Hidden Treasure
I love following those stories about things found walls and in attics when a house is being remodeled. I recently came across this story about a modern treasure being found in the attic (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ty-cobb-baseball-cards-found-in-bag/). To sum it up; a family was cleaning out the old run-down house of their late great grandfather. In a crumpled bag in the back, about to be thrown away they found some baseball cards. But not just any cards, these were seven identical Ty Cobb cards from around 1909. Previously only 15 had been known to remain, and their discovery added seven to it! The expert not only said the value was over a million dollars but: “This is one of the greatest discoveries in the history of our hobby,” Imagine that. The grandfather was living hand to mouth, in a dilapidated house. Yet over his head, in a trash bag, was a great treasure. It’s everyone’s dream. Yet the grandfather had forgotten what he had.
Matthew uses a similar example in his Gospel. He compares heaven to a treasure hidden in a field.
“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.”
It’s an interesting parable, but first let me say what it is not. It is not a demand for us to sell all we have in order to obtain the kingdom of heaven – for we truly have nothing to offer God (look at Ephesians 2:5-9). Instead, it is a call for us to desire the kingdom above all. We are not sure what this man was doing in someone else’s field. Maybe he was a hired helper for the man who owned the field, or maybe he was just passing through. Or maybe the field was for sale and the man was looking it over before deciding whether to buy it. Whatever the reason he was there, he found an amazing treasure. The man knew that the treasure was incredibly valuable. He went home and sold everything he owned and then he took all the money that he had made, and he bought that field. Clearly, the treasure in that field was worth more than everything else that the man owned. He could have covered it back up, gone about his business, and forgotten all about it. But that’s not what he did. The treasure was too great to forget about! The man was so excited to know that he could possibly own that treasure. He probably laid awake each night thinking about the treasure until it was his. Notice that the man sold EVERYTHING. He was left with nothing. He knew that the treasure was better than his home and his belongings. The treasure was so important to him, that he joyfully gave up everything else in the world to gain that treasure.
Jesus is not saying that you must go out and sell everything you own. He is saying that you should be willing to. He is saying that NOTHING compares in value to the new life that He wants to give you. You should not love anything or anyone more than you love the God. Here is the craziest part my friends, God owns the treasure, the field, the shovel that dug it up and gave you the strength to find it. He willingly traded the life of His Son that you might afford it. Through His Word, he even makes it freely available for anyone to come to a saving faith.
That is how generous God is with His treasure.
Given for you,
See you Sunday,
-Pastor Dan