Introduction. Read Matthew13:44-46

I am considering here two parables in a sequence of parables about the kingdom of heaven. This kingdom consists of king Jesus, his subjects, their obligations to him and the benefits he brings to them.

Jesus compares the desire to enter, and satisfaction of entering, the kingdom of God with the desire for treasure and precious pearls and the satisfaction of possessing them.

I have found some difficulty dealing with these two short parables because I do not find membership strictly comparable with ownership. This problem is avoided by expositors like Campbell Morgan who argue that the man who acquires the buried treasure and pearl of great price is Jesus. Jesus has purchased his church at great cost but with great joy. However, I reject this approach because Jesus did not stumble across hidden treasure by accident nor was he like a merchant dealing in precious pearls. The fortunate ploughman and discerning merchant are more like those who discover Jesus and his kingdom than a picture of Jesus himself.

If this sounds a bit confusing it is, I am afraid, because I found the parables a little perplexing.

Let us look first at what we can learn from:

(A) The Buried Treasure.

(1) Who amassed it? The treasure was assembled by an anonymous figure. It was not amassed by the owner of the field or by the person who discovered it. This serves as a reminder that the treasures of God's kingdom are the work of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

(2) What does it consist of? We are not told precisely what the buried treasure of the parable consisted of. We know that it was worth more than the field in which it was found. If the field represents the world the treasure was worth more than the whole world.

The most likely scenario is of a man ploughing and striking a clay pot full of gold and silver coins. (This still happens today!) So what are the contents of the kingdom urn? Here is a sample of the currency: Redemption; Adoption; Re-creation; Protection; Fellowship; Resurrection; Eternal life.

(3) How was the discovery made? As I have indicated, the man in the parable may have ploughed up some gold coins. He discovered the treasure more by accident than design. Metal detectors were not all the rage in 1st century Palestine!

Very many people seem to become aware of kingdom treasure more by accident than design. They appear to stumble upon it. It is very instructional to get into the Gideon's website and listen to the numerous testimonies of those who pick up a Bible in prison, hospital or a hotel room and discover therein the riches of the gospel. My brother, Philip, was a policeman and he told me of the occasion when a man held in the cells of Newmarket police-station suddenly shouted out, "I'm saved; I'm saved." He found salvation reading the Gideon Bible in his cell.

(4) The advantages of possessing great treasure. The man who discovered treasure in his field was full of joy. This is because there are many advantages in being rich. Wealth confers:

(a) Freedom. A rich man has freedom from debt, freedom of choice and freedom to help others.

Riches in Christ set us free from debt. Our debts are cancelled. We are set free to serve God in many different ways and to spend our lives helping others.

(b) Security. A person of wealth is in a much better position to weather the storms of life than someone who is poor. I was only talking to an old pupil this week. She was crippled by two arthritic knees. Seven years ago she paid £24,000 to have them replaced.

Christians are secure in Christ. We are safe for time and eternity. We love to sing:

O safe to the rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly,
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine would I be,
The blest Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in Thee!

Christians enjoy great status in Christ. God calls us his sons and we are joint heirs with Christ.

A fullness resides in Jesus our Head,
And ever abides to answer our need;
The Father's good pleasure has laid up in store
A plentiful treasure to give to the poor.

Jesus, in both this parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, emphasises an aspect of salvation which is not often stressed by evangelists. The gospel preacher will, like Paul, preach Christ and him crucified. There is joy in realising that Jesus has paid the price of our redemption. However, there are some necessary steps to make our calling and election sure. In his second epistle Peter writes: Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ....... For if you do these things you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. see 1Peter2v5to11.

To put it prosaically a conversion experience needs to be followed by: Baptism, church membership, regularly church attendance, both public and private prayer, bible study and good works of many sorts. As James is at pains to point out, faith without works is dead. This is the pattern followed by the young people who became Christians when I was a young man at Brockley Baptist Chapel.

(B) The Pearl of Great Price.

(1) The Pearl Merchant. This man appreciated things of beauty like fine, choice pearls. He spent much of his time searching out lovely gems.

There are men and women like that, people of refined taste. Consider some of the pearls that capture their attention:

• Great art.

• Magnificent music.

• Inspirational poetry.

• Stirring literature.

• Pure mathematics.

• Heroic lives.

• Elegance of movement - of the ballet dancer, gymnast, athlete or sportsman.

• Landscaped gardens.

These pearls give great satisfaction. Yet the man or woman of refined and educated taste may not be entirely satisfied. C.S.Lewis was one such. From time to time he was surprised by joy - a poem, a piece of music or a passage from a novel would touch his heart. But he wanted more.

(2) An amazing discovery. Pearls differ in quality and attractiveness depending upon four variables:

• Size.

• Shape.

• Lustre.

• Iridescence.

The finest pearls are large, perfectly spherical, with a deep, metallic, mirror-like lustre and a colourful iridescence. Such pearls are truly of great price.

The kingdom of God, consisting as it does of Christ and his church, is wonderfully attractive. This is something that C.S.Lewis finally realised. For example it:

• Produces great art, the finest poetry, outstanding literature and glorious music. Carols from Kings illustrates this aspect of the Kingdom of God.

• Motivates much humanitarian work. In Britain it was Christians who agitated to abolish slavery. Many hospitals are Christian foundations as is the hospice movement and the leprosy mission.

• Fosters the development of truly virtuous lives.

• Qualifies its members for eternal life.

(3) Possessing the pearl of great price. The merchant was doubtless thrilled to discover the pearl of outstanding beauty. But that wasn't enough. In this he is just like the man who stumbled on treasure buried in the field. The merchant's chief priority was to possess the pearl of superlative quality. He was prepared to sell all his other assets in order to own the lovely pearl.

The kingdom of God has such wonderful associations, and provides such splendid benefits, that it should be our main aim in life to belong to it. What we need to possess, even at the cost of losing everything else, is MEMBERSHIP of the kingdom of God. No sacrifice is too great to enjoy the benefits of belonging to Jesus' kingdom.

Jesus, the king, will inspire his subjects to give of their best in the many different ways there are of serving him. He will undoubtedly right, royally, reward us if we are loyal, co-operative subjects of his great and growing realm.

It is not enough to be an admiring spectator of the kingdom; we should make it our chief priority in life to be a subject of the KING. It is not enough to find the pearl of great price; we must possess it too, whatever the cost. We cannot afford to be without it.

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