February 21st | Matthew 13

Matthew chapter thirteen has two of my favorite parables. They are short and straightforward, which I find helpful! While brief and easy to understand, they are much harder to live out than expected. These parables talk about the exceeding value of the kingdom of God. While at first blush, we would agree that the value of the kingdom of God is of the highest order, we don’t always suggest this in our actions. 

What do I mean by this? If someone told me they had a $2 McDonald’s gift card waiting for me, all I had to do was drive 25 miles to get it; I would likely turn down their “generous” offer. I might have told them it was incredibly kind, but I just couldn’t make the trip to get it now. What are my actions saying? The gift card is not worth the drive!

Now, conversely, if they called and said, “I have two free tickets for an all-expense paid vacation to anywhere in the world. You just have to drive 25 miles to come and pick it up. What would I do? I would drop everything and meet them! Again, what am I showing with my actions? I VALUE the offer they are making. 

Jesus tells these parables to help us see the value of Christ and His kingdom. In Matthew 13:44-46 he says, 

“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.” 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

There are two men, each finding something so valuable that they are willing to sell everything to have that treasure. Their actions show how much they value the field and the pearl. What is Jesus likening the field and the pearl to in His parable? His kingdom! 

Essentially, our Lord is telling us that following Him is better than anything this world can offer. Jesus is far more valuable than anything in this world, but how often do we show it through actions? How often do our actions show that we love our phones, TV, social media, sports, friends, and family more than Jesus? We can say the right things, but do we show Jesus we value Him? Are we willing to sacrifice our time, finances, and worldly pleasures to pursue the kingdom of Christ? 

You have been given the greatest treasure in Christ. Because of the Gospel, we are freed from our sins and given a Spirit of liberty and love. Treasure that gift today and show Christ you treasure Him with your actions.