Transcript

The Pearl of Great Prize

Matthew 13:44-46
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Pastor Randy Smith

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I understand some of you have listened on the Internet to the sermon I preached two weeks ago in Chicago. I thought I'd fill you in on the details regarding the "big Bible." As many of you, I was not raised in a Christian home. But immediately after college I had an overwhelming desire to know God. I didn't really know what that meant; all I knew was I needed to be in church and around God's people. In the winter of 1990 I was invited by a fellow high school football coach to my former church in the Chicago suburbs. To make my visit as comfortable as possible, he mentioned that everyone brings a Bible to church and that if I had one I should bring it along.

While I had no idea what was inside the Bible, I did have this one (show Bible) so I brought it along. I wanted to blend in, but it would have been inconceivable as to how I could have drawn more attention to myself. I'll never forget the stares. I'll never forget that wee little man who approached me after the service holding a tiny Gideon's New Testament. He said, "I get it, little guy - little Bible, big guy - big Bible!" All I knew was that I was willing to do anything for the Lord.

About a year later I was witnessing to a fellow teacher. In that conversation I told her how I drove back to my former college town to return a sweatshirt from the Illinois State football program and about 200 golf balls that found their way into my possession from the local driving range. I told her how the Spirit of God convicted me to return these stolen items. I'll never forget her response: "That's fanatical, Randy!" Comments like that make you think. Does Jesus really want all of our hearts? Is trading all we have for all that He is a good exchange? When Jesus said, "Consider the cost," what did He really mean? Should we sacrifice to follow Jesus? Should following Jesus even be considered a "sacrifice?" Our final two parables from Matthew 13 will answer these questions, though I will devote the brief time we have remaining to the second one.

I trust most would have considered our merchant a fool for trading everything he had for one pearl. But on the other hand, I know he would argue that he'd be the fool to walk away from this object of priceless value and extraordinary worth. The way he saw it, everything in the world put together did not compare to its riches or beauty.

So let's examine the pearl or great prize. We'll begin with the earthly meaning and then translate it to our spiritual application.

1. THE EARTHLY MEANING

Here is what the people of Jesus' day would have known.

The parable goes on to speak of a merchant. Merchants in the first century, similar as they are today, were wholesale dealers in the business of buying and reselling merchandise for a profit. Literally the word means "a person on a journey." And as the translation suggests, often these merchants would travel to other countries to find the best merchandise at the best price. So our merchant in the parable was a traveling salesman in the business of pearls. Specifically, he was not looking for any type of pearl, but based on verse 45, he was "seeking fine pearls." He wanted nothing but the best!

Pearls were generally harvested from the Persian Gulf or Indian Ocean. Many aspects made pearls the most highly valued gem in the ancient world, often beyond the buying power of the average person. First, they were scarce. I read that it takes shucking thousands oysters to find one pearl of quality. Second, modern SCUBA equipment was not available back then. Diving those depths was extremely hazardous, even life-threatening. Third, pearls provided a way to condense a great amount of wealth in a small place. And fourth, like today, pearls were appreciated for their natural beauty.

The value of pearls is also testified by other biblical texts. We learned that Jesus said we should value His Word and not "throw [our] pearls before swine" (Mt. 7:6). Or the apostle John when he wrote in Revelation about the exquisite beauty of our future home, the New Jerusalem: "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl" (Rev. 21:21). Historians will say pearls were the foremost of coveted gems in the ancient world.

Our merchant in the parable was seeking these precious gems and happened to, verse 46, "[Find] one pearl of great value." What made this pearl so special? Was it the color? Maybe it was the size. Possibly it was the shape. We don't know, but we do know he was an expert. He bought and sold pearls for a living, yet there was something special about this one. This one filled his heart with passion. Imagine his joy. Imagine his heart proclaiming, "This is it, this is the one I've been waiting my whole life for!"

