I’m convinced you’ll observe no greater joy this side of New Creation than that of a two year old. A highlight of my day comes as soon as I park the car: my toddler bursts through the front door and sprints down the sidewalk shouting “daddy, daddy, daddy!” It doesn’t get any better than the pure, unbridled, unconditional joy of a two year old completely enraptured by your mere presence. I was only gone for hours, didn’t bring a gift to entice such exuberance, and yet flowing out of that little heart was a longing for daddy; not what I had or could do, but me.
This sort of joy is the hallmark of those in the Kingdom of God. There are many reasons that Jesus consistently points to children as the paragons of Kingdom virtue, and yet what stands out to me is the agenda-less, other-centered, earnest joy of children. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of sin in my toddler’s heart, but those moments of pure delight are an undeniable and living parable of the joy of the Kingdom that Jesus refers to in Matthew 13:44.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
There is a lot we could unpack here, but I want to highlight three short words: in his joy. Those three words are utter folly to those who only see an empty field, and yet in light of the vast riches the man found, what looks like a wasteful sacrifice is no sacrifice at all; it is gain. Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of God, like this unfathomable treasure buried deep in the field, is so incomparably valuable that it would be foolish not to give up everything to get it.
Joy is the motivation for this man’s actions; not duty to his parents, conformity to North Texas culture, or guilt to do more or be better. To borrow a phrase from the missionary Jim Elliot, in his joy he gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Yet many of us have grown so accustomed to life in the kingdom that I wonder if we’ve exchanged the joy of life with Jesus for the burden of religious duty. Like locals who live amidst the splendor of the Rockies and no longer spare a second glance (except for Finn, he never tires of the Rockies!), have we grown so accustomed to the wonder of life with God that we’re marked more by burden than delight? I know I do; often.
It’s no wonder that we cringe at the thought of sharing the gospel with others, afraid that we’re merely offering a competing subculture or a new set of rules to embrace, rather than inviting them to a King and a Kingdom that satisfies the deepest longings of their hearts.
The good news is that the gospel is still good news for us locals. The Spirit delights to return our gaze to God’s love for us in Christ and renews our joy as we rediscover this treasure. And as we do, our joyous wonder leads us to speak to others of his goodness and love, and through us God not only extends the joy of the Kingdom to them, but multiplies that joy in us.
This is why we’ve committed to emphasizing the call to reorder our lives around the Great Commission all year. Not to tick a box and feel good about our discipleship, or get more people to sit in chairs on Sunday, but that we might have greater joy in God and thereby magnify the glory of Jesus in our church and city.
And if you’re a gospel local like me, you can’t - and weren’t meant to - figure this out alone. You need examples to follow, community to lean on and learn with, and stories to expand your imagination about how God might use you!
On Thursday, September 26th, there is an opportunity to take that first step. Join us via Zoom to hear stories, biblical principles, and practical ways that you can begin conversations about this soul-satisfying King in the workplace. There is perhaps no more intimidating context, and yet - because many of us spend the majority of our time and energy there - no greater opportunity than our work. You can register at this link, and I hope to see you there!
In Christ,
Travis Isaak
