The Strange Mystery of the Buried Treasure

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13:44Adrian Rogers says, “A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”The Parable of the Hidden Treasure is a short, but often misinterpreted, teaching of Jesus. We often believe this is about a man finding the treasure of salvation and giving up everything to have it. But if we look closer at the strange mystery of the buried treasure, we’ll see this is not the correct way to read it.Jesus said in Matthew 13:44, “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.”First, the field is the world, meaning the treasure cannot be Jesus. We cannot buy the field or the treasure in the field because the Gospel is not for sale. Salvation is the free gift of God.Rather, the man represents Jesus, and the treasure hidden in the field is the nation Israel.Israel is a treasure sovereignly chosen by God. As Israel goes, so goes the world; the Bible is full of evidence that Israel is God’s treasured people.Israel is also a treasure sadly covered. When Jesus came into this world, Israel was lost unto her original plan and purpose. The kingdom God had promised to His people was languishing, as Israel suffered under the thumb of Rome.But Israel is also a treasure sovereignly claimed. When Jesus came, He uncovered Israel and claimed her as His own. As a shepherd seeks the lost sheep, Jesus came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (See Matthew 15:24.)Remember, the man in the parable, Jesus, not only revealed the treasure—He covered it back up again and went to redeem it. He’s the one who paid the price to buy the field. This tells us that Jesus is coming back to reclaim Israel in the Last Days.Israel is buried in the field—suffering unspeakable atrocities and persecution. Yet God will keep His word to Israel, His treasure.What does this mean for us? It means everything is on schedule—God has sovereignly kept His word to Israel, so we know He will keep His word to us. And the signs of the times are telling us that our Lord is about to uncover the treasure He bought.Apply it to your lifePray for Israel, God’s chosen nation, as we live in the Last Days.