Without hesitation verse 46 tells us that he "bought" the pearl. Yet according to the verse, the surrender was great and the cost was high. It says he went and sold "all he had" for the one pearl. The verse doesn't say he sold all his pearls. It says he sold all he had. For some reason, he considered that pearl to be worth far more than all his other pearls together and apparently every other item of value he owned. For the joy set before him (see Matthew 13:44) in having that pearl, he surrendered all he had. It was a simple decision and one that he would hardly consider a sacrifice. His seeking was finished and he had obtained the pearl of great prize.

2. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

So (part 2), on a spiritual level, what does the "Kingdom of Heaven" (verse 45) have to do with this merchant and his prized pearl? Let's go from the trite, temporary facts about pearling to the eternal truths contained in God's precious Word. Our goal is not to value our jewelry as much as it is to value the Kingdom of God.

I have subdivided this point into two categories based on the linguistics of the parable: seeking and finding will be first and buying and self-denying will be second.

Seeking and Finding

As the merchant was seeking fine pearls, all people seek that which will bring them the greatest pleasure. Life is filled with decisions. We establish priorities. We always pursue that which we believe is most important. And the way we spend our money and time and energy gives evidence to the things we value the most, the things that bring us the greatest joy. As the French philosopher Blaise Pascal once said. "All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even to those who hang themselves" (Pensees, Thought #425). We will seek that which we believe is most important. The merchant believed that this was fine pearls. Jesus says we should believe that it is the Kingdom of Heaven, or as I will put it in this sermon, God Himself.

"In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psm. 16:11). Is there evidence in your life that you believe that God is your greatest joy?

Think about it, beloved. Is there any pursuit greater than God? The greatest quest for knowledge is knowing Him. The safest place for our assets is treasures in Him. The highest gain for life is peace and joy from Him. The best gift is having our sins forgiven from Him. Like the merchant with the pearls, are we seeking God as our ultimate goal? Is He our passion and delight? We would be fools to put anything above Him. Why cheat ourselves running around with the tin when we can have the gold?

The parable before us is screaming this truth. Simple logic is screaming this truth as well. Yet the majority of the world doesn't believe it. They may say they do, but their actions are pointing in a different direction. People in this world are not seeking God with all of their heart. Their ultimate quest is for personal wealth, personal appearance, popularity and power. They think these things will bring them the happiness they seek, but such a pursuit is futile. It deceives them and delivers nothing but false promises. It never satisfies and only fuels the desire to want more. They keep spinning around on the treadmill of life as they give more and more and more of their soul to these false gods.

Is the true and living God your pearl of great prize? Seeking anything above Him is pure idolatry. You were created to have a relationship with Him. God will not settle for second place. And you would be foolish to want it any other way. Are you seeking the pearl of great prize?

Well, the merchant in our story found the pearl that he had been seeking all of his life. That is only half the victory. Now he needed to secure the pearl for himself.

Buying and Self-Denying

So from "seeking and finding" we go to "buying and self-denying."

There are many examples listed throughout Scripture. Examples where people sought the pearl, but due to their love for other things never made the transaction. I think of the rich young ruler. It appeared he wanted the pearl of great prize, but things changed when he realized the demands of discipleship. His true god was his money (Mt. 19:22). I think of Simon from Acts 8 who also appeared to want the pearl of great prize, but within no time he revealed his true god to be human admiration (Ac. 8:19-22). I think of Herod who appeared to want the pearl of great prize as he "enjoyed listening to [John the Baptist]" (Mk. 6:20), but he cherished his sin more than he did the Savior. And I think of Demas who exchanged his love for the pearl of great prize for a greater love for this world (2 Ti. 4:10).

Based on our parable, the merchant found the pearl of his dreams. He wanted it, but wanting it was the easy part. Who in the world wouldn't have wanted this pearl? What separated him from the others was his willingness to pay the price. Most would have walked away suffering from a mean case of "sticker shock." Yet he dug deep and gave all he had. He made the transaction, a transaction that cost him everything he owned.

