Matthew 13:44–46 ‘When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.’ (v44)
Who needs lots of words to make a point? In just two sentences in our English Bible, Jesus summarises the gospel! We can over- elaborate, but the meaning is pretty clear. If we really grasp what the kingdom of heaven is, there is nothing on earth that we would want more. We can get the point but perhaps fail to grasp how we could ever get to that point.
First, we need to grasp the wonder of the kingdom of heaven, God entering our world in His glorious power and helping us realise that we were made to know Him in this world and will enjoy the glories that He provides in the world to come. Being tied to this world can prevent the kind of wholehearted response that enables us to enter into the good of that kingdom.
Sadly, many Christians find their Christian life pretty ‘joyless’: a few rules here and there, a little bit of self-discipline, a sing-song at church, perhaps even a thoughtful talk. Too often we are settling for a little bit of religion when Almighty God is offering to fill our life with His presence and grace. Why would I want to hang on to anything if it meant missing out on Him? That was the message Jesus was giving His hearers and He still makes that same offer today.
A Prayer To Make:
‘Thank You, God, for the glorious joy that we can know in the kingdom of God. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Take a moment to reflect on the joyful elements of the gospel that you know.
Scripture To Consider:
Ps. 73:21–28; Zeph. 3:14–20; Phil. 4:4–9; Rev. 19:7–9
