Alright, we are studying the parables of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so far, we have been looking at the parables of the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded by Luke in the gospel of Luke. So this morning, we kind of shift gear a little and to look at the parable or one of the parables but now recorded by Matthew in his gospel. So this morning we are going to look at Matthew 13:44-46. So please turn with me to this passage of Scripture. Matthew 13:44-46.

Alright so let me first read the passage beginning in verse 44: “Now 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 (or great value), went and sold all that he had and bought it.”. Now, let us pray.

“Our dear Father in heaven, we thank You for this opportunity to be gathered around Your Word. And we know that by ourselves we cannot understand Your truth. And so we come and pray that You might open up our eyes to see these wondrous truth. For these, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen”.

So as we come to this passage here, you see that there are two parables. So we can call this the twin parables. So when you study the parables of the Lord Jesus Christ, now sometimes it’s just a single parable. And sometimes it’s like this, a twin parable. You might remember one that we studied not so long ago, the parable of the seed and the leaven. So again they were put together as twin parables. And sometimes we have parables that come in threes. I’m not sure whether you can think of any of those parables that come in threes. Though you are familiar with the parables of the prodigal son, so remember that that parable didn’t come as just one single parable but it came together with the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin alright. So it came in threes.

So this morning, we are looking at what we see here as the twin parables, the first one is recorded in verse 44 and the second one in verse 45 and verse 46. Now here in these two parables, we are told that the kingdom of heaven is first of all like a treasure hidden in the field. Now it might come as a surprise or maybe a shock for some of you that you could actually find treasure in the field. Now you can, maybe still today alright. So after church let me go and dig around everywhere alright and see whether you can find some treasure. But you see, it was not uncommon in those days. Why? Because in those days when they have money or you have treasures, now there were not many safe places to put your treasures.

You know the banks that we have like CIMB or Maybank alright, they didn’t have that. So they had to find somewhere to put their money. And we think that well, that’s just a practice long ago you know people in those days you know the safe place to keep their treasures is to dig a hole in the ground and barricade and then plant an orchid or a rose alright. But today actually, people still do that, do you realise that? Now actually, I found treasures before, and I tell you where. When once I was looking for a t-shirt or something like that, I was looking, looking, there’s some money inside, underneath a pile of clothing or a t-shirt somewhere.

Maybe my wife thought that that’s a safe place to hide some money alright or to keep some money alright so that not to prevent me from finding but to prevent the thieves. Actually, the thieves know of this trick. And that’s the reason why if you have been robbed before; if your house had been robbed by these robbers, you know what the thief would do? They’ll go to your cupboard, open up, and they will you know ransack your wardrobe because they know that people still hide treasures alright underneath some of these clothing somewhere. Now you see, that is the picture here alright. That is what we are seeing here.

So in those days, that was a common thing for people to do. And therefore, it’s possible to find treasures. And that’s why Jesus told this parable that people are very familiar with you know, a story like this. And so He says that one day this person found treasures as he was doing his work. Don’t know what he was doing. Maybe he was just a farmer. He was just doing some gardening. He was just digging here and there, and then he found this treasure. And he knew it. This is treasure. I don’t know what was the treasure that he found, but he knew that this is precious, something very valuable, worth everything. And for that reason, he went back, sold everything, and then bought the field in order to get the treasure. Now that is the first parable.

Now then the second parable is about a merchant, merchant looking for fine pearls. Pearls are among the most precious commodities in those days and I think still today alright. And so people look for precious things. He said in this case, this merchant is looking for precious pearl. Maybe many of us are not familiar with pearls. Maybe we are more familiar with durian. People go around hunting for durian. Now it’s priceless commodity. And then one day, you go to Bentong alright and found Musang King. You go back, sell everything in order to get that durian. Now it’s something like that.

Now they’re looking for something precious, something desirable. So all durians are just desirable, but some durians are more desirable. Here is one pearl that this merchant found. And being a merchant, now been a durian eater, he knows what kind of good durian tastes like alright. So being a merchant, he knows what a priceless pearl looks like. He found one, he went back, sold everything in order to get this pearl. This is priceless. A pearl of great value, Jesus says. Now that is the story here alright. So we have these two stories. So it’s not a very difficult story to understand if you understand the custom and the times in those days, the practices. Alright, now let’s try to understand why did Jesus tell this parable. What was He trying to teach us here?

