Parable of the Pearls and the
Hidden Treasure
Introduction:
Hearing the Master’s Voice
On my grandparents’ table sat an old RCA radio with the little dog
listening to the gramophone—“His Master’s Voice.” It’s a fitting
picture for disciples today. Jesus has ascended; we do not hear Him
audibly. So we sit before His word and listen. Scripture is the
Lord’s recorded voice from Genesis to Revelation. If we miss Him, it
won’t be for lack of access—it will be for lack of listening. In
Matthew 13 Jesus speaks to us about value—about what His kingdom is
worth—and He uses two brief parables to drive it home: the hidden
treasure and the pearl of great price.
Two Snapshot
Parables with One Burning Point
Both parables teach the surpassing worth of the kingdom—but they
highlight two different paths to it. In the first, a man
stumbles upon
treasure; in the second, a merchant
searches for a
unique pearl. In both cases, once they see the value, they sell all
to obtain it (Matthew 13:44–46).
The Hidden
Treasure: Found “Accidentally,” Kept Purposefully
“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” (Matthew 13:44). In the ancient world,
people often buried valuables; banks were scarce and thieves were
many. Here a man “finds” treasure without looking for it. Some in
Scripture met the kingdom that way. Saul of Tarsus certainly wasn’t
seeking the church—he was hunting it—yet the Lord found him and
turned him (Acts 9:1–18). The Samaritan woman went to draw water and
met the Messiah (John 4:4–42). They weren’t searching, but when
confronted with Christ, they discovered joy, value, and a new life.
The man in the parable responds “for joy”—he gladly sells all. Joy
fuels sacrifice.
The Pearl
of Great Price: Sought Diligently, Chosen Decisively
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful
pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46). Ancient
pearl divers risked their lives for a single gem. This merchant has
been looking a long time; he knows quality when he sees it. When he
finds the unique
pearl, he liquidates everything. I’ve known seekers like that—men
and women who cycled through traditions, studied for years, then
finally saw the New Testament pattern and embraced it at great
cost—family, friends, reputation—because they knew they had found
the one true thing.
Why Such
Value?
-
Eternal
design: The kingdom/church was
not an afterthought but purposed before time (Ephesians
3:10–11).
-
The
King’s blood: Its purchase price
is the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18–19).
-
Unshakable reality: Earthly
treasures fade; this kingdom cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28;
Matthew 6:19–21).
-
Transforming joy: Those who truly
see its worth do not bargain; they rejoice to surrender lesser
things (Matthew 13:44).
What It
Costs—and Why It’s Worth It
“Sell all” is not a price tag we pay God; it’s the posture of a
heart that has seen reality. The rich young ruler kept commandments
but could not release his idol (Mark 10:17–22). Jesus isn’t one
treasure among many; He is the Treasure who relativizes everything
else (Luke 14:26–27, 33). Following Him will cost time, money,
ambitions, even relationships at times (Philippians 3:7–8). But the
loss is gain.
Guarding
the Treasure
If the kingdom were a box in your house, where would it sit? Locked
in the safest place—or scattered on the coffee table, easily
misplaced? Your habits answer that: time in the word (hearing the
Master’s voice), prayer, gathered worship, service, generosity,
evangelism. We protect what we prize (Colossians 3:1–4; Matthew
6:33).
Parable of the
Pearls and the Hidden Treasure Sermon Outline
Call to
Action
Have you seen the treasure? Then act with joy. If you’ve been
“accidentally” confronted by the gospel, don’t walk past the
field—buy it. If you’ve been seeking truth for years and now see the
unique pearl, sell everything that competes and follow Jesus. Be
born again into His kingdom (John 3:3–5; Acts 2:38), and if you’ve
let the treasure drift to the coffee table of your life, repent and
place it in the safest place—at the center—today.
Key
Takeaways
-
The
kingdom’s worth compels joyful surrender (Matthew 13:44–46).
-
People come
by different paths—unexpected discovery or long seeking—but the
response is the same: “sell all.”
-
Christ and
His kingdom are not one treasure among many; they are the
Treasure above all.
-
We prove
what we value by what we guard, schedule, fund, and obey.
Scripture
Reference List
-
Matthew
13:44–46 — Hidden treasure; pearl of great price
-
Acts 9:1–18
— Saul confronted by Christ
-
John 4:4–42
— Samaritan woman meets the Messiah
-
Acts 10 —
Cornelius the seeker
-
Ephesians
3:10–11 — Eternal purpose of the church
-
Acts 20:28;
1 Peter 1:18–19 — Purchased by Christ’s blood
-
Hebrews
12:28; Matthew 6:19–21 — Unshakable kingdom; true riches
-
Mark
10:17–22 — Rich young ruler
-
Luke
14:26–27, 33 — Cost of discipleship
-
John 3:3–5;
Acts 2:38 — New birth into the kingdom
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at
Granby, MO |
The
church of Christ
