The Pearl of Great Price!

What do we treasure?

What Are We Seeking?

The Pearl of Great Price! Mt 13:45-46 "Again, the

kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, "who, when he had

found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had

and bought it.”

This is a parable about the “value” of the Kingdom of Heaven!

Value = the regard that something is held to deserve; importance or worth (Oxford)

▪What is our regard of the kingdom?

▪What is it deserving of?▪What is it’s importance & worth?

Pearls at the time held great value!Rev. 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve

pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like

transparent glass.▪The valuable pearl is “the deal of a life

time!”▪Unlike precious stones which must be

cut and polished to reveal their clarity and beauty, the pearl is perfect as it comes from the oyster!

I. The Vision!Vision = the faculty or state of being able to see

(Oxford) ▪The idea of vision is very interesting to me

personally. I believe one of our greatest strengths and weaknesses is to have vision or to lack vision!

▪The biggest difference in this parable and the one that precedes it is this one includes “vision!”

▪Let’s read them together and note the difference in them!

One stumbles upon it, the other is searching for it!

One simply is in the right place at the right time, the other is doing the right things for

the right reason!▪How many of us here are really

“seeking” after God, seeking the Kingdom of Heaven?

▪Seek is found 237 times in the Bible!▸Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God

and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Cf. Mt. 5:6)

II. The Value!Value = the regard that something is held to

deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something (Oxford)

▪In both of these parallel stories the “value” of what is found is greater than anything else! It becomes the greatest importance!

▪Mt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

This is not easy to realize or carry out in practice!

▪Mt 10:37-38 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

▪With God it has always been “all or nothing!” We are either all in or all out!

▪The most important thing in this life is that we come to know God and trust Him!

III. The Valor!Valor = great courage in the face of danger,

especially in battle (Oxford)▪It may seem at first that this point is out of

place in our study, but I can assure you it isn’t! ▪For us to fulfill what Jesus is teaching us it

will take vision, value and valor!▸Jg. 6:12 And the angel of the LORD

appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

God is looking for those that will trust Him against all odds!

▪For one to take these steps it will take a level of faith that what we attain is far greater than what we give!

▪Do you remember the story of the rich young ruler? (Mt. 19:16-26; Mk. 10:17-27 & Lk. 18:18-27)▸Mt 19:21-22 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be

perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The conclusion of this story is that we cannot do it alone!

Mt 19:25-26 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible;

but with God all things are possible.▪Our only hope is Jesus! The truth is that

none of us can do it alone!▪We need God and we need one another!▸Phil. 4:13▸Gal. 6:1-2

Conclusion:▪I hope that in these last few weeks each of us

have seen just how valuable this stories that Jesus told are to us!

▪A parable maybe a small story but it contains a big idea!

▪What is our vision on this morning? What do we value? Are we willing to lay it all on the line for Jesus?

▪“Rise up men/woman of valor!”▪If you haven’t joined the Lord in battle, then

do so today!