That’s the most important question. That’s the reason why we are looking at the parables alright. So let us now try to understand these two parables or these twin parables here. Now you see, there is what I believe to be a mistaken interpretation of these parables. So if you go around; if you read commentaries, then you might come across this particular interpretation and that is that some people believe that we are the treasures referred to here in these parables. We are that treasure hidden in the field, and we are that pearl that this merchant found. And Jesus is the one who discovered this treasure or who found this priceless pearl. And so they think that this is what Jesus is trying to teach through these two stories here that the Lord Jesus found us and He gave up everything in order to get us.

Well, it sounds plausible alright that He did give up everything. He gave up heaven and came to this earth in order to get us alright to purchase us. But I believe that the more correct interpretation or understanding of this parable is rather this, that the treasure and the pearl is Christ. The treasure and the pearl is salvation in Christ or the treasure and the pearl is the gospel of Christ of the grace of God. Now that is the treasure. That is the priceless pearl. I thought it could not be that we are that priceless pearl that Jesus did not know of and He suddenly discovered us. It could not be that alright. Jesus knew who He was looking for. He came. Yes, He sought us, but He knew.

But here we have a story that tells us that this man who didn’t know that it was a treasure, that it was a sudden discovery. In fact, a surprise to this man. And so the understanding of this, now the interpretation. The correct understanding of these parables is, therefore, this that the treasure and the pearl, they are a picture of salvation, a picture of Christ, a picture of eternal life or of the gospel alright. So if that is what Jesus is talking about here, that is why He was saying this parable to the people around Him in those days. He is saying to them do you not realise that this is about salvation? This is about salvation that can be found through Me or in Me.

Now if these two parables are about salvation, now what do they teach us about salvation? What do you know about salvation? What do you know about the gospel of Jesus Christ? It’s important. It’s important for us to know. And so we are now going to look at these two parables and learn three important truths about salvation, three important truths that these twin parables are teaching us about salvation and they are these. Number one, salvation, Jesus tells us here is a priceless treasure. Salvation is a priceless treasure. Now, why would Jesus want to tell people that? Is that not something everybody knows?

No! In Jesus’ day, not many people know and understand that salvation in Christ is a precious commodity. It’s a priceless thing, and not many people today. Do you realise that not many people today understand that salvation is a precious thing? We know that because not many people are actually looking for it. How many people when you wake up, when they wake up every day in their life are thinking about salvation, asking that question: What must I do to be saved, are seeking eternal life, are seeking heaven? No, that is not what we see all around us. What we see rather are people every day in their life seeking other treasures. They want money, they want pleasures, they want the world, they want everything except the gospel, everything except Jesus Christ, everything except eternal life. They are not seeking it.

Why? Because they do not understand, and they cannot see the preciousness of salvation. And so Jesus said I must tell you a story. I must tell you know these parables and to show you that salvation is precious. And that’s the reason why He begins this way. He said look, the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is like this treasure hidden in the field. And then He says in verse 45 the kingdom of heaven is like that priceless pearl, precious. That’s what He’s trying to say. You might ask: Really, the kingdom of heaven refers to salvation? Well, that is very often how the Bible speaks of salvation. That is how very often the Bible speaks of a person who has become a Christian.

Look for example with me to Colossians 1:13. Colossians 1:13, and listen to what Paul writes here to the Colossians Christians about what it means to be a Christian, about what it means to be saved. Do you know what it means to be saved? Listen, verse 13: “He has delivered us from the power (or the domain) of darkness and conveyed us (or transferred us) into the kingdom of His Son”. You see, that is the kingdom of heaven or referred to as the kingdom of God in the gospel of Luke. Now there’re all interchangeable expressions, but all referring to this truth that to be in the kingdom of heaven means that you were once in the kingdom of darkness but now has been transferred into the kingdom of His Son. The kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven.

Now in 2 Peter 1:11. 2 Peter 1:11, and it says here, says Peter here. Verse 11: “for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the (eternal kingdom or the) everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”. To be saved, Peter says here, is to enter into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now that is what it means to be a Christian that you have been delivered from your sin, from darkness, from the power of the evil one. You have been plucked out of that and now transferred or put into a different domain. That’s the kingdom of God. We are kingdom people. We are kingdom people. Christians, we are kingdom people. We belong to the kingdom of God. No longer there. No longer in the kingdom of darkness.

So that is what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 13. That is what the kingdom of heaven is about. It’s about salvation, we being delivered from our sin. Now, why is salvation referred to as the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven? Why is salvation referred that way in the Scripture? What does that imply? Does it not tell us something about being a Christian? Now we ought to think much about our Christian life rather than just assume. We know you see, it has meaning. It has implication as to what it means to be a Christian. What do you think it means for you to be a Christian?

