For the full unabridged message listen here: God’s Kingdom Come - The Joy of the Kingdom
Last year, two hikers in Czechia were walking through the woods when they spotted something metallic sticking out of the dirt. At first, they figured it was just trash—the kind of random debris you find in the wilderness. But when they pulled it out and opened it, they found pounds of gold.
In an instant, their lives were transformed. They weren’t looking for treasure; they just stumbled upon it.
As we wrap up this Epiphany season and prepare for Lent, we’ve been asking a specific question: What is the Kingdom of Heaven actually like? We pray for it every week in the Lord’s Prayer (“Your Kingdom come”), but do we know what we’re asking for?
According to Jesus in Matthew 13, the Kingdom is exactly like that box in the woods.
The Treasure You Trip Over
In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus gives us two short pictures:
- The Hidden Treasure: A man finds treasure in a field, hides it again, and in his joy, sells everything to buy the field.
- The Pearl of Great Value: A merchant searching for fine pearls finds one “of great value” and sells everything to possess it.
The first image is remarkable because it suggests the Kingdom can be found by anyone. You don’t need a seminary degree, a specific pedigree, or a lifetime of perfect church attendance to find it. You can be a “normal, everyday folk” just wandering through a field and trip over it.
The Kingdom is present. It is breaking in. It is right in our midst.
Joy vs. Happiness
There is a specific marker that tells you when you’ve stumbled across the Kingdom: Joy. For too long, the Kingdom has been marketed as a place of judgment, shame, or fire and brimstone. But Jesus says the man who found the treasure acted out of joy.
We often confuse joy with happiness, but they aren’t the same:
- Happiness is fleeting. It’s based on circumstances—your team winning a game, buying a new car, or a good day at work. It comes and goes.
- Joy is sustaining. It is something that can be experienced even in the midst of struggle, pain, and sorrow.
The book of Hebrews says that “for the joy set before him,” Christ endured the cross. He looked beyond the immediate agony to the reconciliation and restoration of all things. That is what the Kingdom does for us—it allows us to look beyond our momentary afflictions and say, “I know where I belong."
You Find What You Seek
The second parable features a merchant looking for pearls. There is a psychological reality to this: what you set your mind on, you begin to see everywhere. If you buy a yellow car, you suddenly notice yellow cars on every block.
If you look for the “bad” in a broken world, you will find it everywhere. Our news cycle is built on this. But if you start looking for the Kingdom—if you look for the “helpers,” as Mr. Rogers famously said—you will find joy in the smile of a child or a small act of kindness at a coffee shop.
We have a responsibility to pay attention. The Kingdom has broken through, but we have to be willing to see it.
Two Invitations for This Week
As we transition toward the shadow of the cross in Lent, I want to encourage you to do two things:
- Take Stock: Ask yourself, “Am I setting my heart on joy, or am I fixated on the negative?” What we fixate on is ultimately what flows out of us.
- The Evening Review: Even if you aren’t a “journaler,” take five minutes before bed to identify one joyful thing you saw today. Be intentional about naming the Kingdom’s presence in your world.
When we find joy, we find the Kingdom. And when you are truly joyful, you don’t have to try to “evangelize”—joy simply oozes out of you. It becomes impossible to hide.
The Kingdom of Heaven isn’t for “special” people. It’s for all of us. And it’s right there in the field, waiting for you to trip over it.