The Call of the Kingdom (Matthew 9:9-13)

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

(Matthew 9:9-13)

It is tempting to focus on the one individual Jesus approaches and enlists as his disciple here in this passage. My NIV bible heads the section as "The Calling of Matthew". The other two gospels have "The Calling of Levi" (Levi being Matthew's other Jewish name) in their parallel accounts of Mark 2:13-17 and Luke 5:27-32.

Yet, in all three accounts, the controversy surrounds Jesus calling not one "sinner", but gathering around him many "sinners". Here in Matthew's gospel, verse 10, it is when many tax collectors and sinners come and eat with Jesus, that the religious leaders start to kick up a fuss.

This is not to say that Matthew's invitation by Jesus to join him in life and ministry is not important. Rather the calling of Matthew as an individual, soon gives way to the calling of a community made up of many individuals like Matthew, which forms the basis of a Kingdom proclaimed to many sinners like us. This passage progresses from:

• The Call (Verse 9)
• The Community (Verses 10 to 11); to...
• The Kingdom (Verses 12 to 13)

1. The Call

Matthew is a tax collector. His profession is highlighted three times in the passage. In verse 9, he is sitting at the tax collector's booth. In verse 10, many of his tax collector friends join him at home. In verse 11, the religious leaders criticise the whole bunch of tax collectors as "sinners".

All his life, Matthew never forgot that. In the next chapter, Matthew's name is among the twelve chosen apostles of Jesus. Yet even there, he is called "Matthew the tax collector" (10:3). Being in the inner circle of Jesus, witnessing his miracles and listening to his teaching, even writing this gospel account Jesus' life, ministry and death - never changed the fact that Matthew would always be remembered for this one job he once worked. But what was so significant about being a tax collector?

It is often taught in Sunday School that tax collectors were greedy businessmen who imposed harsh taxes on the people of Israel, forcing them to pay more than they could afford to line their own pockets. But the hatred of tax collectors goes deeper than even that.

2000 years ago, Israel (and much of the Western world) was ruled by the mighty Roman empire who enforced their power and influence through a strong military presence. The only way to finance the large number of troops needed for such a massive operation was tax. Money was collected to pay for soldiers, arms and supplies. Jewish businessmen bid for contracts to collect tax on behalf of the Roman government from their own nation. In effect, these tax collectors were financially enabling the occupation of their own country.

Tax collectors were seen as political traitors. But the label of "sinners" goes one step further to say that theirs was a moral offence against the God of Israel. Working in close proximity with Gentiles made them "unclean" - they couldn't come into the presence of God. Colluding with a foreign nation was an affront to the Kingdom of God - they stood under the wrath of the Almighty.

For Jesus to call Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him as a disciple is surprising, if not offensive. Not least because Jesus could have had his pick. Huge crowds followed him wherever he went. Many came seeking miraculous healing. Large numbers gathered to hear him preach. Not a few approached him to be discipled. In the previous chapter, Jesus had a learned scholar coming up to him to offer his services. "Teacher," he said, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus rebuffed him, "The Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Or later in chapter 19, when a rich man claiming to have kept the commandments of the God's law sought after Jesus, only to end up leaving sorrowful, having been asked by Jesus to sell his possessions.

Jesus could have chosen the best, the brightest and the influential. Instead, he chooses Matthew - a traitor, an outcast and a sinner. Matthew: who was not there in the crowd that day but stayed in his office minding his own business. He doesn't even bother to get up when Jesus finds him "sitting at the ... booth". But Jesus sees Matthew, Jesus calls Matthew, and Matthew responds.

"Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

To be called of God, is to be invited by Jesus. Personally. Irresistibly. To get up from wherever you are in your life right now, and join Jesus by walking with him and living for him alone. This is what it means to follow Jesus. This is what it means to become a Christian.

And Jesus says the reason he came is to call people like Matthew. He came to call sinners.

2. The Community

The religious leaders did not understand this. When Jesus is in Matthew house with Matthew's friends, the Pharisees gather outside to condemn Jesus for the company he is keeping.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

But notice that the point of contention is not just Jesus' company, but also his activity. Jesus is eating with these sinners. The issue is defilement. A sinner is unclean, and eating with a sinner makes you unclean. It was bad enough for Jesus to enter Matthew's home. But to eat his food? Doesn't Jesus realise he is contaminating himself not just externally but internally now?

Later in Chapter 15, Jesus would say to them, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " In Chapter 23, Jesus would condemn them for their concern with outward appearances but ignorance of their inner hypocrisy: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence."

The Pharisees raise their objections to Jesus' disciples. Perhaps they are trying to be polite (yeah, right!) by passing the message along. More likely, the religious leaders are standing outside Matthew's house, unwilling to risk defiling themselves by entering in. Yet there they are, standing on the outside, refusing to join in the celebration, and looking down disapprovingly on all who do.

The scene reminds me of Jesus' parable of the wayward son and his older brother in Luke 15 which ends similarly with a big party. The youngest son who had insulted his father by demanding his share of the inheritance only to leave home and squander it all on "wild living", returns home sheepishly only to be welcomed with open arms by his loving father. The father throws a huge celebration in honour of his youngest, much to the displeasure of his oldest son, who comes home after working all day in the estate, and starts kicking up a fuss. The older brother refuses to even step into the house. "No! I won't!" Like a small brat he throws a tantrum, blaming his father, blaming his brother, all the while insisting on being in the right.

And here in Matthew's gospel, outside Matthew's house, the Pharisees act like the older brother - who complain against the wayward, sinful brother; who pour scorn on their joy; who criticise Jesus for associating with these outcasts; and who still see themselves as righteous, holy and acceptable. It is worth asking at this point: why were they so confident of their rightness and Jesus' wrongness? What was it about the Pharisees and religious leaders that made them think so lowly of the tax collectors, indeed, of Jesus for mixing with the tax collectors?

It was their goodness.

Sunday School kids are often taught, "Don't by like those Pharisees, those hypocrites! They are the bad guys!" We imagine Pharisees to be spoilsports, mean-spirited, grumpy old men. But actually, the Pharisees were the good guys. They read their bibles. They followed the rules outlined by God's law. They looked forward to God's kingdom. They were religious, respectable and biblical. They were the kind of people you wanted teaching your kids in schools. They were the kind of people you wanted to run your churches - serious about sin and fervent about God's word. Pharisees were the good guys.

And Jesus shocks them by saying he didn't come to look for the good guys. He's come for the bad.

"For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Ironically, it was not their badness that kept the Pharisees away from Jesus, it was their goodness. What about us? Are we tempted to think God will love us more because we have kept the rules? By maintaining a regular appearance on Sundays in church? Through our grades? What is our measure of goodness? A job? Cleanliness? What makes us look respectable, acceptable before other men? Our education? The number of friends on our Facebook page?

While we are at it: what is our modern equivalent of badness? Who are the sinners in our day and age? Who are the people we stay away from? The criminals? The hypocrites? The poor? The rich, maybe? The proud and arrogant? Are we tempted to think that they deserve God's judgement for what they have done, more than we do?

The issue at heart of it is prejudice. Everyone agrees it is bad. Yet, everyone has prejudices; everyone discriminates based on their subjective judgement of what is good or bad, what is beneficial or unprofitable, what is useful or harmful. We might try to legislate against the act of prejudice - by enacting laws against hate crimes, unfair hiring practices or discrimination in schools and workplaces. But how do you legislate against the heart? How do you imprison hate? How do curb envy?

You see, even the Sunday School teacher, summarising a passage like today's by saying, "Kids, don't by like the Pharisees!" is essentially doing the exact same thing the Pharisees were doing. "We are good, they are the ones who are bad!"

Which makes Jesus' reply to the situation all the more radical. He brings the matter back to God's judgement. But more pointedly, he brings the matter back to his own mission. Jesus' call would be the true measure of righteousness and acceptability in the Kingdom. For Jesus is the King who has come to bring in the Kingdom. Jesus is the Judge who determines God's judgement on who gets into the Kingdom.

3. The Kingdom

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

There was something very significant about Jesus sitting down and eating with these tax collectors, and the Pharisees could see that. It wasn't just the food, though it was a possible issue of defilement. And, it wasn't just his friends, as hated as these tax collectors were. It was what the food and the friends represented together - a fellowship. Jesus was giving a glimpse into the new community that he would establish as God's new kingdom.

Every week, Rock Fellowship meets to study the bible and a big part of our coming together regularly each week, is meal we share beforehand. It is such a blessing to be able to do this as a fellowship, as a church and as a family. It really isn't just about the convenience of not having to grab dinner at McDonald's after work, or saving money, or even savouring a good hearty Chinese meal (though that helps!). Eating together is something you do regular with people you share your lives with. You eat with your friends. You eat regularly with your family.

The early church did this. In Acts Chapter 2, three thousand people became Christians in one afternoon. And from that day on, Acts 2 says these three thousand believers did three things. Every day, the met to study from the bible, to pray, and to eat together. They ate together as a sign of their new life together in Jesus.

So we as the Chinese Church gather on the first week of every month to share the Lord's Supper. It is simply a meal, consisting the bread and the cup of wine (well, cups - plural... filled with of Ribena), representing the body and blood of Jesus. We do this to proclaim his death for us, as one body in him. Often, you will hear us refer to this as "Communion" - our coming together as a community, to share this symbolic meal, as a reminder of the cross.

The bible speaks of heaven as a huge banquet. It is a feast prepared by God and shared with God's people. We looked at one such parable of Jesus on Valentine's Day recently when we studied Matthew Chapter 22 - The Parable of the Wedding Banquet. Here in Matthew's gospel, Jesus points forward to that hope of God's presence, blessing and salvation; he foreshadows that new reality - when we gathers these "sinners" around him and eats with them.

The Pharisees could see this. Theirs was a loaded question. They were essentially saying, "Why is Jesus choosing them over us?" The following passage reinforces this, where in verse 14, John's disciples, aligning themselves with the Pharisees also question Jesus' allegiances. "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Notice, how complaint still has to do with food? One party feasts while the other fasts? And notice, how the issue is essentially about taking sides? We and the Pharisees - as opposed to - you and your disciples (which may have also been a dig at the tax collectors - ohh, so these sinners are your disciples now are they, Jesus?).

Jesus' reply engages them at three levels.

Need

The first is need. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." Jesus says the reason people don't come to him is because they don't see their need for him.

For all the objections I've heard for years about the claims of the bible, about who Jesus is, about what he did for us on the cross, about the existence of God and the so-called problem of evil (which is really more a problem for the atheist that the Christian who actually believes that there is such a thing as good and evil, and a God who determines what is good and evil) - for all the effort that rightly goes into explaining and defending the truth of the gospel; what Jesus says here really hits the nail on the head. The number reason people aren't Christians isn't because they don't think it is true. It's because they think they don't need this truth.

Healthy people don't need a doctor. Good people don't need Jesus.

Jesus uses a very powerful analogy, doesn't he? Sickness as picture of sin. Now understand here that Jesus is not equating how you sick you are with how sinful you are (we will look at this in more detail in the next study). What Jesus is showing us is how aware we are of our sickness, yet how blind we are to sin.

That's because we don't ignore pain. We don't delay in dealing with our suffering. I have a headache, I take a few pills. I have a tootache, I immediately make an appointment to see a dentist. But we don't see our sin. We don't realise how it is killing us. We don't see how it affects the people around us. We don't realise how God is angry with our sinfulness.

Not all pain is a curse. God ordains some pain and hardship to open our eyes to the fact that we live in a sinful world. God sometimes uses pain to open our eyes to the reason for pain - our sinfulness and God's judgement over our sinfulness. There will come a day when God release this world from the bondage to decay. But until then, we cannot forget that heaven is not yet here, and Jesus has not yet returned. Seeing our pain, and recognising the pain of others ought to drive us to pray. It should remind us that we need God's grace to survive in this broken world, and ask him daily for grace, and long for daily for his Kingdom.

At the same time, not all health is blessing. Our wellness, our wealth, our privilege in life might very well be God's judgement in condemning a rebellious world in its blindness to the true source of life, treasure and joy in Jesus. It is one of the real dangers of the prosperity gospel over-emphasising blessings in this life. It spoils our appetite for Jesus. We don't need him as much as we need stuff from him.

Jesus says the healthy don't see their need, and they would not seek him to fill their need.

Mercy

Secondly, Jesus emphasizes God's mercy. He says, "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' "

Here Jesus quotes from the Old Testament book of Hosea, and you find that it's such an important verse, Jesus quotes it twice in Matthew's gospel. Here as well as Chapter 12. Both times, he is speaking to the religious leaders. Both times, it is about condemnation that they bring against Jesus and his followers. Both times, it stems from a misunderstanding of God's will in his word, which is why Jesus points to Scripture to clarify the situation.

And Jesus mentions two good things, yet one is better.

Jesus talks about two godly things, but one one is desired.

What is the mark of a true community of God? Isn't it tempting to say "sacrifice"? "Wow, look at that guy - he is giving so much of his time, and money, and energy to serve in this church! He has sacrificed so much!" Isn't sacrifice a virtue we value in the Chinese culture? The kind of thing we look for in our leaders? The mark of a true Christian?

Friends, I suggest to you that maybe we lack one thing. Mercy. I mean, think with me for a moment. What would it even look like? When I think of the brothers and sisters in our fellowship, in our church, it is easy to recall how sacrificial we have been for one another. That is truly a blessing. That is truly commendable. But what would an instance of mercy look like in our group, I wonder?

You see, "mercy" means not one of us deserves to be here. Mercy means I deserve God's judgement, not his love. Mercy means I am a sinner; we are all sinners. When Jesus calls Matthew and hangs out with the tax collectors, he isn't denying that stand under God's anger. He identifies their sickness that needs healing. He acknowledges them as "sinners".

But Christians are a special subset of sinners. We are forgiven sinners. We are to be repentant sinners. In the other gospel accounts, we learn that Matthew leaves his job. He repays all he has cheated. He leaves his life of sin - of living his life for himself - and follows Jesus, living his life to serve Jesus.

God shows mercy by pouring out his mercy on undeserving sinners. That is what Jesus does with Matthew and his friends. He is showing them what it means to be loved by God. Not surprisingly, the original quotation in Hosea could be rightly translated as "I desire love, not sacrifice". The word in Hebrew is chesed - a rich description of God's covenantal, faithful, everlasting love.

A community of Jesus that displays mercy, is a community that displays God's love. It means constantly forgiving one another, having received forgiveness from God. It means loving one another with the love we have received from Jesus.

Jesus' Call

Finally, Jesus sums up by pointing to himself - his authority to call sinners to himself. "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

To see the weight of Jesus' conclusion, we need to first notice a shift in pronouns. Previously, Jesus was quoting from Hosea where it was God who was speaking. "I desire mercy, not sacrifice," declares the God of the bible. In Hosea, it is God speaking to his people who have rejected him again and again. God desires that his people love him, with the love that has been shown them. A love that is constant, unchanging and steadfast.

And almost immediately, Jesus shifts to the first person. He says of God "I desire". Then Jesus says of himself, "I have come". One is the expression of God's will. The other is the fulfilment of God's love.

Jesus says the whole reason he came - into ministry; into this creation - was to call sinners. But more than that, he underlines the focus of his call by emphasizing the negative. He did not come for the righteous. There is a serious lesson here we need to take on board. Jesus did not take on flesh, to walk as man, to die on the cross, to be raised from the dead - just to give us a pat on the back for all the good things have done for God. He came to seek sinners who could not possibly help themselves. He came to save those who could not possibly save themselves. He came to die so that we would not have to face the final judgement of death ourselves.

This is in fulfilment of Hosea 6 - Jesus displays God's ultimate, merciful love to those who do not deserve it and could never earn it.

But it is also a display of Jesus' ultimate authority as God. For God the only righteous Judge can show such mercy in forgiving sinners. Only God has the ability and the authority to love the unlovable. The Pharisees for all their religion could not - their goodness could not save themselves, much less those around them - they lacked the ability and they lacked the will. But Jesus did. He had the authority to call sinners because he had the authority to lay down his life for sinners. That is the reason he came.

By quoting Hosea 6, Jesus offers a glimpse into the source of his divine authority - his sacrifice. Our sacrifices can never make us acceptable. Our goodness can never make up for our sinfulness. But Jesus can. On the cross, Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for our sin, by taking God's judgement for our sin upon himself. He gave his life as a sacrifice for us, that we might receive mercy from him.

If you are a sinner, this means Jesus came for you. He died so that you could receive God's mercy, love and forgiveness. There nothing for you to do, nothing that you could do - because Jesus has done it all for you through his sacrifice on the cross. All you can do is respond. By obeying his call and by following him as your Lord and as your Saviour.

Hear the call of the kingdom
Lift your eyes to the King
Let His song rise within you
As a fragrant offering
Of how God rich in mercy
Came in Christ to redeem
All who trust in His unfailing grace

King of Heaven we will answer the call
We will follow bringing hope to the world
Filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim
Salvation in Jesus' name

Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:44-52)

"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.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.

"Yes," they replied.

He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

The Kingdom of Heaven is near

Jesus has one thing on his mind. In this chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus is speaking about the same thing, again and again. Whether it is to a huge crowd in verse 1, or to just to his followers in verse 36 onwards, Jesus hammers home to all of them the same subject. He is speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven.

"Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!" These are the words of John the Baptist in chapter 3. These are the exact same words of Jesus in Chapter 4. And in chapter 10, Jesus sends out his 12 disciples. He gives them authority to heal the sick, to perform miracles but also gives specific instructions to preach these words - The Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Meaning: as you read through this book, you should get a sense that the Heaven is coming closer and closer to you. That God's presence has come down to be closer with us.

This is very different from how we commonly perceive Heaven. For us, Heaven is up there. It is a goal to be attained; a height to be achieved. Within religious circles, heaven becomes a standard of holiness and perfection we need to be worthy of.

But what is interesting to consider is how heaven is to go outside of religion to see how heaven is portrayed.

• You can buy a chocolate bar named Heaven.
• For some years now, if you typed in the word "heaven" into Google, the first result you get is link to series of nightclubs and discos in London

It all has to do with satisfaction, fulfilment and happiness. Go to any magazine store, say Borders bookshop right at the end on the ground floor where you will find a huge magazine section. I put it to you, that what you have there is a selection of different Heavens. Rows and rows of Heavens. Each a different version. Each promising aspects of a better life, a more exciting experience of life, a higher quality of life.

• fitness heaven
• food heaven
• Fashion heaven
• computer gaming heaven
• even a pet heaven

Very little to do with God or the bible. That's because we want a heaven we can

• buy with our money,
• get to through dieting and exercise
• Work towards in our careers
• A heaven we get on a plane and escape to

We went heaven to be a place of fulfilment, happiness that everyone can afford and everyone can access.

And the amazing thing is, Jesus seems to agree. It seems like Jesus is using the same words, the same categories to point to heaven. He talks about a man full of joy. Who uses his money to buy something that will give him extreme satisfaction. There is talk of risk but also of great reward. Jesus even talks about wealth and treasure.

On the surface Jesus seems to be talking about the same heaven as the magazines, movies and pop culture.

Notice that there is no religious language. No mention of a temples or priests. Instead, he talks about farming and fishing. And I guess that makes a lot of sense because the people around him are farmers and fishermen.

Here is an accessible heaven, an understandable heaven. Not up there, but near you. Not far away, but right here right now. It is almost as if Jesus is not so much denying our pursuits of heaven - reflected through our ambitions, our holiday plans, our desire for a lasting and meaningful relationship - but he almost seems to be saying, all these desires are reflections of our true innermost desire for heaven itself.

And yet what we are going to see today is that Jesus is saying much more. He is saying something radically different from both the advertisers and the religions of today.

He doesn't just use earthly examples to point upwards to heaven. Jesus is using heaven to point to himself. This is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the Kingdom of God. God's rule, God's kingdom, God's presence has now come near to dwell with man.

Jesus has come to reveal himself as the true King of Heaven and the true source of our identity, satisfaction and happiness.

We will see this in 4 points that Jesus makes in his 4 parables about the Kingdom of Heaven:

1. The Kingdom is treasured in joyful response
2. The Kingdom is valued through willing sacrifice
3. The Kingdom points forward to redemption and judgement
4. The Kingdom is revealed in word and witness

1. The Kingdom is treasured in joyful response

So firstly, the Kingdom is treasured in joyful response.

And the big point to get across is simply this: It is obvious!

• You can tell without a doubt when someone gets it.
• You see it in his face - his excitement.
• You see it in his actions and reactions - he immediately goes out and something about it.
• You see it in his joy - verse 44 - in his joy (he) went and sold all he had and bought that field.

And what has given him so much joy and excitement? Jesus tells us. It is treasure. It is extreme wealth. But it is hidden wealth. No one knows that it is there.

But he does. He stumbled upon it. The passage says he found it. This is an ancient equivalent of someone today winning the lottery! I checked it up this morning - it's 2.4 million pounds. Can you imagine winning 2.4 million pounds! Wow!

This guy has stumbled upon a huge source of blessing and wealth that no one else sees or knows about.

But what we can see clearly is this man's action and reaction. He sells everything he has. He house, his car, his TV, his sofa. All his clothes, all the stuff he has lying around the house. Every CD he owns, his DVD collection. Everything goes up for sale. If it were today he would put it up on eBay he needs the money quick and fast. He needs every penny to make sure he gets that land.

Now people who do such things are normally fellas who have gotten themselves into trouble! They need to pay off a huge debt. You sometimes see this on eBay; some guy just wants to get rid of this bunch of stuff. There might be a description about a recent tragedy in his life, some trouble he is facing that he needs the money to resolve. And you would expect someone in this situation to be really depressed and desperate.

But this man is the exact opposite! He is joyful. He can't wait to get rid of all his stuff. Because he knows, the moment he buys that field, when the land is rightfully his, there is a treasure just waiting for him.

People might be laughing at him now. Taking advantage of the fire sale. Buying all his stuff on the cheap.

But he's the one who has the winning lottery number. All they see is his sacrifice. What he sees and knows is the location of the treasure.

And Jesus points to this man and says that's what Heaven is like. It is a treasure that is supremely valuable, yes, but it is a treasure that is hidden from sight. You don't see the treasure - the parable doesn't even tell us what the treasure is - is it money, gold, jewels? What we see is a man. A man who is exceedingly joyful!

It is a joy that comes not after he buys the land. Not after he gets rich. It is a joy that comes the moment he knows he will be rich. It is the knowledge of the treasure. That certainty.

A joy that is willing to sacrifice everything else to obtain that treasure.

He will be rich, we will own the land, he will have that treasure in the end. But that's not what Jesus focuses on. Not his wealth. But his joy.

The Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus says, is treasured in joyful response.

That's my first point.

2. The Kingdom is valued through willing sacrifice

Next, The Kingdom is valued through willing sacrifice

Now on the surface, this second parable seems like a repeat. Let me read it for you, verse 45:

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Same story! A guy who finds a treasure, this time it is an expensive pearl; he sells everything just to obtain this treasure. It's just a sequel and if we're honest, it looks like a bad sequel - Like Spiderman 3 - What a disappointment.

There's nothing new, we've seen it all before and on top of that, the hero is a RICH GUY. It's like Star Wars with Jar Jar Binks. Jesus should have just stopped while he was ahead.

You don't make the hero of the story your boss! He's a merchant, a rich businessman. He's already rich!

OK, OK - if you really want to get theological and deep about it, where is this man's joy?

Ah, but that's the question Jesus wants us to ask! Where is this man's joy? What is his treasure?

He starts out looking for many pearls. Fine pearls. But pearls are really small things. If he was searching for gold, jewels, art, sportscars, houses, land - we can understand that. We can even understand if he was looking for an investment, something that will increase his wealth.

But when you are talking about one single pearl, you are talking about refinement not quantity.

Beauty and elegance not majestic opulence. Something that is precious. That's what the Greek word actually means when it says "When he found one of great value" - it literally says, he found a "precious one".

Think Lord of the Rings. Think Gollum and the one Ring. What does he say? My Precious!

And if you are familiar with the movie or the book, you know that the whole story revolves around the one ring. Whole kingdoms are lost, battles are fought, lives are sacrificed - just to obtain this one precious ring.

That is, Jesus is talking about more than just wealth. It's not just about making a quick profit. Getting a big return for your effort. Here is something that speaks to our inner desires, our passions, our obsessions. In a word, it is love. It's love.

If you have ever been in love, you know what I mean. No one else can see your love, your emotions, your rationality. But to the one in love, it makes perfect sense. To be in love is to be consumed by love. That's because love is costly. There is a high price for love. And those in love willing pay that price.

That's the point of the merchant. You see, you look at first guy and he starts out poor but ends up wealthy. But this guy here starts out wealthy but ends up with nothing but his pearl. He has more to sacrifice. And he willing sells it all, every single bit, to obtain this one single treasure. The fact that the bible describes the pearl as precious might even indicate that it really is only truly valuable in his own eyes. Were he to sell the pearl he might not get back all that he put in. Beauty in the eye of the beholder.

It is parable about priorities. What is number one. If you are in love, of course you'll say: he is, or she is - number one in my heart. But how do you know? How can you tell? Let me just ask the girls - How do you know that in his eyes, you are his precious, his true love, his ultimate priority.

Most of the time guy's will express their love through their promises. I will do this. I promise to be like this. I will do everything in my power to make this happen just for you, because I love you, because that is how much you mean to me.

Let me tell you a secret. You can tell what a person's priorities are not by what they do. Even less by what they promise to do. That's because the answer is always the same - I'll do everything for you! Guys will promise the world if they could.

No, you tell a person's priorities not by what they say they will do, but simply by looking at what they are choosing not to do. You looking at what they willingly put aside and sacrifice.

Because that thing they have put aside is what you are being measured against. Watching TV. Playing football. Food. What is the thing he is willing to do without, what is he sacrificing even now just so that he can be with you.

And conversely, what is he sacrificing you for? Maybe that's an easier question to answer.

Honey, I can't come home today I'm busy at the office. It's just so expensive to go out for dates - why don't you just get something from Tesco - from the expiring section. That shows his priorities too.

Be careful of the kind of guy who wants it all! Because he is the kind of guy who doesn't know what he wants at all. He isn't clear whether its a marriage, a house, an xbox, a lifestyle, an image - it's rarely ever children. And it's just a matter of time before something goes.

True value is seen in sacrifice. What does it cost?

The merchant sells all he has so that at the end of the day, he has nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except the one thing that means everything to him. It's a very unrealistic story, I know. What is he going to live on? He'll have to sell it eventually - to buy food, to survive.

But at some level, don't you envy him? Here is a guy who knows what he wants and he finds it! Many of us go through life, shifting from desire to desire. From one priority to another. From this place to that place. This job to that job. This relationship to another.

And we don't dare do what this guy did. We don't dare risk it all, because we don't even know what it is. It's like going to a restaurant, a really fancy one, where you can't really decide what you want because you can really only afford one thing. So you walk out hungry. You still have your money. But you have nothing you can really spend it on.

Jesus says, the Kingdom of Heaven is like knowing that one thing. Knowing your true desire of desires. And when you find it, you too will say, My precious!

The Kingdom is valued through willing sacrifice.

3. The Kingdom points forward to redemption and judgement

Next, The Kingdom points forward to redemption and judgement.

So far, we have been looking at things that we can see: the joy of the kingdom, the priorities of the kingdom, the sacrifice of the kingdom. But in this next parable, Jesus will show us something we do not see, we will not see, and many of us refuse to see. He reveals what will happen at the end of the age.

Verse 47:

"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Here's the bad news. I know some of us are surprised. But yes, there is bad news in the bible. That's just how the gospel works. The bad news is what makes the good news good. The bad news is what makes the good news urgent.

We have learned that heaven is joyful. Heaven is worthwhile. But if there is a heaven to be gained, the reality is there is also a hell to be shunned.

There are two points I want to make. The first is very very bad. But the second is very very good.

The first point is this: No one escapes judgement. No one escapes God's judgement.

A huge net is let down and it catches all kinds of fish. Both the good fish and the bad fish, all are caught in the net. The fishermen wait until the net is full. Both the righteous and the wicked will be gathered by God's angels. No one escapes.

This will happen. God's judgement is certain and it is final. If we reject the joy of the Kingdom we face the justice of God.

Hell is separation from God's presence, his life and his blessing. In the parable, we see it symbolised as rejection symbolising judgement. It is the fiery furnace symbolising God's anger. It is weeping and gnashing of teeth which is a dual picture of extreme sorrow, and yet continual rejection of God, continual unrepentance before God.

Here Jesus is explaining a parable with a parable. When it comes to hell, no words can describe how awful it will be. This is how it will be, Jesus says.

But point two: we are God's treasure. That's the good news. We are God's treasure.

It is very tempting to just stick to the first two "nice" parables. But you know, for some people even the parables about the treasure and the pearl may not sound all that good. In fact, I wonder if we hear stories about extreme joy and supreme sacrifice, and it just sounds so unreal. It seems so burdensome!

Just another list of things we need to do in order to get into heaven:

• Be joyful - don't be sad
• Rejoice and don't complain.
• Give everything, don't expect anything

What if I'm finding it really hard right now to be joyful. What if there is nothing I can think of that I can call my treasure. What if there is no one in my life who treasures me?

And now you come and tell me this horrible story? About hell? You don't have to describe it to me? My life is hell!

People rarely say these things out loud. But you can hear it in their responses. You need to hear the way they live their lives. It's in the way they walk. Even now, it's in the way some of you are looking at me thinking - So what is it? What are you trying to sell me this week? I've heard it all.

How do you speak to someone like that? You tell them the gospel.

Look again at the parable. Who is doing the gathering? Who is doing the work? It is the angels of God - God is the subject of the parable.

It is God who judges. And it is God who treasures. If you are in the kingdom, it means that you are his treasure. God treasures you!

Verse 48: (The fishermen) sat down and collected the good fish. That word "good" is the same word Matthew uses in the previous parable to describe the "fine" pearls. It means valuable. It means treasured.

Do you see? All this while we have been reading these words of Jesus from our perspective. How we see heaven. How we experience Heaven.

But here is Jesus clarifying to us, that it's the other way around. This is how God sees you. You are his treasure. And if you realise this, then the parables of the kingdom take on a whole new meaning.

The parable of the hidden treasure means that you, YOU are God's joy. Heaven rejoices over you!

The parable of the pearl means that God is the one who has sacrificed everything to make you his treasure. He has held absolutely nothing back. He sees you the way no one else does. Beautiful. He holds you in his arms and calls YOU, his precious. His beloved.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That's one of the most famous verses in all the bible - John 3:16.

But if I were to ask you - Which word is the most important in that verse? What would be your answer?

God. loved. the world. one and only Son. Eternal life?

For those who truly understand the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven, the most important word there is "so" - For God so loved the world. How much does God love us. So much.

At the cross, he gave his Son. At the cross we see how much God hates sin. He pours out his judgement and condemnation.

At the cross we see how much God loves us. He pours his judgement on him. He gave all that he could give: Jesus offered his life, his dignity, his rights so that we could be in his eyes precious. He did this willingly, sacrificially, joyfully.

The Kingdom points forward to redemption and judgement.

4. The Kingdom is revealed in word and witness

But finally, the Kingdom is revealed in word and witness. Jesus asks a question in verse 51:

"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.

"Yes," they replied.

He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

Many get confused by this last statement of Jesus. He refers to "every teacher of the law" - "every teacher" - The word there "scribe". Scribes who were the intellectuals of the day. These were the PhDs, scholars, the Cambridge professors who were educated, intelligent and articulate.

But as far as we can tell, the people around him were not intellectuals. These were the crowds, the disciples. Most of them were blue-collar workers: labourers, slaves, fishermen and farmers. They weren't educated. Most couldn't read or write. So who is he talking about? The Pharisees? They aren't even mentioned.

Jesus is talking about you. If you are a follower, a disciple of Jesus, he looks right at you and says you are the scribes. You are the new teachers of the law. Because you have been instructed of the Kingdom of Heaven. You have received the treasure of the gospel.

But there's a big difference between you and the religious teachers. It is not just because you have what they don't but you give what they won't.

You have received the treasures of the Kingdom. So now, you have to bring it out. Don't hoard it. Don't put it away. You have to share this treasure with others.

The owner of the house brings out everything, not just the old stuff, the new stuff. The good and the bad. Everything. He holds nothing back. He keeps nothing to himself.

And here is Jesus looking for a response: A response of faith,(Do you understand this? "yes" they say) but more so a response of faithfulness. It's not just trusting in the treasure I will receive but being entrusted with a treasure I will be faithful with.

Have you understood these things? Have you?

Is Jesus your ultimate joy and priority? Your true treasure. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus "who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame". If we look to the cross, there God gives his all - not withholding his only Son; and there Jesus willingly, joyfully endures the cross to make us his treasure.

We close with a song of response:

You are my strength when I am weak

You are the treasure that I seek

You are my all in all

Seeking You as a precious jewel

Lord, to give up I'd be a fool

You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame

Rising up again I bless Your name

You are my all in all

When I fall down You pick me up

When I am dry You fill my cup

You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name