The Parables of the Treasure and Pearl - Tim Horman
Have you ever daydreamed about stumbling into sudden, life-changing wealth? A winning ticket. A surprise inheritance. A hidden stash that flips your future overnight.
In a recent sermon at One Church, Tim Horman took us into two of Jesus’ shortest parables — and showed us they’re not really about money at all. They’re about joy, value, and the moment of decision that comes when you realise you’ve found something (or Someone) worth everything.
Today’s passage is Matthew 13:44–46, where Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field and a pearl of great price.
In this post, we’ll:
unpack what Jesus is saying in these parables
explore how they confront the “casual Christianity” we can drift into
and consider what it looks like to respond with joy and intention
Two tiny stories, one massive question
Jesus tells two back-to-back parables:
A man finds treasure hidden in a field, hides it again, and in his joy sells everything to buy the field.
A merchant searches for fine pearls, finds one of great value, and sells everything to buy it.
They’re simple, memorable, and deeply confronting — because they ask a question every person has to answer:
What is worth building your whole life around?
One man finds treasure by accident. The other finds it after searching. One seems poor, one seems wealthy. One is a labourer, one is a merchant. The point is clear: Jesus is speaking to everyone — the religious, the non-religious, the seekers, the sceptics, the rich, the poor, the ones looking for God and the ones not looking at all.
And in both stories, the response is the same: joy and decisive action.
“The central point in both of these parables is the joy that the gospel brings into the lives of those who discover it. Not the cost.”
Not “paying your way in” — but recognising true value
It’s easy to read these parables and think Jesus is mainly teaching about the cost of discipleship: “See? You’ve got to give up everything.”
But Tim made a really important observation: these men aren’t moaning about sacrifice. They’re not reluctantly surrendering. They’re not dragged into it.
They’re delighted — because they’ve realised the exchange is wildly worth it.
The man isn’t thinking, “Oh no… I have to sell my stuff.”
He’s thinking, “I can’t believe this is real… I can’t miss this.”
In other words, what looks like sacrifice to outsiders is actually smart business when you’ve seen the value of the kingdom.
Joy comes before sacrifice
One of the strongest themes in Tim’s sermon was this: in the kingdom of God, joy is the engine of change.
Not guilt.
Not pressure.
Not spiritual comparison.
Not “try harder”.
Because if guilt could transform us, we wouldn’t need Jesus — we’d just need better rules.
Instead, the Bible keeps pointing to this order:
first, grace
then, obedience
first, treasure
then, selling
Or as Tim put it: “Joy must come before sacrifice. You don’t sacrifice your way to joy.”
That changes how we think about discipleship. Following Jesus isn’t meant to be a grim, grey life of religious obligation. It’s meant to be a response to something beautiful — someone beautiful.
Three groups these parables speak to
Tim named three different “places” people might be hearing these parables from.
1) Those who are already disciples (in the truest sense)
Not just Christian-in-name. Not just attending. But people who have, however imperfectly, decided: Jesus is my greatest treasure.
For those people, this is a reminder: Don’t forget the joy of your first love.
2) Those who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually disciples
This might be the most uncomfortable category — and also one of the most common.
You might believe in Jesus, appreciate Jesus, even agree with Jesus… but you haven’t actually decided to follow him.
Not in your priorities. Not in your patterns. Not in your actual life.
These parables gently (and firmly) ask: Am I a disciple… or am I just playing church?
3) Those who want to become disciples but aren’t sure how
This is where the invitation becomes incredibly hopeful.
Because Jesus isn’t only confronting. He’s welcoming.
He’s saying: You can come in. You can receive the treasure. You can step into the kingdom.
Even if you’re unsure. Even if your faith feels small. Even if you don’t know where to start.
The deeper “cost” is actually paid by Jesus
There’s a twist in the logic of these parables when you read them alongside the rest of the gospel story.
Do the men actually have enough to buy what they found?
Not really.
And that’s the gospel: we don’t have enough to “purchase” the kingdom.
But Jesus does.
Tim brought it home beautifully: the “dreadful price” isn’t ultimately paid by the disciple — it’s paid by Christ, through the cross, so we can receive what we could never earn.
That’s why communion fits this sermon so perfectly.
The bread and the cup are the treasure, held out as gift.
And discipleship becomes our joyful response:
“Lord, I’m all in — not to earn your love, but because you’ve already given it.”
“Joy enables selling, but only selling gets the treasure.”
— (quoting Dale Bruner, as used in the sermon)
These two parables are short, but the moment they describe is huge:
the moment you realise Jesus is worth everything — and you decide not to miss him.
Not because you’re forced to.
Not because you’re scared into it.
Not because someone guilted you.
But because you’ve seen the treasure.
If you’re exploring faith, you might not feel ready to “sell everything” — and that’s okay. Start with the first step Tim invited people to take: be honest with Jesus. Ask him to show you who he is. Ask him to reveal the treasure.
If you’ve been around church for a long time, these parables might be a loving wake-up call: Do I actually intend to follow Jesus? Or have other things quietly become my real treasure?
And if you’re walking with Jesus now, let this be fuel: return to joy, because joy is what sustains obedience over the long haul.
One Way to Live It Out This Week
Take 10 minutes sometime this week and do this simple exercise:
Write down the answer to this question: “What do I treat like my treasure right now?”
Then write one sentence of response: “Jesus, I want you to be my treasure — help me take one step toward you.”
Finish by doing one small action that aligns with that (prayer, forgiveness, generosity, serving, opening Scripture, reaching out for help — just one step).
Small steps, taken with joy, can change a whole direction.
A Short Prayer
Jesus, thank you that you are not a burden to carry but a treasure to receive.
Forgive us for the times we’ve tried to follow you through guilt or obligation, or when we’ve treated faith like something casual and optional.
Open our eyes again to the beauty of your grace and the joy of your kingdom.
For those who feel far from you, draw near. For those who feel distracted, refocus our hearts. For those who are weary, restore our first love.
And as we follow you, help our obedience flow from joy — not fear — because you have already given yourself for us.
Amen.
Reflection and Discussion Questions
Personal Reflection
What do I currently treat as my “treasure” — the thing I rely on for security or joy?
When have I most clearly experienced the joy of God’s grace — and what has changed since then?
What might it look like for me to take one intentional step toward Jesus this week?
Small Group Discussion
What stood out to you most from the parables of the treasure and the pearl — and why?
In the sermon, Tim suggested these parables are more about joy than cost. How does that land with you?
Why do you think guilt can produce “quick results” — and what are the dangers of guilt-driven faith?
What’s the difference between being a “Christian in name” and being a disciple (apprentice) of Jesus?
Can you relate more to the person who finds treasure by accident, or the merchant who searches? Why?
What are some things that can “choke out” discipleship over time (like weeds in the parable of the soils)?
What’s one area where you want Jesus to become more clearly your “treasure” — your true source of joy and security?
Let’s pray for one another: What is one step of obedience or trust you want God to help you take this week?