Matthew 13:36-46 (ESV)

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷ He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴² and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. ⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Jesus left the crowds, but continued to teach his disciples in parables. After explaining the meaning of the parable of the weeds, he compared the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field and a pearl of great value. Both of these illustrations emphasize the worth of the kingdom. In verse 44, a man finds treasure hidden in a field. Today, we use banks and safes to keep our valuables, but in Jesus’ time, people buried important possessions for safe-keeping. If the owner of the treasure went on a trip and didn’t return or died, his valuables remained underground until someone else found them. Legally, when the abandoned wealth was discovered, it belonged to the finder. So to guarantee his right to title, the man in Jesus’ parable sells everything to purchase the field with the treasure to avoid any possible dispute regarding lawful ownership.

Jesus explained that the man in the parable was incredibly happy when he found the fortune. And because of his joy, he gladly sold all that he owned to buy the field containing the treasure. Jesus used this parable to teach his disciples that losing everything for the gospel is worth it. Even if the treasure is buried, or veiled to the world, it’s worth all the time and energy invested into it. Was Jesus saying we can buy our way into the kingdom? Of course not! We become citizens of heaven when we place our faith in Jesus and repent of our sins. Jesus made the point that even if all were lost on earth for the good news, it would be worth it. Have you sacrificed for the kingdom of heaven? Have you lost relationships, titles, or given time and money to advance God’s agenda? If so, you are like the man who sold everything to buy the field. Just as the man experienced joy, you should rejoice too, knowing that nobody and nothing can take what belongs to you in Christ. If you are holding back from doing what God has called you to because you fear missing out in this life, know that no cost is to too high when it comes to living for the Lord. If we experience any remorse in heaven, it will be over not doing more for Jesus. No one will regret her decision to do things God’s way.