We have been given the good news of the Gospel that it is possible to wipe Adam’s stain away and receive new life. This is incredible news!
One of the key narrative threads of the Bible is the idea of the Kingdom of God. It’s fleshed out by the teachings of Jesus Christ but is alluded to by both the prophets and in the writings of David.
Jesus uses the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven (or God)” thirty two times in Matthew alone. It’s also referenced in the other synoptic Gospels as well. It’s compared to a mustard seed, a man who buys a field to hide his treasure, marriage, workers in a vineyard, and other useful illustrations that would have connected with Jesus’ audience. All these parables and illustrations point to one key truth about the Kingdom of God. That it is real and extremely valuable.
I want to focus on two of these parables. The man who sold everything he had to secure a field with a great treasure in it and the pearl buyer who bought a pearl of great price. The text is Matthew 13:44-46.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
There are three really important principles that we can take away from this text.
First, the one who finds the Kingdom of God finds something surprising and unique. The Kingdom is never quite what we think it will be. In other parables given by Jesus that is a common narrative trope he uses. A situation is presented to the audience who will have preconceived notions about what is going on. Then the expected outcome is turned on it’s head to drive the point of the parable home. In the case of the man who found treasure in a field, the 1st century audience (and us) would probably assume that the man would simply take the treasure home. He could then add it to his other possessions. However, by saying that the man sold all other possessions he had to secure the treasure begs the question, “Just how valuable is this treasure?”
Second, the Kingdom of God can actually be found. Unlike the mystery religions of Jesus’ time, the Kingdom of God can be understood plainly and found by anyone. Someone looking for it must not be first “initiated” into some secret society to know the real truths of the Kingdom. It’s similar to the personification of wisdom we get in the Book of Proverbs. Wisdom (and the Kingdom) call out to others publicly and with love. The pearl buyer was looking for valuable pearls. He knew what to look for and how to spot it. God, even now, is drawing people into the Kingdom and revealing what they should be looking for. Often, when they find it, they latch on and don’t let go.
Third, and most important, is that once found the Kingdom becomes an utmost priority. Both the treasure finder and the pearl buyer sell all that they have to secure their prize. The text doesn’t say (implicitly or explicitly) that salvation is only found by selling all your stuff. Rather, these parables make it clear that once you are brought into the Kingdom of God through the miraculous regeneration of the Holy Spirit you finally see how valuable it is. Nothing else matters. No possessions. No status. No relationships. Nothing else.
Pause: Does this mean that Christians reject all worldly entanglements and seek to live lives of detachment? No. That’s Buddhism. Rather, we as Christians recognize that our possessions, relationships, and status are all to be used for the Glory of God and His Kingdom. We’ve found the treasure and it’s secured. Now what? Jesus answers that in Matthew 28 with the Great Commission.
The title of this article alludes to something called “The Great Distraction” but what is that? It is anything that takes the church away from it’s primary mission here on Earth. That primary mission being to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded us. This distraction has taken many forms throughout the ages. Whether it be a prideful emperor who wishes to make the world Christian by means of the sword or a Pope who sees the chance for the re-conquest of the Holy Land as a political mandate from heaven.
Even in times of internal church conflict (Council of Jerusalem, Early Heresies, the Reformation) the mission was not put on hold and missionaries traversed the globe taking with them the saving news of Jesus Christ.
Yet, here we are in 2020 and the Great Distraction has shown up once again. This time? Fear. Fear of Covid-19 and fear of chaos at home keep would be missionaries grounded.
Here’s the rub: we have found something of incredible value. We have been given the good news of the Gospel that it is possible to wipe Adam’s stain away and receive new life. This is incredible news! Yet, we don’t act like it. We don’t rush to tell others. Unlike the treasure finder and the pearl buyer we aren’t desperate to secure anything. Why? The Great Distraction.
I get it. A significant number of people have contracted and died from Covid-19 and there is a TON of ministry opportunity at home in the US. There are real issues that need addressed. Yet, all of that is temporary. In 10,000 years from now no one will care about them. What we will care about is what we did when we found the Kingdom of God. Did we make it a priority to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth? Or were we too distracted by our fears to notice the mission was going on unfulfilled.
There’s a ton of work to do. Let’s get back at it.
Kenneth See
SRM Founder