know what you are missing?

Looking at this parable we see the kingdom of heaven is obscure, valuable, and worthy of sacrifice. Do we see this? Have we cashed in for the mother load?