Priceless
The Priceless Treasure Hidden in Plain Sight
Imagine discovering a masterpiece worth millions hanging above your kitchen stove. In 2017, a French family experienced exactly this when what they thought was a worthless painting turned out to be an original work by a Renaissance master worth $39 million Canadian. For decades, this priceless treasure had been darkened by smoke, dismissed as nothing more than decorative kitchen art.
How many of us walk through life with a treasure of infinite worth within our grasp, yet fail to recognize its value?
The Treasure That Changes Everything
In Matthew 13, Jesus presents two vivid parables about the kingdom of heaven. In the first, a man discovers treasure hidden in a field. His response? Pure joy. He sells everything he owns to purchase that field. In the second parable, a merchant searching for fine pearls finds one of extraordinary value and does the same—liquidates his entire portfolio to possess it.
These aren't stories about reckless financial decisions. They're revelations about recognition and response.
Both men encountered something so valuable that their previous possessions paled in comparison. The treasure was already there, waiting to be discovered. One man stumbled upon it; the other actively sought it out. But both had the spiritual sight to recognize what they'd found.
Why Don't More People See It?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: millions of people look directly at the kingdom of heaven and see nothing worth pursuing. Some have been wounded by Christians—experiencing hypocrisy, abuse of power, or a shocking lack of love from those who claim to follow Christ. These wounds create cataracts on the soul.
Others have been introduced to counterfeit versions of Christianity: moralism without grace, cultural Christianity without transformation, political Christianity that prioritizes cultural reformation over spiritual renewal, or fear-based religion that emphasizes punishment instead of redemption.
Some don't see the treasure because of pride and self-sufficiency. "I don't need saving," they say, blind to their own condition. Others love their darkness too much. As Jesus himself said in John 3:19, "People loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
The enemy of our souls has mastered the art of deception. Second Corinthians 4:4 reveals that "the God of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." The treasure is there, radiant and real, but spiritual blindness keeps it hidden.
The Divided Heart
Even within the church, many fail to grasp the full value of God's kingdom. The temptation to mix worldly treasures with heavenly ones creates a divided heart. Jesus said it plainly: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Consider the World Economic Forum, where global elites gather to discuss power and influence. To many, this represents the ultimate treasure—the pinnacle of human achievement. Yet this "treasure" is extraordinarily limited. As Arthur Gwitterman poetically observed:
"The tusks that clashed in mighty brawls of mastodons are now billiard balls. The sword of Charlemagne the just is ferric oxide known as rust."
Nothing on this side of eternity—no influence, no reputation, no monetary value—crosses over with us. We are, as the ancient Roman poet said, "dust and shadow." Ecclesiastes 12:7 confirms: "The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it."
The only part of us that will exist in 120 years is our spirit. And without God, that spirit faces an eternity separated from its Creator.
The Problem We Cannot Solve
Here's our dilemma: Romans 3:23 declares, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sin entered the world through one man, and death spread to all people because all sinned (Romans 5:12). This isn't a problem we can outwork, outpay, outearn, or outlast. The debt is too great.
But what's impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).
The Way In
Entrance to the kingdom cannot be achieved by our own merit. Romans 10:10 shows us the path: "It is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith, and you are saved."
First Peter 1:8-9 beautifully captures this reality: "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
You don't give everything you have for a piece of dirt. You give everything for true life—eternal life.
When Light Pierces Darkness
Nicky Cruz grew up rejected, beaten, and told he was worthless. By his teenage years, he had become one of New York City's most feared gang leaders. Violence was his language. Fear was his currency. Love was weakness.
Then a skinny country preacher named David Wilkerson stood before him and said, "Nicky, Jesus Christ loves you."
Nicky threatened to kill him. But Wilkerson, never flinching, replied: "You can cut me into a thousand pieces and every piece will still say, Jesus loves you, Nicky."
Those words haunted him—not because they were loud, but because they were true. Over time, the walls built by years of hatred began to crack. Nicky encountered a love that didn't fight him, didn't fear him, and would never abandon him.
Nicky Cruz gave his life to Christ. The most feared gang leader became an evangelist, carrying the message of Christ's love to the very streets that once defined him.
John 1:5 declares: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
The Joy That Precedes Sacrifice
Notice something crucial in Jesus' parables: joy comes before sacrifice. When you recognize the value of the kingdom, selling everything doesn't feel like loss—it feels like privilege.
This is why marriage statistics showing a 50% decline from 1991 to 2022 are so telling. Many view marriage as too great a sacrifice. But when love is genuine, sacrifice transforms into honor and joy.
The same principle applies to the kingdom. When you truly grasp what you've been given, worship flows naturally. You're not bearing a burden; you're offering your heart.
Your Story Isn't Finished
If there's air in your lungs, your story isn't done being written. No one is too far gone. No heart is too hard. No past is too dark for the love of Jesus Christ.
The treasure has been there all along, like a masterpiece above a stove, waiting to be recognized. When you finally see it—when you truly believe—your old life is dead. And you were never designed to tend a grave. You were designed to worship the God who gave everything so you could enter His kingdom.
This is the treasure worth selling everything to possess. Have you recognized it yet?
Imagine discovering a masterpiece worth millions hanging above your kitchen stove. In 2017, a French family experienced exactly this when what they thought was a worthless painting turned out to be an original work by a Renaissance master worth $39 million Canadian. For decades, this priceless treasure had been darkened by smoke, dismissed as nothing more than decorative kitchen art.
How many of us walk through life with a treasure of infinite worth within our grasp, yet fail to recognize its value?
The Treasure That Changes Everything
In Matthew 13, Jesus presents two vivid parables about the kingdom of heaven. In the first, a man discovers treasure hidden in a field. His response? Pure joy. He sells everything he owns to purchase that field. In the second parable, a merchant searching for fine pearls finds one of extraordinary value and does the same—liquidates his entire portfolio to possess it.
These aren't stories about reckless financial decisions. They're revelations about recognition and response.
Both men encountered something so valuable that their previous possessions paled in comparison. The treasure was already there, waiting to be discovered. One man stumbled upon it; the other actively sought it out. But both had the spiritual sight to recognize what they'd found.
Why Don't More People See It?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: millions of people look directly at the kingdom of heaven and see nothing worth pursuing. Some have been wounded by Christians—experiencing hypocrisy, abuse of power, or a shocking lack of love from those who claim to follow Christ. These wounds create cataracts on the soul.
Others have been introduced to counterfeit versions of Christianity: moralism without grace, cultural Christianity without transformation, political Christianity that prioritizes cultural reformation over spiritual renewal, or fear-based religion that emphasizes punishment instead of redemption.
Some don't see the treasure because of pride and self-sufficiency. "I don't need saving," they say, blind to their own condition. Others love their darkness too much. As Jesus himself said in John 3:19, "People loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
The enemy of our souls has mastered the art of deception. Second Corinthians 4:4 reveals that "the God of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." The treasure is there, radiant and real, but spiritual blindness keeps it hidden.
The Divided Heart
Even within the church, many fail to grasp the full value of God's kingdom. The temptation to mix worldly treasures with heavenly ones creates a divided heart. Jesus said it plainly: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Consider the World Economic Forum, where global elites gather to discuss power and influence. To many, this represents the ultimate treasure—the pinnacle of human achievement. Yet this "treasure" is extraordinarily limited. As Arthur Gwitterman poetically observed:
"The tusks that clashed in mighty brawls of mastodons are now billiard balls. The sword of Charlemagne the just is ferric oxide known as rust."
Nothing on this side of eternity—no influence, no reputation, no monetary value—crosses over with us. We are, as the ancient Roman poet said, "dust and shadow." Ecclesiastes 12:7 confirms: "The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it."
The only part of us that will exist in 120 years is our spirit. And without God, that spirit faces an eternity separated from its Creator.
The Problem We Cannot Solve
Here's our dilemma: Romans 3:23 declares, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sin entered the world through one man, and death spread to all people because all sinned (Romans 5:12). This isn't a problem we can outwork, outpay, outearn, or outlast. The debt is too great.
But what's impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).
The Way In
Entrance to the kingdom cannot be achieved by our own merit. Romans 10:10 shows us the path: "It is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith, and you are saved."
First Peter 1:8-9 beautifully captures this reality: "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
You don't give everything you have for a piece of dirt. You give everything for true life—eternal life.
When Light Pierces Darkness
Nicky Cruz grew up rejected, beaten, and told he was worthless. By his teenage years, he had become one of New York City's most feared gang leaders. Violence was his language. Fear was his currency. Love was weakness.
Then a skinny country preacher named David Wilkerson stood before him and said, "Nicky, Jesus Christ loves you."
Nicky threatened to kill him. But Wilkerson, never flinching, replied: "You can cut me into a thousand pieces and every piece will still say, Jesus loves you, Nicky."
Those words haunted him—not because they were loud, but because they were true. Over time, the walls built by years of hatred began to crack. Nicky encountered a love that didn't fight him, didn't fear him, and would never abandon him.
Nicky Cruz gave his life to Christ. The most feared gang leader became an evangelist, carrying the message of Christ's love to the very streets that once defined him.
John 1:5 declares: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
The Joy That Precedes Sacrifice
Notice something crucial in Jesus' parables: joy comes before sacrifice. When you recognize the value of the kingdom, selling everything doesn't feel like loss—it feels like privilege.
This is why marriage statistics showing a 50% decline from 1991 to 2022 are so telling. Many view marriage as too great a sacrifice. But when love is genuine, sacrifice transforms into honor and joy.
The same principle applies to the kingdom. When you truly grasp what you've been given, worship flows naturally. You're not bearing a burden; you're offering your heart.
Your Story Isn't Finished
If there's air in your lungs, your story isn't done being written. No one is too far gone. No heart is too hard. No past is too dark for the love of Jesus Christ.
The treasure has been there all along, like a masterpiece above a stove, waiting to be recognized. When you finally see it—when you truly believe—your old life is dead. And you were never designed to tend a grave. You were designed to worship the God who gave everything so you could enter His kingdom.
This is the treasure worth selling everything to possess. Have you recognized it yet?
Recent
Archive
2026
2025
August
No Comments