A Diamond in the roughDevotion In Motion
Weekend Inspiration
Matthew 13:44-45
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. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
In this parable, a man finds treasure and immediately buys the field in order to gain the treasure hidden that is in the field.
You may have heard this parable taught like this: 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.
I believe this is the wrong interpretation. Instead, I believe we are the treasure and Jesus is the man.
After all, when you got saved, how many of you sold everything to follow Jesus? None of us did that.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]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.
John 1:12–13
We were born again not by our will, not by our efforts, not even by our desire, but by God. God saved us; God elected us; God predestined us.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life
Look We didn’t sell anything to receive Him.
He gave His life to purchase us.
Why was the field—the world—purchased?
Did the Lord want another planet?
No.
He wanted you.
Remember the story of Ruth and Boaz. Boaz was a wealthy landowner. He redeemed the field of his relative Elimilech – 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.
He wanted the treasure which was buried in the world.
” One Astronomer called the earth a third rate planet revolving around a third rate sun in a forgotten part of the universe””
There is nothing special about the world that Jesus would sell all, even his own life to purchase it! But he paid the price because he found a treasure and that treasure is you. You and I are the treasure for which Christ sold all he had, even his own life. He paid a price he didn’t owe because we owed a price we couldn’t pay”
And beloved this is the reason we give thanks, because
He paid a price he didn’t owe because he wanted to buy the treasure that only he could see. we owed a price we couldn’t pay!
Notice
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Notice both the treasure and the pearl are hidden from view. The treasure is buried in the field and the pearl is on the bottom of the ocean. In the same way, don’t expect this world to notice your value and worth. The esteem that comes from worldly pursuits is fleeting. Our true value is measured by what Jesus was willing to pay to obtain us. He bought the whole world to retrieve you. He sold all He had to purchase you and me. We are of infinite value in Jesus.
An American tourist in Paris, who purchased an inexpensive amber necklace in a trinket ship, was shocked when he had to pay quite a high duty on it to clear customs in New York. This aroused his curiosity, so he had it appraised. After looking at the object under a magnifying glass, the jeweler said, “I’ll give you $25,000 for it.” Greatly surprised, the man decided to have another expert examine it. When he did, he was offered $10,000 more. “What do you see that’s so valuable about this old necklace?” asked the astonished man. “Look through this glass,” replied the jeweler. There before his eyes was an inscription: “From Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine.” The value of the necklace came from its identification with a famous person.
You are of more value than you could ever imagine
A diamond in the rough
Amen
Victor Tafoya
I really, really liked this post. I hadn’t looked at it this way before as far as the man being Jesus buying the field to gain the treasure. It makes perfect sense though as Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him, which is us. He is so good, so kind and loving and He gave everything.
Thank you for this beautiful post. :0)