6.1 The Greatest Treasure

Today we conclude the first stage of a five-week journey in which we have sought to learn how to pray prayers that go beyond ourselves; prayers in alignment with God’s big purposes; Kingdom prayers.

It all started when I realized that I had missed the heart of the Lord ’s Prayer. I thought the heart of the prayer was about meeting our needs (give us our daily bread, forgive us our trespasses… deliver us from evil, etc.). But one day I realized that the heart of the prayer is about God and His plan; the heart of the Lord’s prayer is, “Your Kingdom come.”

I learned that the coming of the Kingdom of God is not just a future event when Jesus comes again, but it is also a present event. After all, Jesus said the Kingdom of God is here! But in order to pray, “Your Kingdom come,” I had to answer the question, “What is the Kingdom?” I settled on this definition: “The Kingdom of God is the reign and rule of God in the hearts of His children.” To learn more, I studied Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom, knowing that I could find clues to Kingdom prayer in these parables.

So for the past five weeks we have studied Jesus’ parables about soils, growth, seeds, and weeds. Each parable has helped us unlock clues to better pray about God’s reign and rule in our hearts.

The parable of the treasure in the field

Today’s parable is very simple, yet very profound. Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Here is a man who finds a great treasure – and he realizes that this treasure is greater than anything he has ever owned or will ever own. He goes away, sells all that he has in order to buy that field.

It isn’t like a small treasure chest; it’s like a goldmine that runs through the entire field. It’s like an underground oil reserve that will serve as a lifetime supply.

A real-life treasure story…

For quite a few years, I’ve been fascinated by the story of the Steamboat Arabia which sank in the muddy waters of the Missouri river on August 30, 1856.
The steamboat Arabia, was actually smaller than many steamers of the day. It was capable of carrying 222 tons of cargo. It 171 feet long, 45 feet high, and was used to transport food and household goods up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers. On that fateful day in August, the Arabia stopped in the city of Kansas (now known as Kansas City, Mo.) and then headed north. About one hour north of Kansas City, the boat struck the trunk of a submerged walnut tree. It pierced the hull of the boat and it quickly sank. Everybody on board was able to make it to safety, but the 222 tons of cargo sank down into a watery grave.
A decade later, Elisha Sorter, a man interested in the story of the Arabia, sold his possessions in order to buy the field in which this treasure was buried. For more than a century, his family owned the property, and they often told and retold stories of the sunken ship, never realizing they would ever see it.

Several expeditions over the years were attempted to find the sunken treasure to no avail. The Missouri river, like all fast-moving rivers, gradually changes its path over time. By the late 1800’s nobody really had any idea where the banks of the Missouri river had been located in 1856 when the Arabia sank.

But in 1987, four men, Bob, David and Greg Hawley, and John Mackey sought to recover the remains of the steamboat Arabia. Through intense study of old surveying maps and though perseverance, they located Elisha Sorter’s field. They swung a deal with the Sorter family – and this treasure would become the life-focus of the Hawley family.

Finally in November of 1988, eighteen months after beginning their search, using very sophisticated imaging technology, they found the steamboat. It was ½ mile away from the current banks of the Missouri river, and 45 feet underground, directly situated beneath a grove of weeping willow trees.

They began a lengthy process of unearthing the boat. Still in the path of an underground flow of water, they had to dig 20 wells which pumped water out of the hole and diverted it back to the river a half-mile away. These pumps, running twenty-four hours a day, pumping 20,000 gallons of water per minute, allowed the treasure hunters to continue the dig.

After nearly three weeks of digging, they finally struck the splintered remains of the top of the left paddle-wheel. As they continued to dig, they found a treasure beyond their wildest imagination. The Steamship Arabia had over 200 tons of merchandise in hundreds of sealed barrels and crates. It was the equivalent of a floating general store from 1856. Every crate was different. Filled to the brim with food and household goods from the 1850’s. They contained cases of eye glasses; ink wells; food bottles; medicines; spoons; bells; wrenches; guns; pocket knives; no two cases seemed to be exactly alike, all holding remains of the frontier era.
Working in shifts both day and night, the recovery continued for four months until the entire cargo of the Arabia was removed. After removing the cargo, heavy equipment hoisted the 25,000 pound boiler, paddle wheel structures, and finally the stern portion of the boat itself.

Since 1988, when the Arabia was unearthed, they have been doing a daily process of cleaning, cataloguing, and preserving cargo. In 20 years time, only one-third of the immense treasure has yet been restored.

From the time they began searching, Greg Hawley spent his life preserving, cleaning and cataloguing this treasure. The treasure literally redefined his life. He co-founded the Arabia museum in Kansas City and worked there for the rest of his life.

Previously, there was no known method for preserving wood and treasure that has spent a century under water. Greg Hawley created an amazing yet very tedious system for doing just that.

The men found an incredible treasure in the field worth investing their entire lives. Greg Hawley spent every day at the museum, and delighted in showing up in the middle of tours to tell real-life stories of the treasure of the steamboat.

Reflect on the parable…

The treasure found in knowing Jesus Christ is greater far than this amazing earthly treasure of the steamboat Arabia. Jesus offers eternal life and a home in heaven. He offers an abundant life now for all who will believe in Him. And He offers a purpose for your life today.

Like the man in the parable, the person who finds life in Jesus, has found a treasure greater than any earthly treasure. It is worth selling everything to attain it.

What does it cost?

The man in the parable sells all that he has to buy the field containing the treasure. But here’s the amazing thing – Jesus paid the price of His life to give us the hope of eternity with Him. He willingly went to the cross and was crucified. He made the payment that your sins and rebellion against God deserved.

The man in the parable gave all he had to own the field. Jesus gave His all so we can receive the treasure. You must give your life to Jesus in order to receive the treasure of knowing Him.

Like the man in the field, and like the co-founder of the Arabia museum, finding treasure of great worth is a life-changing adventure.

Once you give your life to Jesus, He begins to use you in ways you may have never imagined. He created you to have a relationship with Him and to make a difference in the lives of people here on earth. Once you’ve trusted and followed Him, once you’ve begun to unlock the treasure of knowing Jesus, He begins to use you in doing the things for which you were created.

The rest of the story…

In January I received a telephone call from my mother. She told me that Greg Hawley was tragically killed in an automobile accident on I-70 a busy interstate on the way home from the Museum.

In the midst of rush-hour traffic, two teens, in cars loaded with friends, were racing, weaving in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 70 mph. A semi truck swerved to miss them, causing Greg Hawley’s pickup truck to careen off the road and roll over many times.

He was thrown from the car. A man who witnessed the accident, jumped out of his car and rushed over to Greg. He held Greg’s hand, and prayed with and for him as Greg passed away from his injuries.

What’s the point?

I tell this story not to scare you, but to emphasize the reality of the brevity of life. We never know how much time we have left. Greg Hawley spent his life working with the treasure he found in the field. His treasure was physical. When he died, he left that treasure behind.

If you seek Jesus Christ as Lord, you have the privilege of spending every day growing in your relationship with him, and making a difference in the lives of others.

Seek the Lord

He is a treasure worth seeking. He is a treasure worth giving your all. Have you done that? Have you trusted in Him and Him alone?

Prayer prompts and discussion starters:

• Thank the Lord for giving the hope of heaven to all who truly trust in Him.
• Thank the Lord for giving purpose in life to all who truly trust in Him.
• Pray that those who have never really trusted in Him will see the beauty of the treasure of Christ – and will be drawn to follow Him.
• Pray for a love for those who have not yet found the treasure - Jesus Christ.
• Pray for people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus that they will have the opportunity to know Him.
• Pray for missionaries who have given their all to follow Jesus, that the Lord will give them great joy and effectiveness in serving Him.
• Pray that those who already believe will never become tired of the treasure of knowing Jesus. Pray that they will continue to grow de eper in love with the Lord every day.
• Is there anything holding you back from fully following Jesus? If yes, what would you need to happen in order to fully give yourself to Him?
• Pray for the strength and passion to point people to Jesus daily.
• Thank the Lord for growth in Kingdom prayer. Ask Him to help you continue to grow as a person who prays fervently, “Your Kingdom come.”
• Write your own prayer prompted by today’s passage: