I read this verse in my study this morning and got convicted. It's amazing what God uses to work in my life. A little verse I've read a thousand times suddenly hits me between the eyes and I have to make some decisions in my life. Here's the verse-
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Matthew 13:44 "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."
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What caught my eye was this, "in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." Here is a man who has his whole value system changed in a moment of time and it's changed is a way that gives him joy to sell all he had valued before. Suddenly, all the "stuff" he had accumulated is set out for a garage sale. The stuff he spent good money to purchase....the living room set, the microwave, the flat-screen TV, everything! Everything goes and he sells it all with joy! Why? Because something happened...he found something so valuable to him that all that he valued before suddenly seems like junk. This is a story Jesus used to describe the kingdom of heaven. He describes this kingdom as a hidden treasure that will completely change my value system, that will bring me to the joyful disposal of all I have ever valued to get it. But I have never felt this way about his kingdom.....and so I'm convicted, I'm thinking....I'm challenged to consider....how important is this treasure to me? What would I give up to have it? Would I give up everything else WITH JOY to get it? What do I value most and what am I willing to give up to have it? I think I better talk to God about this....
3 comments:
Nice post. Something to note about this passage is that the Kingdom of Heaven is spoken of in present tense. It is not spoken of in terms of somehwere we go when we die. That seems to be the plain language of the verse anyway, right? How else could he find the kingdom and sell what he has to attain it if he isnt currently alive?
Frank
Mike, I think what I value most in the flesh would be, chocolate. =) Just a little lame humor for ya.
Frank, not to start a blog fight, but I think the kingdom of heaven in this scripture is meant as the place where we go when we pass on. I think (not that I'm always right and maybe I'm not) Jesus was describing this magnificent place we can go and like Mike mentioned should change our complete value system. The kingdom of God on the other hand might fit what your trying to say here. Hope my 2 cents I put in doesn't ruffle any feathers.=)
Luke 17:20-21
"Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within[b] you."
The religion of jesus day was very much focused on externals. This left poeple spiritually bankrupt. God was always out there or up there but never a present reality in them.
The concern for christians today is similar. Too often people place all their focus on an afterlife, as if this life is just something to be endured. Maybe if we had a more positive outlook on this life and its importance and blessing, there would not be so many hurting and hopeless people. We could be like jesus and give poeple hope, love, and healing now instead of just telling them to wait for heaven becasue it will be better.
i think this is why jesus and his ministry spoke of the kingdom in present tense terms, he wanted poeple to experience it and God now.
Frank
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