Jesus used just 66 words to tell a couple of complete stories.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.” “When he found one of great value” says Jesus, “he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
A Twitter tweet can have a maximum of 140 characters. The story of the treasure hidden in a field has 125 characters and the story of the pearl has 128.
Jesus tweeted. Or at least he could have done.
The two short stories are quite similar. Both feature a man. Both men discover something of great worth. Both appreciate the enormous value of their discovery. Both are willing to pay whatever it takes to obtain what they had found. And both end up giving everything they have to possess their prize.
But there’s one big difference. Did you spot it?
In the first story, the man stumbled across his find by chance. But in the second one he was actively searching for pearls when he found a truly exceptional one.
Treasure in a Field
Sometimes you make a spiritual discovery out of the blue. You weren’t looking for anything – but suddenly the answer to all your longings is staring at you in the face.
CS Lewis, who wrote the Chronicles of Narnia had an experience just like that. He wrote a book called Surprised by Joy about how he went from Atheism to being a Christ follower almost overnight and with little warning.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Notice what the man thought his discovery of treasure was worth. To him, it was worth more than “all he had” because that is what he traded to get hold of it.
The Cullinan diamond is the largest ever found and is worth about $400 million. How excited you would be if you were digging around in your garden and you found a gem bigger than the Cullinan diamond?
Listen, being a Christian isn’t just a lifestyle choice. Some people like to go the gym, others collect beer mats, others spend time on the allotment and still others call themselves Christians and go to church.
No, no it’s not like that. Following Jesus is not a hobby. It affects everything you do because it changes the very heart of who you are. Jesus becomes the most important thing about you. He redefines all your values. He turns your life upside down and pulls it inside out.
Jesus said that the man who finds the treasure “in his joy he goes and sells everything that he has.” I’ve looked up that word “everything.” It means everything.
This man doesn’t just sell all he has; he does so with joy. No regrets. He doesn’t complain about the sacrifice he has to make. In fact, he probably doesn’t even consider it a hardship. He gives a lot for the field, but he gets so much more in return. What a discovery!
The Pearl of Great Price
But for others, becoming a Christian is not a chance discovery, but the conclusion to a long search.
Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.” He’s looking out for something truly exceptional.
He’s got a magnificent collection.
“Here it is; my pride and joy” he says. “My whole life I’ve built up this portfolio of precious pearls. It has become one of the world’s most valuable collections.
And he starts to give a little presentation of his collection. “This one,” he says, “is where it all started. It was handed down to me by my great, great grandfather the day I was born. It’s been in the family for generations.
“This one was given to me by my mother on her deathbed; she pressed it into my palm, smiled, and then breathed her last. I was just a boy when she died. It is only worth about £2,000 but it has incalculable sentimental value.”
And he continues to show you dozens of pearls on velvet cushions; of all sizes, some perfectly round, some more milky white than others – some with a silvery sheen… He is a pearl nerd. He could bore you for hours.
“This one has a strange glittery shine on it. That’s because it was subjected to great heat (perhaps from an underwater volcano) when it was being formed. It’s the only one like it in the U.K.
“Here’s one that was recovered from a locked safe on board the Titanic. For insurance reasons I’m not allowed to tell you what it’s worth.
“This one was given to me as a retirement present from my work colleagues. For 30 years I worked with those guys – happy days.
“This string of pearls are my wife’s favourite; it was worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang for President Kennedy. I bought that one for £2 million in an auction.
And so he goes on…
One day, his broker calls. A new and rare pearl has come on to the market. In fact, it is not just rare, it is utterly unique. It’s the size of a golf ball, it has an incredible, pure shiny hue, it reflects light in the most glorious ways and it surpasses everything else in his collection.
“When he found one of great value” says Jesus, “he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.”
Why is a pearl especially fitting as a symbol of the kingdom of God? What do you think? I think it’s because it is the only gem that cannot be improved by human craftsmanship. God’s kingdom, like a pearl, is conceived, designed, created and perfected by God from beginning to end.
Think about it. All other gemstones have to be cut and honed by skilled artisans before they have any beauty. But a pearl is flawless when it is found and it can’t be improved by cutting. In fact, once cut by a human hand a pearl is worthless.
Any human attempts to try to improve the kingdom of God take away its perfection. Salvation comes from God – you can’t add to it at all - otherwise it’s not salvation; it’s just self-help.
Pile up everything in this world on one side of the scales and put salvation on the other side and it still doesn’t balance. The salvation of your soul, knowing Jesus and eternal life in the glorious presence of God are worth infinitely more.
Conclusion
That’s what Jesus wants you to understand about these two stories about the kingdom. (1) What you have to be willing to give up in order to get into it, and (2) what you stand to gain when you do.
For you to know the joy of God’s kingdom, everything must come after it.
I was talking to Steph Ferguson and Ray Black before the evening service last week. They attended the Alpha course last term and I met them on the first night. They started coming along to All Saints’ after the awayday in November and I noticed that their faces had changed. They were full of joy. They have found the pearl of great price.
So for those of you who have yet to meet them, I thought I’d introduce them to you this morning.
There followed an interview with Steph and Ray; why they signed up for Alpha, what their lives were like before the started the course, what happened during Alpha and what have been the changes in their lives since then.
This is what our vision is all about; people discovering Jesus and being added to the community of faith.
Let’s pray for them both…
Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 16th January 2011
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