Now listen. Listen to Jesus in Luke 6:46. Luke 6:46, Jesus said but why? “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’”. Why? Why do you call yourself a Christian? That’s Jesus’ questions. Why do you call Me your Master and your Lord but do not do what I say? Now Jesus says you fail to understand what it means to follow Me. You don’t get it what it means to belong to the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. You missed it. You missed the point. You didn’t get it clearly because Jesus says here to be a Christian, to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ means you obey Him, means you come under His lordship. Why call Me Lord, Lord but do not do what I tell you to do and do not obey Me?

You see, a distinctive mark of a true Christian is someone who follows the Lord. Follow doesn’t mean that you walk behind the Lord. Follow means you obey Him. Follow means you do what He tells you to do. Does that describe your Christian life? Is your Christian life about following Jesus and obeying His Word? Do you even pay attention to His Word? Do you even read and study His Word? Do you even listen carefully when His Word is proclaimed to you? Do you care? True disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ is someone who listens and obeys Him. Now that is the implication here. That is why in the Bible salvation is called the kingdom of heaven. We are under the reign of our King (King Jesus), of our Lord and Master.

Now then, Jesus says here, while salvation implies submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ, while salvation means that now you surrender your life to Christ and to follow Him all the days of your life, make no mistake about it. That is what it means to be a Christian. But while that is what it means to be a Christian, yet these parables teach us that it is not forced upon us. It’s not like people force you to be a Christian and put a gun at your head and say obey Jesus. No, that is not what it means to be a Christian. But rather, this parable teaches us this, that we become a Christian, that we put ourselves under the lordship of Jesus Christ, that we obey Him not because we are forced or pressured to do so but because of an inner conviction.

Listen to this passage here in John chapter 6. John chapter 6, beginning in verse 66. Listen to the question that Jesus asked the disciples. John 6:66, beginning in verse 66: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”. There were people, throngs of people following the Lord Jesus Christ. And then when the crunch comes, many people stopped following Jesus Christ. When they realise the implication of following Jesus Christ, when they realise what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, they stopped following Him. You know the reason why many people are still following Jesus? Because they don’t understand what it means to follow Jesus, so they all follow blindly.

I think that is the truth in those days as well as today. They still want to be Christian because no implication, no price, no cost to bear. So who doesn’t want to be a Christian? But then when the crunch comes, we are told in verse 66 many stopped following Jesus Christ. Verse 67, then Jesus said to the disciples, to the Twelve, what about you? What about you? Now that you know, now that I have told you that this is what it means to be a Christian, so Jesus says to the Twelve: Do you also want to go away? You know many people once they realise what it means to be a Christian, they stop becoming a Christian. What about you? Do you also want to go away? And then listen to the response of the disciples in the following verse.

Verse 68: “But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”. To whom shall we go? “You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”. You know what Peter is saying on behalf of the Apostles? He says there’s something about the conviction here, that we have come to be convinced of something that these other people are not convinced of. That’s why they are all leaving because we have come to realise. Although becoming Your disciples means submitting to Your lordship, although becoming a Christian might mean that there is a cost to pay, might mean even it costs our lives, might mean a lot of inconveniences.

Yes, but to whom shall we go? What do You want us to do? Leave You and leave eternal life? You see, the thinking process here in the disciples? That this is valuable. This is precious. If it means that we will have to forgo everything, if it means that we have to pay a great price for it, so be it. That is what it means to be a Christian. So be it because there’s nothing more we want, nothing more we want than eternal life in Christ, for we have come to believe, he says in verse 69: “that You are the Christ”. You are the Messiah. You are the Son of God. You are the treasure. Now you see, that is what Jesus is trying to impress upon. Do you understand what is salvation? Do you understand that salvation is a priceless treasure?

As I said, Jesus impressed this upon the people in His time is because they don’t. And therefore, we need to impress this truth upon the people of our time because they don’t. They don’t either, but that is the first truth. That is a first truth that Jesus wants to impress upon us that salvation is priceless. Think about it this morning if you haven’t realised that it is more precious than anything- yes than anything in this world. And therefore, it is worth everything. It’s more precious than anything. Therefore, it is worth everything. Only people who have come to that conviction will respond like this man in the field. Only people who have come to that conviction will respond like this merchant seeking for that pearl because he can see. He can see this is something unique. This pearl is special. It’s priceless. It’s worth everything.