All my earlier examples walked away from Jesus because they were unwilling to pay the price. Who couldn't use a little extra God-sized strength to get through the day? Who wouldn't want to believe they are heading for a better place when they die? Who wouldn't want to get some information to help them live a more fulfilling life? For many people this is all that Christianity means. Unfortunately they have believed a lie and never entered as Jesus said through the narrow door that leads to life (Mt. 7:14). Jesus will come to all who receive Him. Salvation is a free gift (Isa. 55:1; Eph. 2:8), but it is a precious gift and costly gift both to you and God. We learned about our Lord's expectations when we studied discipleship in Matthew chapter 10. In chapter 16 we will hear Him say, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself [I'd say that's putting Jesus first], and take up his cross [that means suffering for Jesus if necessary] and follow Me [that means total dependence]" (Mt. 16:24). This is the spiritual transaction necessary to receive the pearl. Most are unwilling to pay the price.

Wise investors diversify. They rarely put all their money in a single investment like our merchant did with the pearl, but that is the high command that Jesus demands of His followers. Matthew Henry put it like this, "Those who have a saving interest in Christ, must be willing to part with all for Him, leave all to follow Him. Whatever stands in opposition to Christ, or in competition with Him for our love and service, we must cheerfully quit it, though ever so dear to us."

All of your heart for all that He is. Some would call that a sacrifice. Obviously these people know nothing about the priceless riches of Christ. The merchant didn't sacrifice for the pearl; he gladly gave all he had for the pearl.

In Hebrews 11 we read, "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward" (Heb. 11:24-26). Was that a sacrifice or simply pursuing his greatest joy?

Or how about the testimony from the apostle Paul? "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him" (Phil. 3:7-10a). Was that a sacrifice or simply pursuing his greatest joy?

Imagine if you were to ask if I'd like to buy your home on Ocean Avenue. My response would be "Sure," followed quickly by "How much?" To my surprise you say that it would cost me five dollars. Would I immediately call my wife and start complaining about the sacrifice I just made? To do so would be foolish and result in a tremendous insult to you. When we understand the even greater greatness of God, do we call our service to Him a sacrifice when we consider what He gives in return?

Please understand that self-denial is for God's glory and our good! C.S. Lewis along these lines said it so well, "If there lurks in the most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Let me ask you this morning: have you found the pearl of great prize? Are you willing like the merchant, to give all for the pearl? Is your joy complete in the pearl and the pearl alone? Would it be possible to live without this pearl? Is this pearl your ultimate reason for wanting to go to heaven? Do you choose the pearl even at the cost of self-denial? Are you willing to surrender anything for the pearl? And if you answered "yes" to all these questions, would others who know you best agree? Is there clear evidence in your life, based on the way you use your time and treasures and talents, that God is number one in your life?

One author said, "Pleasure is the measure of our treasure. How do you measure or assess the value of something you cherish? How do you determine the worth of a prize? Is it not by the depth of pleasure you derive from it? Is it not by the intensity and quality of your delight in what it is? Is it not by how excited and enthralled and thrilled you are in the manifold display of its attributes, characteristics, and properties? In other words, your satisfaction in what the treasure is and what the treasure does for you is the standard or gauge by which its glory (worth and value) is revealed. Hence, your pleasure is the measure of the treasure. Or again, the treasure, which is God, is most glorified in and by you when your pleasure in Him is maximal and optimal" (Sam Storms).

According to John Piper, "Saving faith is the confidence that if you sell all you have, and forsake all sinful pleasures, the [great pearl] of holy joy will satisfy your deepest desires. Saving faith is the heartfelt conviction not only that Christ is reliable, but also that He is desirable. It is the confidence that He will come through with all His promises and that what He promises is more to be desired than all in the world."

Is the price too high for you? If so, you are not the man of the parable who gave it all for the pearl of great prize and you truly don't realize the unsurpassable wealth of the pearl. You are dishonoring God and cheating yourself of the truest joy. Will you forsake the worthless for the priceless treasures of God Himself?