Matthew 13:44-52.

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Matthew 13: 44-52.
Jesus continues speaking in parables, last week it was about the kingdom expanding as a tree and infiltrating everything like leaven, and a waning about rejecting the king and his kingdom, and that many will poses / be around the kingdom to spread evil, discourage the believers. But the angles will come at harvest time as separated the evil and the righteous. A great warring and great hope.
(Just a short note, Jesus does not explain the first 2 parables therefore you can read all kinds of commenters about them, some very long and very complicated and not very likely, I have taken the light approach and look at what seems to be the main point, without making too many speculations, and guesses.)
The first to parable in today’s text, focus on the value of the kingdom or how much it is worth, Jesus uses two examples, one finds a treasure in a field, (what that can’t happen, well it could, and it still does, just this week in Denmark hidden treasure no bank system ect.) hides it again an go in Joy and sells everything to by the filed. (From a kid’s perspective – or just another, but did he really need to sell everything?) But Jesus is pointing to the Joy and the worth of the kingdom, - and that as believers we are called to give all up for the kingdom, not because we have to but because we see with joy the value of the kingdom.
Almost the same point in the next parable, a merchant is searching for fine pearls, and finds the one… pearl of great price and goes and sells all that he had and bought the pearl. Point is that what the kingdom is what has great value and what we are somehow really searching for. So, if we understand the kingdom, we with joy give all up for it. (All we have belong to the king anyway.). It is not about giving money to enter the kingdom it is parables about value what do we value most. What brings us Joy. (what are we searching for?) value: The finest Pearl and as a hidden treasure.
The 3 parable is about fishing, a big net cast in to the sea, all the people around the lake, would understand the picture. The net cheches many things everything is not useful or for eating, so when the net is taken op on land, the fish is sorted, good in to containers and the bad thrown away. Jesus explains the parable like he did with the parable of the weeds and tears. The angles are coming to sort and divide the evil and the righteous. Into the kingdom and to put evil in its place, not a nice place as we have read Jesus describe it many times now. Text refence.
The kingdom is for the righteous and the other place is for the evil, ()
Then Jesus asks the disciples if the understand all that he had just said.
I would have said no, and can you elaborate a little. But all the disciples say yes. (I am not sure they get it all, but they may have).
Then Jesus say that a scribe trained for the kingdom, will bring out the good and the bad out of his treasures? – Towards God, others? PPT the combined teaching of the old and new, how Jesus binds things together and make it all new… The disciples are more qualified that the religious elite, because the see the old and the new working together to show the kingdom. They are to explain it to people… now they have said that the understand. – Do we understand?
Then the classic question but what about us? Do we understand the parables? If we do, do we live it out? Is it hard to give it all up for the kingdom? Do we have questions about how much we should commit? – (Jesus gave it his all what about us?)
Do we live a life marked by the joy described in the parables? – If not why? Are we holding on to things that are not of the kingdom og heaven?
Are we like the disciples living a life witnessing about the life of Jesus and pointing to the kingdom of heaven in that way inviting, waring about how a life lived for our self will end? Encouraging that Jesus has made a way for all to come to him and be in the kingdom of heaven. As we long for the new creation, new heaven new earth.
It is the path to true and lasting life in Christ, in the kingdom of heaven.
All the same questions might rise up in us, how do I do that? How do I live that life, do I need to work harder, pray more, give more…? Well, that depends.
Like I say often, my sermons it not to get you to do more, work harder, feel guilt, shame and pain of falling short, it is an invitation, to see Jesus as more valuable and that in him we can experience the greatest Joy. What that looks like, could be very different from person to person.
It also depends a lot on where you are in your life, are you not a follower of Jesus, then that is the first invitation, you heard the parables, that the kingdom of heaven is worth more that a great treasure and a great pearl, the good question would be why? And that is not clear at the moment in the story, it will only be clear after Jesus’ death, resurrection, that Jesus made a way to be forgiven and reconciled to God, and become part of Gods family, to stand and be righteous, not because you did everything right, but because Jesus did. It is an offer not from me but from Jesus, I hope you by the Holy Spirt see and love Jesus, and repent and follow him. Because then you get to be with him and not get thrown away to a very unpleasant place. (I don’t sell things). (What is most valuable to you?)
But you might say well I have followed Jesus many, many years, great!
What did you hear Jesus say in the parables did some of it stick out to you, push some of your buttons, did it rekindle you love for Jesus and Gods plan of redemption? Give you great joy?
Were you motivated to live on the purpures God has for you? I will take time to pray, I will contact that person, I will sit and listen to God, I will read my bible I will enjoy and love Jesus more. (I my everyday take moments to praise God, for all the many blessings I have, many of them come with challenges, buy Joy in Christ lets us rest as we work)
If you said yes to Jesus you also said Yes like the disciples did in the text, to share the good news about jesus, you’re here to share about the hope of Jesus to people you are around.
We are called to be ambassadors, for Christ, calling people to be reconciled to God, God made him how had no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become righteous. 2. Cor 5: 18-25
The only way you will be satisfied is living for Jesus in his purpose, the good works prepared before the world began for you to walk in, - and you know this, this is what frustrates you, that things that you were thinking was going to be great, they did not deliver, the new car, job, kids, more money, friends, getting papers published, - it did not bring you lasting joy, the new fades, it gets old, car, shoes, job, ect. Children and friend’s family comes with all kinds of problems and troubles, BUT done the other way around, it can all make us have great Joy, living for Jesus on purpose first, and reminding our self we are seeking his kingdom first, and then the other things will follow, - this world makes sense that way. (What does that mean for you and me? Well stop doing all the things you don’t think God has asked you to do, and enjoy the things god has for you and walk in them) What frustrates you the most? (Stop doing it or do something about it if possible, it that is the Lords will) What gives you most joy? Cultivate the things and events that gives you joy and love for Jesus, Why because I don’t think we are meant to be sad, mad frustrated ambassadors but marked by the greatest Joy. The Joy of Christ.
Jesus reminds us of the great joy we can have now, because the kingdom will not be stopped, that righteousness will win over evil, and all the frustrations and sadness and what makes us mad will be made new.
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