A few years ago I had the pleasure to travel to Bangalore, India for work. While there, I took a day trip to Nandi Hills. It was an awesome experience. Looking back through pictures I found the picture above. I saw that mound of dirt. I made a few calls, and we are purchasing it tomorrow. We will build our house right on top of that mound.
Over the last week my wife and I have sold our new home. I will quit my job today. Our cars are for sale. We are selling everything we have. That mound of dirt is worth everything. It’s beautiful.
Okay, this isn’t a true story. We are not moving. But, it is a good introduction to the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is a place where God searched for you, found you, and gave everything He has for you!
There are three parables in Matthew 13 about the kingdom that are quite meaningful to us today.
(Parable 1) – The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and in his joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
(Parable 2) – Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
(Parable 3) – Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous.
In each parable there are four important things to consider:
- A – What is being related to the Kingdom (italicized above)?
- B – What action is being done (underlined above)?
- C – How might the disciples have understood what Jesus was saying?
- D – How might you and I understand these parables in light of the first bullets A,B,&C?
Here is a short summary of each parable with these items above:
| # | The Kingdom is Like: | Action Taken: | How Disciples may have understood: | How You and I May Understand: |
| 1 | Hidden Treasure | Man sells all he has to buy it | The hidden treasure is the nation of Israel (Israel is called God’s treasure in Exodus 19). And God joyously found them, and gave all that He had to have them as his nation and chosen people. This would have been pleasing to the disciples ears. | The treasure is you and I. And Jesus joyously found us, and gave his life (all He has) to have us as His own. |
| 2 | Merchant looking for pearls | Finds expensive pearl and sells all he has to buy it | The merchant is God (or Messiah). And the pearls are gentiles (pearls comes from an oyster, which is unclean and is not kosher not matter what is done to it). This parable may have confused the disciples a bit. Why would God buy something “unclean”? | The merchant is Jesus, and the pearl is you and I (gentiles). As above, Jesus saw us, and gave all He had so He could have us as His own. |
| 3 | Dragnet in the sea | Catches and sorts good from bad fish | The dragnet is God, who is searching the depths for the best fish. And this searching goes until the end of the age. The Angels do the sorting, as the parable says. | |
Here are three simple points from these parables that I hope resonate with you this week:
- God sees you as a hidden treasure, even when you don’t see it in yourself. To God, you are worth everything He has!
- When everyone else tells you that you are worthless, God sees you as so valuable that He gave up His own life for you. Maybe even the religious say you are not worth anything, but God says otherwise!
- Through Jesus Christ, God offers you and I a new life with purpose, grace and love.
Actions for this week as you seek the Kingdom:
- Ask God to help you see yourself the way He sees you, and to love yourself as He loves you.
- Ask God to help you see everyone around you through His eyes, and to love them with the same love God has for them.
- Wake up each day with God’s Kingdom on your heart!