When a person is persuaded in such a manner, then we see reactions like these. Now one such person is here in Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3 tells us of someone who came to such a conviction. Philippians 3:7-8, and here’s Paul: “But what things were gain to me”, what things were precious to me, what things were valuable to me, “I have counted loss for Christ.”. You know what he’s saying there? Before he saw Christ, before he saw the preciousness of Jesus Christ, there were so many things that were precious to him- his family perhaps, his career perhaps, his possession perhaps, the pleasure that he’s been pursuing in life perhaps, his present lifestyle perhaps. Once he sees the preciousness of Christ, he said all these things are as lost.

“Yet (verse 8) indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish”. It’s not like he said: Oh, Jesus is precious. This is also precious. Now very often in our Christian life, we will have to debate between these two. It’s a settled issue for him. It’s a settled issue for him. This is anytime better than everything else. By comparison, they’re all rubbish. They’re all dumps. Now that is the testimony of one who sees the truth that Jesus is pointing out here. That is number one. Alright so what is Jesus teaching us here about salvation? First thing, He says, salvation is a priceless treasure, and it is worth everything.

Number two, Jesus also is teaching us in these parables that salvation is a treasure that is still hidden to many. This is sad. Now if you can see the preciousness of salvation, now this second truth is sad. It’s a treasure, but the man didn’t know it. There’s a pearl out there, but this merchant didn’t know it. Salvation is a treasure that is still hidden to many. The Bible constantly impressed upon us Christians who have found the treasure. Don’t you realise that this precious thing, this precious commodity that you have found that you are now possessing, it’s still hidden to many people. Then you might ask: In what ways is this treasure hidden to many?

I think firstly, it is hidden to many because many have never heard about the treasure. It is still hidden to many because many have not yet heard the gospel, and I believe that many have not even heard the name, Jesus. Perhaps the only name- the only Jesus that they have heard of is a cursed word. That is the only Jesus they know, but they do not know the Jesus of the Bible. It is still hidden maybe even to some people who are close to you. Maybe to your neighbour, it’s still hidden to them. Or to your colleagues, to your coursemate or classmates, to your relatives, it’s still a hidden treasure. To many, I say it’s hidden because many have not even heard of Him. It is still hidden because perhaps many have heard but they have not heard the gospel clearly explained.

Try asking people these questions. When I say people, I’m referring to people who call themselves Christians. Ask them what is the gospel, and then listen to the answer carefully. Then you might realise that many have not yet heard the gospel clearly explained to them. There’s some fancy idea about the gospel that some say oh the gospel is just this, but not the gospel, not clearly explained to them. That’s why it’s still hidden to many. I say it’s hidden to many because many have never heard. It’s hidden to many because many have not heard it explained clearly. Or it’s still hidden to many because many perhaps have heard the gospel but heard the wrong gospel. They have heard the false gospel.

They have heard perhaps the American gospel. Some of you are not familiar with the American gospel. Perhaps you can just go Google and hear what is that about. The American gospel, so-called, so it’s the gospel where Christ is not the treasure, but something else. the treasure. Christ is only the means to get your treasure. Perhaps that’s the only gospel that people have heard about. And therefore, the treasure that Jesus speaks of is still hidden to them. Salvation is a treasure that is still hidden to many because either they have never heard or they heard the false one. But it’s also hidden to many because perhaps many have heard the gospel. And I hope and I pray that if you come here, you get to hear the gospel as it is found in the Scripture.

But that’s why it’s still hidden. Although many have heard the true gospel, it’s still hidden because they are unable to see its true value. They are unable to see its true value. Yes, they have heard perhaps. They have heard many times perhaps. They have heard this for many years perhaps, but they are still unmoved. They are unmoved. Why? Because they cannot see. Their eyes are still blinded. That’s why Jesus said to Nicodemus: Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. That’s the reason why many people, it’s still hidden to many people. They still cannot see the preciousness and the value of the gospel. Perhaps the other reason why it’s still hidden, maybe just one more.

I say it is still hidden to many people because of what Paul tells us in Romans 10:14. You know what Paul says here in Romans 10:14? Alright this is what he says: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear” if no one preached the gospel to them? Well, perhaps it’s still hidden to many, many people in the world for exactly this reason that perhaps we have failed in our duty to proclaim the gospel to these people. And so it’s still hidden. That’s the second truth alright in this parable. Salvation is a priceless treasure. It is a treasure that is still hidden to many, many people today. They still cannot see. They have not come to see the value of salvation.

