“Hidden Treasure” (Matt 13:44) - Kingdom Stewardship IV –

“Hidden Treasure” (Matt 13:44)

- Kingdom Stewardship IV –

“How Much Land Does a Man Need?”

One day I listened to the news on the radio about the UK’s most expensive parking space. It says that a parking space in London has sold for £400,000, which is about $644,000. You can see the picture on the screen. It is the underground space, which can fit two cars. It costs 15 times the average UK annual salary. This news reminded me of Leo Tolstoy’s short story, “How much land does a man need?” The protagonist of the story is a peasant named Pahom. At the start, he is a content and hardworking man. Unfortunately, he makes the mistake of thinking that more land would make his life better. He purchases more land. One day, he hears a better deal. The owners of the land promise to give Pahom all the land he can walk around in a day for a very cheap price. But there is one condition: He must reach his starting point by sunset that day. Pahom believes he can cover a great distance. He stays out as late as possible, marking out land until just before the sun sets. Toward the end, he realizes that he is far from the starting point and runs back as fast as he can. He finally arrives at the starting point just as the sun sets. People cheer his good fortune, but exhausted from the run, Pahom drops dead. His servant buries him in a grave only six feet long. Ironically it answers the question, “How much land does a man need?”

Kingdom’s Surpassing Value

The story shows that human nature pushes us to want more and more, and we are so easily caught up with the affairs and things of this life. But in today’s scripture Jesus shifts our attention to what ultimately matters in the end. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” The kingdom of God is a treasure indeed, but it is the treasure hidden from the world and from the wise and from the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing; but to us who are being saved it is power of God.” The gospel of the kingdom through Jesus is hidden but powerful. It has “justifying” power. No matter who we were, no matter what we have done in the past, this gospel makes us righteous. Here is eternal and unshaken truth: “Christ died for us while we were still sinners” (Rm 5:8). When we believe this gospel, God counts us as righteous as much as Jesus’. The Bible says, “God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Co 5:21). Jesus became our sin, and we became his righteousness. But there is more! The gospel of the kingdom through Jesus has “transforming” power. Yes, God counts us as righteous even when we are still in darkness, and he accepts us just as we are. But God does not let us remain in the place where we are. He helps us turn form darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). He makes us grieve and hate sin because he grieves and hates sin. He gives us a consuming desire to be holy because he is holy.

The gospel of the kingdom has justifying and transforming power. It is far more valuable than anything else in this world. The apostle Paul understood clearly the surpassing value of the kingdom through Christ Jesus. He said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Phil. 3:8). Hymn writer Rhea Miller put it this way: 

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

The absolute evidence of those who inherit the kingdom is to have a right relationship with Jesus. If we only have Jesus, then we have everything. If we don’t have Jesus, we lose everything.

Our Responsibility

The surpassing value of Christ Jesus and his kingdom inevitably requires our extravagant response. In today’s scripture when the man finds this treasure, he hides it deep in his heart and gives up all other happiness for it. To all of us there comes a time when we must choose between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. Many Christians today sit on the fence. They stay in comfortable gray zone. But the Book of Revelation clearly says that in the last days only two groups of people will exist: “Those who have the seal of God” (Those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes) vs. “Those who have the mark of the beast (Those who follow the ways of the world).” We belong to one of the two groups. We cannot belong to the both groups at the same time. Love for the world pushes out love for Christ and his kingdom. That’s why Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

There is one Korean missionary that I respect. He has been serving in Mongolia until now. In the past he planted a new church in Korea when he was about my age. During that time his family had a hard time financially. But several years later, his church grew, and he was appointed to a bigger church as an associate pastor. Everything became stable. He could afford to buy foods, toys, and gifts to his children. One day he heard the news that one mission organization was looking for a missionary to Mongolia. But there was no volunteer. Mongolia is not a popular country among missionaries because education system for children is so poor, and missionaries to Mongolia tend to live for life because no one wants to go there. He sensed that God was calling him, but he was hesitant because of his wife and children. One day while he was working at church office, God showed him vision. God showed him the very last moment of his life. It was twilight. He was giving account to God. In his vision he chose not go to Mongolia. He had just stayed the same place for life. While he was giving account, the most regretful thing for him was to ignore God's calling to Mongolia. After he saw this vision, immediately he contacted the mission organization to go to Mongolia. Since that time up to this day he and his family have been faithfully and joyfully serving in Mongolia with all their hearts. Today’s scripture makes us stop and ask ourselves, “What would be our proper response if we really found hidden treasure, Jesus Christ and his kingdom?”

“In His Joy”

I would like to put an emphasis on three words in today’s scripture: “IN HIS JOY.” This man does not sell his possessions out of religious obligations, but in his joy he sells everything he has and buys that field. Here we don’t see any negative or forced ‘giving up,’ but we can feel full of joy and excitement. When we recognize the surpassing value of the kingdom of God and see the glimpse of its glory, everything that the world offers to us becomes rubbish. Two weeks ago I shared the life story of C.T. Studd. He was rich and successful national cricket player in England. But when God called him, he joyfully gave up everything and went to China. Just before his death, Studd wrote one final letter back home as follows: “As I believe I am now nearing my departure from this world, I have but a few things to rejoice in; they are these:

1.      That God called me to China and I went in spite of utmost opposition from all my loved ones.

2.      That I joyfully acted as Christ told that rich young man to act. (he gave away his fortune to gospel causes)

3.      That I deliberately at the call of God … gave up my life for this work … for the whole unevangelized World.

My only joys therefore are that when God has given me a work to do, I have not refused it.”

The question is, “When we look back on our whole life, what are we going to rejoice in having done?” Probably we are not going to rejoice over how many hours we spent watching television. We are not going to rejoice over how many people on earth knew our name. We are not going to rejoice over how much we accumulated. When this life is over, what ultimately matters will be one thing. Our joy is only going to be found in the ways that we poured out our life for Christ and his kingdom. That ultimately matters.

Jesus Calling

In the early 20^th century Ernest Shackleton was looking for comrades to explore the South Pole together. He placed an ad in one of the UK newspapers as follows:

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

It doesn’t sound like a good offer. However, there were an astonishing number of applicants for this expedition, because of one reason, “a good name.” Today I would like to invite you to a far better expedition:

“People of all ages wanted for adventurous journey. The minimum standard of living, hardships, spiritual oppositions, long working hours. An easy and comfortable life doubtful in this world. Eternal life and everlasting joy guaranteed on the Last Day.”

My prayer is that all of us in this room may accept this call and experience the transformation of life and divine joy by living out the kingdom of God from this day forth. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Amen.