In Matthew 13:44-46 Jesus talks about what the kingdom of heaven is like. He says,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The kingdom of heaven is desirable. The kingdom of heaven is like buried treasure or like a pearl of great value. The kingdom of heaven is so valuable that the people who find it, in an instant and in absolute joy, go and sell everything they have to obtain it.
In John 9 Jesus heals a man born blind. This guy experiences the value and legitimacy of the kingdom and in his joy obtains it. On a Sabbath day Jesus sees this man, spits in the dust to make mud, rubs it on the man’s eyes and tells him to wash it off in a pool of water. After the man washed his eyes in the pool he came back seeing. This guy ends up in front of the Pharisees who examined him because they don’t believe that he was actually blind. They don’t believe that Jesus came from God because this miracle was done on the Sabbath. The Pharisees even bring in the man’s parents to see if he was really born blind. The pharisees still can’t believe that Jesus is who he says he is and the man replies in verses 30-33,
“Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
This man boldly declares that Jesus came from God in the middle of great opposition because he experienced the kingdom of heaven. You can’t unsee or unexperience what this man experienced. Because of this declaration he gets thrown out and after that Jesus finds him and asks,
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”
This guy says, “Tell me who the Son of Man is so that I may believe in him”. This guy was primed and ready to believe because the kingdom of heaven is desirable. It’s like a treasure in a field, like a pearl of great value. It holds everything we truly want, because it’s where we all came from and it’s where we all belong. It’s the only place to experience true function and wholeness.