#DailyDevotion Jesus Sold Everything To Purchase Everyone
Matt. 1344“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man found it, he buried it again and was so delighted with it he went and sold everything he had and bought that field. 45“Here’s another picture of the kingdom of heaven: A dealer was looking for fine pearls. 46When he found a very expensive pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it. 47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake, and it gathered all kinds of fish. 48When it was full they pulled it onto the shore, sat down, and picked out the good fish and put them in containers but threw the bad ones away. 49So it will be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and grind their teeth.
Continuing from the three previous parables, Jesus tells three more parables of judgment and salvation. Why does Jesus tell parables in groups of three? Why shouldn’t he tell parables in groups of three? Maybe it takes three to get the point across.
I would like to take note of a couple of things here. One sells everything to possess the field. One sells everything to buy the pearl. And the third catches all sorts of fish. It’s a rather catholic action.
So the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. The finder of the treasure buys the whole field, not just the part that has the treasure in it. Usually the kingdom of heaven is identified with Jesus. I don’t think that is the case here. Here all believers are the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is the man who finds it and sells everything. He empties himself and buys the whole world (field), no one excluded. You can always be certain Jesus bought you with his innocent and precious blood.
Again all believers are the kingdom here. Jesus is the purchaser. He sells himself into death. He spills his blood to purchase the kingdom. Paul writes 1 Cor. 6:20 “you were bought for a price.” And again in 1 Cor. 7: 23 “You were bought for a price…” Peter tells us 1:19, 20 “you were ransomed…with the precious blood of Christ…”(ESV) See how much Jesus Christ values you that he would sacrifice himself on your behalf.
The final parable, we see the kingdom catches every sort of fish, good and bad ones. Indeed, Jesus by his blood obtained the whole world, nothing excluded. Some of the fish are good ones. They are those who trust Jesus sacrificed himself for them and rejoice in it. So of the fish are wicked. They reject the good news of Jesus. Like the weeds and the tares the holy angels at the end of the age get rid of everyone and everything that is wicked in the kingdom and cast them into the fiery furnace where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Don’t be one of them. The good ones are put into containers, i.e. they inherit the rooms prepared for them in Jesus’ kingdom.
Rejoice then we have such a savior who invest himself totally in our salvation that we buys the whole farm, he totally empties himself to purchase us and gathers everyone into his net.
Almighty God and Father, we thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ into the world to purchase us with his blood and making us his own in his kingdom. Grant us steadfastness of faith we may be included in that kingdom on the Last Day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.