The Kingdom of Heaven
“The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matthew 13:44
The kingdom of heaven is a treasure. But if we are to find it we must search for it. We cannot expect to enter heaven without doing anything. It is a treasure not to be neglected. Treasures do not come to us without any effort on our part. We have to dig deep to find treasures of any kind, and the same it is with heaven. We have to give up our earthly treasures and search for heavenly ones. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21
If we lay up for ourselves treasures here on earth we cannot have our heart fixed on heavenly things. We will be too busy scratching together a few earthly possessions to be able to spend time in communion with Jesus.
Those who receive Christ by faith will be looked upon by Heaven as precious pearls for which the merchantman paid an infinite price, and the human agents who find Christ will realize that they have found a heavenly treasure. They will be anxious to sell all that they have in order to buy the field which contains this treasure. As they contemplate the love of God, as the plan of salvation opens to their view, as the mystery of Christ’s condescension becomes plainer to them, as they see the sacrifice that He made for them, they count nothing too dear to give up for His sake. The more they dwell upon the wonderful love of God, the vaster becomes its proportion, and the brightness of the glory of God becomes too glorious for mortal vision.
The Lord God of heaven collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to purchase the pearl of lost humanity. The Father gave all His divine resources into the hands of Christ in order that the richest blessings of heaven might be poured out upon a fallen race. God could not express greater love than He has expressed in giving the Son of His bosom to this world. This gift was given to man to convince him that God had left nothing undone that He could do, that there is nothing held in reserve, but that all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift. The present and eternal happiness of man consists in receiving God’s love, and in keeping God’s commandments. {Our High Calling p.13}
Jesus willingly gave up heaven, riches, a throne, power, glory, and His own life for us sinful humans. If He could give up that much just for a life of shame and reproach on this earth, then I am sure we can give up a few earthly possessions in exchange for heavenly riches, and everlasting life!! Amen.