The Hidden Treasure

By Danny Saavedra

“Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like some treasure which has been buried in a field. A man finds it and buries it again, and goes off overjoyed to sell all his possessions to buy himself that field.”— Matthew 13:44 (PHILLIPS)

As a kid, did you ever imagine yourself as a pirate, treasure hunter, or tomb raider, looking for an amazing artifact or treasure box full of gold? 

Imagine you somehow discover there is an entire treasure chest full of priceless ancient artifacts, gold, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds buried in the backyard of a single-family home that happens to be for sale. Imagine that no one else knows about this but you! Wouldn’t you do whatever it took to ensure you were the one to buy that house? Wouldn’t you empty your bank account and sell everything you had to make sure you were the one to own that land? 

Today’s parable alludes to something very similar. Charles Ellicott wrote this regarding this scenario: “Probably no parable in the whole series came more home to the imagination of the disciples than this. Every village had its story of men who had become suddenly rich by finding some hidden hoard that had been hastily concealed in time of war or tumult.” 

How cool would it be to find a field with the greatest and most valuable treasure buried in it and then buy the field in order to have full rights to it all? In this parable, Jesus is telling us that this is exactly what the kingdom of heaven is like! We instantly become rich beyond our wildest dreams when we lay claim to it, when we are awarded a plot of land in the kingdom of God. 

And here’s the crazy thing: To the outside world, it doesn’t look like we’ve received anything of value; it doesn’t look like we’ve become wealthy beyond imagination; it doesn’t look like we’re now living large; it doesn’t look like we’re now royalty. Many will look on and wonder why we would give up our attachment to the things of this world, to the things the world values. So, it’s up to us to show the value of this treasure. It’s up to us to share the spiritual riches of heaven on this side of heaven, so that others will purchase their plot of land. 

Here’s the best part about it all: We don’t have to pay for this land with our own money. We don’t become a citizen of heaven by saving up our earned wages to purchase it. We simply need to give up our earthly treasures and accept the citizenship of heaven that Jesus Christ paid for us to have! He paid it —all we need to do is accept the indescribable treasure He offers. Thank You, God, for this amazing gift!

DIG: Why is the idea of finding an extremely valuable treasure so appealing to people?

DISCOVER: What did you, at some point, consider valuable by the world’s standards that you gave up in order to receive the gift of God and the citizenship in heaven that we gain by grace through faith?

DO: Read Philippians 3 and spend time reflecting on the treasure of Christ and all that we gain by being in Christ.