1. Is the Kingdome Worth it?
1.1. These parables are not about sacrifice, the the finders get something of much greater value
1.2. Matthew 4:20 (NLT) 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
1.3. Matthew 19:27 (NLT) 27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
1.3.1. Matthew 19:28 (NLT) 28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
1.3.2. Matthew 19:29 (NLT) 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
1.4. Matthew 10:39 (NLT) 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
1.5. Matthew 10:37 (NLT) 37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
1.6. Matthew 10:38 (NLT) 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
1.7. The “sacrifice” of all that is sold is no hardship: it is done out of “delight,”
1.7.1. not out of a sense of obligation
1.7.2. Can I do "this" and still go to Heaven
1.7.2.1. Misses the point
1.7.3. Luke 9:25 (NLT) 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?
1.8. Once the kingdom of heaven is truly understood, nothing else can compare with it in value.
1.9. Giving it all for the cause of Christ is not a sacrifice, God's kingdom is worth so much more.
1.10. Don't hedge your bets
1.10.1. Luke 14:28 (NLT) 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?
2. Pearl of great price
2.1. Matthew 13:45–46 (NLT) 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
2.2. He has been seeking pearls all his life, but this one is far more valuable than all he has seen.
2.3. Pearls were even more valuable in ancient times because now they are so easy to fake.
2.3.1. Pearl are often used an an example of extravagance
2.3.1.1. 1 Timothy 2:9 (NLT) 9 And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.
2.3.1.2. Revelation 17:4 (NLT) 4 The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
2.3.1.3. Revelation 18:12 (NLT) 12 She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble.
2.3.1.4. Revelation 18:16 (NLT) 16 “How terrible, how terrible for that great city! She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
2.3.2. Huge pearls form the gates in the New Jerusalem
2.3.2.1. Revelation 21:21 (NLT) 21 The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
2.3.3. Pearl deal sold less valuable pearls
3. The Carrot and the stick
3.1. Parable of weeds ends with...
3.1.1. Matthew 13:42 (NLT) 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
3.2. Parable of the Fishing Net (vs 47- 50)
3.2.1. Matthew 13:50 (NLT) 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
3.3. God is perfect
3.3.1. In Grace
3.3.2. In Judgement
4. Spiritual Seeker & Apathetick atheist
4.1. Pearl merchant is searching
4.2. Field hand stumbles across it
4.3. Jesus is reaching out to every person. He calls the spiritual seeker as well as the apathetic atheist.
5. Hidden treasure
5.1. Matthew 13:44 (NLT) 44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
5.2. If a workman came on a treasure in a field and lifted it out, it would belong to his master.
5.2.1. He is careful to buy the field first
5.3. It takes all of the man's wealth to buy the field
5.3.1. But it is more than worth it
5.4. Before banking, to hide wealth in the form of coins, metals or jewels in a jar or box in the ground was a recognized way of securing it, especially in times of crisis.
5.5. Josephus tells of wealth hidden by Jews and the efforts of Romans to find it.
5.5.1. Jo•se•phus \jō-ˈsē-fəs\ Flavius circa a.d. 37–ca 100 Jewish historian