“The Lord’s Treasure”Devotion in Motion
Weekend Inspiration
07/09/21
Matthew 13:44
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
This is a parable that Jesus used in speaking to others. What is a parable? Well the word “parable” means (To cast alongside) It’s an illustration connected to a lesson. This was a popular technique at the time. Many of the Jewish rabbi’s had begun to teach in parables but no one used it as effectively as Jesus. So here A parable is an illustration that Jesus used to explain a spiritual truth. Here a man who finds a hidden treasure and immediately buys the field to get the treasure that is hidden in the field. Some people have taught this portion of scripture in this way: The treasure in the field is Jesus, the man is us, so , like the man who found the treasure, when we discover Jesus we should sell everything in order to follow him.
But I don’t think that is what this parable is communicating to us. The bible teaches us that Jesus “came to seek and find that which was lost” And if we use the bible to interpret the bible, this is what the meaning of the parable is. Instead the treasure is us and Jesus is the man.
After all, after we got saved how many of us sold everything to follow Jesus, none of us I think. John 1: 12-13 says 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. We were born again not by our own will or by our own efforts , not even by our own desires, but by God. It’s Jesus who found us, It’s God who saved us, it’s God who elected us, it’s God who predestined us.
John 3:16 : For God so Loved the world that he gave his Only begotten Son, That whosoever believes in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life. “Notice you will find the word gospel in this one verse”
We didn’t sell anything to receive him, but he sold out to purchase us.
We were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus.
Why did he sell out, why did he purchase the field (world)?
Because he wanted the treasure which was buried in the world;; he wanted you, he wanted me!!
But you might look at yourself and say ” I am not worth much, my life isn’t worth anything ” I have made a mess of everything I have ever done. But let me say this, when God looks at you, when he looks at me he doesn’t look at us through man’s eyes , he looks at us through the eyes of love and grace. He looks at us through blood stained glasses. He sees us as being the righteousness of Christ in him. WOW!! When he looks at you and me– he sees the treasure that we will one day become and already are, in his heart and in his eye.
Ephesians 2:10: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The Greek word for workmanship is “Poema” or masterpiece–a work of art. So don’t ever let anyone tell you you are less than you are, that you are worthless or useless because you are worth more than you will ever know. Don’t even let yourself say something like that to yourself, because the God who sent his own dear Son to purchase you with his blood says that you are a work of art, and he loves you dearly.
Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Remember the story of Ruth and Boaz. Boaz was a wealthy landowner. He redeemed the field of his relative Elimelech – not because he wanted another field. As the family redeemer, he not only could reclaim his relative’s land he could marry his widow – the beautiful Ruth. Boaz bought the field to get the treasure. This is why Jesus redeemed the world. Not because He needed another planet. One astronomer calls the Earth, “a fifth rate planet revolving around a tenth rate sun in a forgotten corner of the universe.” There’s nothing special about the third rock that Jesus would sell all, even His own life, to purchase it. But He paid the price because He found a treasure. And the treasure is us. You are the treasure for which Christ sold all He had – and even gave up His own life…
Remember that the treasure that Jesus purchased with his own blood is YOU!!!
Victor Tafoya
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