7-20-2017

Good Morning All,

               Matthew 13: 45-46“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,  who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

    We have all seen or read the story about the person who went to a garage sale and bought a painting for $5 then he takes it home and finds out is a rare painting worth millions of dollars.  Every time I read one of those stories, I think I want to go to garage sales.  Or maybe you remember the story of the guy who inherited his grandfather’s old, broken down lake cabin only to find a bunch of gold coins in the attic.  Or maybe yours is the story of the guy who finds a rare book at a flea market and buys it before anyone else finds it.

    All these stories involve finding something of great value but there is more than a little luck involved.  In our verses for today, everyone knew the value but the merchant sold everything to possess it.  So instead of finding a hidden treasure, this one is known to everyone and he has to outbid everyone else to buy it.  So we misread the verses.  We often times misread these verses.

    Too many of us read this and think that “I am the merchant.”  I give everything up for this one treasure.  It can cause us to question the value of the gift.  If I have nothing to give up, then this decision is easy but what if I have a lot that I value and now have to sell it all to obtain the pearl?  Or what if I don’t have enough to buy the pearl even if I sell all that I have?  Now where am I?  No, you are not the merchant; you are he pearl.

    “The kingdom of God is like a merchant”; God is the merchant, he is the one seeking fine pearls.  He found one of great value, you, and sold all that he had (His only Son) to buy you back.  You are the treasure; you are the one whom God seeks after.  You are the fine pearl.

    We would never have enough money to buy any form of salvation, even if we were to sell our own body and life.  We don’t have enough.  Only God can afford that price and it was a terrific price- the life of Jesus.  Yet God willingly sold all that he had in order to buy you back because he loves you; you have great value.  The world may try to devalue you or to undervalue you but God never does, you are a fine pearl in his eyes.  You have great value.

    The fine pearls were lost but God sought them out and then paid dearly for them; God is the merchant and you and I are the pearls.  We are treasured by God.  We are highly prized by God.  We are loved by God with a love that knows no measure and knows no bounds.  It is a love that can and does sustain us.  We always need to remember that a pearl is always valuable; it is precious and wonderful and so are you.  God’s mercy is active and alive in your life so trust in his grace and peace to guide you and his hope will guard you.  Trust in God for he seeks you and finds you and he redeems you because he loves you.

Father, you seek me out every day, even when I try to hide.  Through your mercy, I am healed.  Protect me by your mighty hand.  We beg that you continue to seek the lost pearls that all may come to know your grace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret