Date: Friday, 20th October, 2023
Text: Matthew 13: 44-46
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
A treasure is a quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects. According to today’s text, God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure. He hid it again and was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned and bought the field. Also, God’s kingdom is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. One day he found a very fine pearl. He went and sold everything he had to buy it- Matthew 13:44-46.
Precious stones are generally not found superficially. They are mostly buried deep into the Earth. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. We cannot buy salvation with money or worldly goods but in order to gain Christ we may have to go the extra mile to give up or sacrifice some things.
In Matthew 19:29, Jesus said, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
Paul the Apostle is a classic example of someone who sacrificed his secular ambition in order to gain the hidden treasure. He forsook his worldly ambition to pursue the expansion of God’s kingdom on Earth.
In Philippians 3:7-9, he testified, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ.”
What are you willing to give up in order to gain Christ?
Prayer Nugget: I receive the grace to sacrifice all, in order to gain Christ in Jesus name.