The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and was very happy. So he went and sold all that he had and he bought that field. Mathew 13:44
What treasure was Jesus talking about to his disciples? And who was this man that found the treasure, sold all he had and went back to buy the field?
Back in Mathew 13:38 Jesus said that "the world is the field." He came as a man to find the treasure of this field which is you and I. But he couldn't just take us home with him because we are of a sinful nature and God will not allow sin into his kingdom. And so Jesus had to take on the form of a man (John 14:1) to dwell among us and then at the appointed time, he started his ministry which ultimately ended with his own death on the cross for our sins.
Ahhh, but did his ministry end there? Of course not. He taught his disciples to carry on for him after he went back to his home in heaven, and they spread the gospel which has since that time, is still being spread all over the world.
In the course of his life here on earth with his crucifixion, Jesus did buy our salvation with his blood. He paid a cruel, painful, and horrible price for the sins of man. He sold it all out for our freedom. He bought the rights to you and me.
However...
...the thing is, even though salvation is a free gift, he doesn't just give it to us. There is something you and I have to do first and that is because we are of a sin nature and God is not going to let sin enter his kingdom. You see a gift from someone is accepted by the person the gift is given to. It is that person's responsibility to accept it if he wants it.
Likewise, it is the responsibility of you an I to accept his free gift of salvation if we want it.
I am sure Jesus was not excited or elated with joy for having to go to the cross to die for us. Luke 22:44 says "And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat fell like drops of blood on the ground." No, Jesus was not overjoyed at all. But in doing so, he has great joy when one person, trusts him enough that he would ask Jesus forgiveness of his sin. That is the treasure that he gave his all for.
What does it mean that the man buried his treasure in the land again after he first found it? Well, I am not sure of the answer to that. Maybe it means that those of us that have accepted him are living in this world but have accepted him and our home is in heaven when our time is here to get there. We just have not gotten there yet. Maybe it is those people that haven't quite excepted him yet but he knows they are getting ready to and the treasure in them that will soon be his, is just being delayed until he has bought the field. (Until Jesus was crucified and was raised from the grave)
Maybe I am all but beaten off the path with those suggestions.
Whatever it might be, I know that you and I are the treasure for the Man (God) Christ Jesus, who sold himself out, gave up everything he had so that we would one day live with him. And that is a treasure for us that is way beyond belief.... left only to our imaginations and what the bible says about it of course, but also what you and can experience in reality one day!
February 8. 2019 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes on him, will have eternal life. John 3:16
Thanks for coming by Friends. Tomorrow we will take on the parable of the pearl. God bless!
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