On April 22, 1889 over fifty thousand people lined up to claim their free land in the State of Oklahoma. The people who lined up were called the Boomers. Yet there were much fewer folks who were already waiting on land, ready to claim the land just as soon as the high noon starting time, occurred. Those folks who found their land before the legal time, and did not officially line up the with others, were called Sooners
The fight song for the University of Oklahoma, 'Boomer Sooner,' comes from this event. There were two million acres of land available in 1889 and folks wanted to find land. Some folks farmed fields, hunted, built, married and raised kids, and founded Churches.
By nightfall that day fifty to sixty thousand people had claimed either their free one-hundred sixty acre property or the quarter sections of land close to towns. The towns of Norman, Oklahoma City, Guthrie, and Kingfisher all sprang up overnight in Oklahoma.
Land was in abundance and some folks discovered they had laid claim to some properties rich for crops, with oil below the land, or with caves, ore, or horses and buffalo already there.
It is interesting that Jesus speaks about a piece of land with a field on it. Jesus says that someone finds a treasure hidden in the field, hides the treasure, and then in his/her joy goes and sells all they have to buy the land with the field. The treasure? Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like that treasure.
Jesus' parable reminds me of a phone call I once received and the person told me that they had unexpectedly experienced the real Presence of Jesus Christ! Now this person had been Baptized, gone to Church, and has a Bible with their name inscribed on it when they joined the Church as a youth. And this person believes one-hundred percent they just now experienced the real Presence of Jesus Christ.
Well I expressed my overflowing joy to them and after a long phone conversation of sharing faith, I just could not get it out of my mind what a thrill it is to hear something like that! I know they have had a holy-fire visit by the Holy Spirit! This person was more alive than I had ever known them to be-- joyful, clearly expressing what happened, of sound mind, and so thoughtful, caring, and compassionate!
My phone caller person gives us a great example of Jesus' land message. This is Jesus' land story right before our eyes in this person. The Kingdom of Heaven had been hidden in this person's heart all along, like treasure, and they profess His real Presence now! This person expressed that the Lord may be asking them to move so their ready to sell everything and go where our Lord is leading them.
Sometimes our faith in Jesus will just happen this way. This is what Jesus is saying. Treasured faith in Jesus may come to some folks in an unexpected moment and nothing else will matter to them excepting the Holy Presence of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 13:44 Jesus says, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
But also think about this. Now, for this person who called me on the phone, the Kingdom of Heaven is both a banquet and a holy battle-field. This person is feasting of the fullness of our Lord's Presence in ultimate ways-- the banquet. This person is also making thoughtful choices not do go some things and not to go to some places anymore which they know are unholy, and it is difficult but they are determined to stay away from unholy things-- the holy battle-field. Both banquet and battle-field are Holy Spirit victory territories-- Jesus will guide their heart and mind.
The Kingdom of Heaven in Jesus Christ is sometimes found by those who are not seeking it. They are brought face to face with Christ and would that they could conceive the future blessings that will abound in their life! With the read Presence of Christ blessings do abound!
Apostle Paul knew folks like my phone caller. Paul writes this to us: For all things are yours, for you are Christ's and Christ is of God. 1 Corinthians 3:22b-23 You, my phone caller, are Christ's. And you, my friend, are Christ's. We are together in Christ Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven.