Coming in Close: Hidden Treasure. Matthew 13: 44-45 | Father's Day Worship 06/21/2026 8:30 a.m.

The kingdom of God comes in close, not as some far off distant place, but as a treasure that gets revealed right in the middle of ordinary life. The ugly tie dye hoodie looked like something that needed to go in the trash, but that hoodie held the last memory of a beloved dog. The hidden value of that hoodie gives a plain picture of what Jesus is saying in Matthew 13. The kingdom can be right there, close enough to touch, and still not be recognized until its worth is revealed.

Matthew 13 gives two similar but different pictures. The treasure in the field shows the kingdom being revealed to someone who was not looking for it. The pearl of great value shows the kingdom being found by someone already searching for something precious. Both people discover something so valuable that everything else gets rearranged around it. The kingdom of heaven is not being priced in dollars. The kingdom carries eternal value, the value of community, hope, forgiveness, and new life in Jesus Christ.

The kingdom comes close through people who love Jesus and live like Jesus. A church community that shows up at birthday parties, band concerts, basketball games, and youth group becomes a living picture of the kingdom. Faithful witness can help someone discover Jesus on purpose, and faithful witness can also surprise someone who had written off organized religion. The kingdom comes close when ordinary people make space, help with needs, and carry a “we’ll figure it out” kind of love.

Jesus changes people. The good news of new life should not become an afterthought or a hobby picked up when there is extra time. Following Jesus becomes the driving force of a transformed life. Romans 12 calls for minds that are not copied from the ways of the world, but are being changed by God so that the will of God can be known and lived.

The kingdom of heaven should change everything once it has been found. Some people are intentionally searching for treasure, and some people are stumbling toward it without knowing what they need. The church already knows the One who can change everything. The kingdom is precious treasure, and its value is honored when transformed lives boldly share it with others.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Hidden treasure can look ordinary [47:42] A hoodie that looked worn out and ugly held a memory no one else could see. The kingdom of heaven often comes close in the same way, hidden inside ordinary people, ordinary places, and ordinary acts of love. The value is not always visible on the surface, but once it is revealed, it becomes precious enough to hold on to. [47:42]
• 2. The kingdom finds searchers and wanderers [50:21] The treasure in the field and the pearl of great value show two different kinds of discovery. One person stumbles into the kingdom, and another person is already searching for something precious. The kingdom is gracious enough to meet both, and valuable enough to reorder both lives once it is found. [50:21]
• 3. Jesus changes the whole life [56:40] Following Jesus is not meant to sit on the edges of life as an extra activity. The kingdom becomes the driving force, reshaping desires, decisions, priorities, and loves. A life that has encountered Jesus should not look the same as a life that has never known him. [56:40]
• 4. Transformed minds become faithful witness [57:19] Romans 12 places transformation in the mind, the place where patterns, judgments, and habits begin. God changes how a person thinks so that a person can learn to live what is pleasing and perfect. Faithful witness grows out of that daily transformation, not out of performance or religious busyness. [57:19]
• 5. Treasure is meant to be shared [59:44] People outside the walls of the church are searching, sometimes intentionally and sometimes without knowing what they are looking for. The kingdom has come close to the church so that the kingdom can come close through the church. Sharing the treasure means living as people who have truly been changed by Jesus.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [45:22] - Coming in Close to the Kingdom
• [46:17] - The Ugly Hoodie and Hidden Value
• [47:42] - A Hidden Treasure Revealed
• [49:00] - Treasure Hidden in a Field
• [49:46] - The Pearl of Great Value
• [50:40] - Remembering How Jesus Was Found
• [51:20] - Discovering the Kingdom on Purpose
• [52:43] - Discovering the Kingdom Unintentionally
• [53:48] - Rich’s Life as Kingdom Witness
• [55:21] - The Kingdom Still Changes Lives
• [56:40] - Following Jesus as the Driving Force
• [57:19] - Transformed Minds and God’s Will
• [59:28] - Becoming Faithful Witnesses
• [60:02] - Sharing the Precious Treasure

1. In Matthew 13:44-46, what two different scenarios does Jesus use to describe discovering the kingdom of heaven? How do the actions of the two people (the man in the field and the merchant) compare?
2. According to the sermon, how does the story of the “ugly hoodie” illustrate the idea of hidden treasure in ordinary life? [47:42]
3. What does Romans 12:2 say is the starting point for discerning God’s will? How does this connect to the idea of “transformed minds” mentioned in the sermon? [57:19]
4. The sermon describes two ways people encounter the kingdom: “on purpose” and “unintentionally.” What examples were given of each? [52:43]

1. Why might Jesus use the imagery of hidden treasure and a pearl to describe the kingdom of heaven? What does this reveal about how people recognize its value?
2. The sermon emphasizes that both people in the parables “sold everything” to obtain the treasure. What does this radical response teach about the kingdom’s worth compared to worldly priorities?
3. How does the story of Rich’s life ([54:13]) demonstrate the connection between a transformed mind and faithful witness? What made his actions reflect the kingdom?
4. Romans 12:2 calls for non-conformity to the world. In practical terms, what habits or thought patterns might hinder someone from living as a “faithful witness” to the kingdom?

1. The “ugly hoodie” held hidden value because of a personal story. What ordinary object, place, or relationship in your life might hold unrecognized kingdom value? How could you start seeing it differently? [47:42]
2. The sermon challenges believers to let the kingdom “rearrange everything.” What is one area of your life (schedule, finances, relationships) where Jesus is not yet the “driving force”? What step could you take to reorder it? [56:40]
3. Think of someone in your life who might be “searching intentionally” or “stumbling unintentionally” toward the kingdom. How could you practically “make space” for them this week, like Rich did? [54:33]
4. Romans 12:2 calls for daily renewal of the mind. What specific practice (prayer, scripture, serving, etc.) could help you break a pattern of thinking that conforms to the world?
5. The kingdom is shared through “ordinary acts of love.” When have you experienced or witnessed a small, everyday moment that unexpectedly pointed someone to Jesus? How could you create more of those moments? [59:44]
6. The sermon asks, “What transformation needs to take place in your life to be a faithful witness?” Name one attitude or fear that holds you back from sharing the treasure of the kingdom. How might God be inviting you to trust Him in this? [59:28]