Now thirdly, salvation is a treasure that may be found. That is good news. That is good news. Here is a treasure. Here is a treasure that’s still hidden to many. Still, many people cannot see. It’s not found it yet, but it may be found. That is what Jesus is teaching us here in these two parables. So in these parables here, here we have a story alright- a story of two men who found it. They didn’t know it before, but they found it. Just like many, many, many others who have found it through the centuries, they have found it and they exclaimed: I am redeemed! I am saved! Hallelujah! People who have found it would exclaim with joy. That’s the reason why when C.S. Lewis was converted, he wrote a book about his conversion called “Surprised By Joy”. It’s always that way.

Look at these two men in the parables. They were surprised but with joy, pleasant surprise. Thank God that this treasure may be found. Seek the Lord, the Bible says, while He may be found. Seek Him. But there is a limited time alright- for a limited time only. You will not just go on forever and ever. But while He may be found, the Bible says seek Him. But this parable tells us that there are two ways people find this treasure. Firstly, by discovery. By discovery. Some are like this first man here. He was not particularly looking for the treasure, but he discovered it alright. He was just going about his daily chores. I said maybe he was a farmer, so he went to the field. And then suddenly, he discovered this treasure while digging around. He stumbled upon it.

One such man in the Bible is Saul. You remember Saul? He wasn’t seeking the treasure. He wasn’t looking for it; he stumbled upon it. In fact, he was going about his daily chores and that is to persecute the Christians. He went and destroyed the churches. When he was breathing out threat against the church, he suddenly stumbled upon this treasure. A light shone on him. Jesus appeared to him and he saw the priceless pearl, the treasure of great value. Another person was the Samaritan woman. She wasn’t looking for Jesus. She was going about her daily chores, collecting water for herself and her family. Then she stumbled upon Jesus and she found that treasure.

You can think of the Philippian jailer as another example. He was just doing his duty- going to his workplace which is the jail alright, guarding the prisoners. And then he stumbled upon the treasure. They found salvation through the Lord. Some people were just going about their life in school. That was how I was converted- in the school. I wasn’t looking for Jesus, but I stumbled upon the treasure. Maybe some of you found Him in your office, or maybe at the bus stop, in the supermarket, or maybe during Christmas event. Now you wouldn’t go to a Christmas party for Jesus. You’re going there for the drink, but then you found Jesus. You see, this is how some people find this treasure, just going about their daily chores, their lives, and then they stumbled upon this treasure, this great discovery.

While others like the other man, they were actually seeking for something. They were actually seeking for something. Not that they were particularly looking for that priceless pearl, they were just looking for pearls. They were looking perhaps for significance in life. That is one of those pearls they may be looking for. Or looking for meaning or looking for money or for fun or for excitement. Perhaps that’s one of the reason people go to church- for the fun and the excitement. So here in the second man, he was just looking for pearls.

And then he sees it. He sees that one. He sees that here is something different, different from everything else that I’ve been looking for in life. I thought that money is everything. I thought that pleasure is everything. I thought that this is what gives me meaning in life. My career, all the possessions, I thought these were the things. Then I found one. He’s Jesus. He’s Jesus, and then I threw away everything else in order to pursue this priceless pearl. Now that is how people discover this. I said thank God that this treasure may be found.

Now let me end by drawing attention to this saying of Jesus or this challenge of Jesus in the gospel of Luke in chapter 9. Luke chapter 9. As I say in Jesus’ days as He was going about proclaiming the kingdom of God, preaching the kingdom of heaven, preaching the gospel of salvation by grace. There were people who actually came around Him and listened to Him. And then He said to them in Luke 9:23- “Then Jesus said to them all, “If anyone (of you would or) desires to come after Me (to follow Me, to be My disciples), let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”.

That is what it means to be a Christian. Deny yourself, take up the cross, forsake all, and follow Me. Then you might ask: Is it even worth it? Would you? If this is what it means to be a Christian, would you? It depends whether you are like these two men here who have seen preciousness in Jesus Christ, have seen that salvation is an invaluable treasure. Let us pray.

“Our Father in heaven, we thank You that salvation is precious. And we only pray that this morning that You would open up all our eyes to see that value and that we might desire it, that we might be convicted, be convinced that it is worth forsaking everything in our life in order to pursue it. Grant to us, O Lord that deep conviction. For these, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.