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First the Kingdom part 36
The Pearl of Great Price
What is most important to you? What do you value the most? All to often we look at our behavior without considering what motivates us. As human beings we can easily become conflicted when our physical desires compete with those things we value the most. We need worthy values that can definitely keep us from becoming consumed by our unhealthy desires.
In my lifetime I have not been through 2 world wars or the great depression, but I have lived through times of both personal and national tragedies.
The assassinations of JFK, his brother Robert, and Martin Luther King reflected the darkness of those times. The racial tensions of the 60’s and the war in Vietnam continue to affect us today. The Covid-19 pandemic is currently affecting people around the world, whatever they believe about it. America is more divided than I have ever seen, and even Christians appear to be divided over a great many issues.
Jesus gave the solution, the answer that we all need 2,000 years ago. It was the answer I needed over 40 years ago, which I continually need the think about. It is the reason I am bringing this 36th chapter in this series. Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God. He spent the entire 3 1/2 years of His ministry teaching and preaching about the Kingdom. He told us that seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness should be our first priority in life. In seeking God’s will for us we will learn to trust in His protection, care and provision for us. Yes, we can be free from overwhelming fear and worry!
Sadly, far too many people are being taught to seek power, pleasure and possessions. Some Christians even equate these things to the Kingdom of God! It is the times like those we are experiencing now that often reveal our faulty foundations. Those who value these things more than the love of God are the most vulnerable. Perhaps they have learned about His grace and have received His forgiveness without having grown through discipleship.
The proof of this can be found in the many failed marriages, addictions to chemical substances, and the casual sex among professing Christians.
But we are not here to condemn anyone. We are here to share in the work of Jesus Who brought us His Good News! This message brings an entirely new way to look at life, the world around us and eternity! It also represents a different value system that drives us internally to holiness, righteousness and love!
Jesus once told two stories about men who found something that was worth more than all they had owned.
Matthew 13:44-46:
“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. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
NIV
In the first story something valuable was hidden. In order to gain possession of it this man had to purchase something he did not want or need. But to him the treasure he found in the field was worth the price of the land, which cost him everything.
So the kingdom of heaven is like hidden treasure. I can personally testify to this. I grew up in church and in an extended family of serious believers. My grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher in a time when we were like the underdogs of Christianity. Even though I believed from my earliest years that Jesus was my Savior and Lord, I could not quite get what the Pentecostal church was all about. I did not know until age 21 that within that “field” there was hidden treasure! While I admit there were some errors and confusion in the Pentecostal movement back then, I would not trade my experience growing up for anything.
When we think about other passages of scripture which emphasize the free gift of salvation, how are we to understand the moral of this story? Are we being asked, like the rich young ruler, to sell all that we have and give to the poor to find eternal life? Are we being told to buy our way into heaven? Let’s stop and think about this for a minute.
The man who found the hidden treasure is one who knew the value of this treasure. He is like those of us who have heard the Gospel, believed it and have received forgiveness and grace from God. Once our eyes have been opened, we see that the true treasure is Christ Himself! At this point, many thousands have followed through from that time forward and placed knowing Christ above all else. Like Paul the apostle, they pressed toward the mark, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ! They pursued eternal life on this side of the grave, for knowing Him IS Life Eternal! They did not consider the high price of following Christ. They were overjoyed that they have found Him and desired to know Him more!
On the other hand, there are those who are satisfied to seek for what ever pleasures they can find in an earthly existence. They are willing to look for eternal life only beyond the grave. Such a value system does not motivate heroism, sacrifice and servanthood. Much potential for the Kingdom of God is lost.
In the second example, the man was a merchant who knew what he was looking for. He did not stumble upon a hidden treasure. The precious pearl was in plain sight, and the seller knew full well of its value. He asked for the highest price the merchant could afford, everything!
My question for you today is this: Are you struggling to keep focussed on Christ in these confusing times? Do you lose your joy over trivial things, much less major shifts in society or the economy? Have you considered the early Christians and even those in our day whose faith have prevailed over much greater dangers than those we face?
Is it possible that a fresh look at Jesus Christ and his message, the Gospel of the Kingdom could renew your joy in Him? Could a greater understanding give you a new perspective on His purpose for your life in the present reality of His Kingdom on earth? Yes, there is a realm that is beyond our imagination, which will be made known to us in the ages to come! But there is also a dimension of life to be lived on this earth now, and a future that we can help build as we participate with Christ today!
God is on the move in this earth today! We need to arise and become a part of what He is doing. We can be workers together with Him! The Kingdom of heaven is this treasure, this pearl of great price. When we realise how wonderful and real it is, when we can see the beauty and wonder of God’s plan working in this earth, we will gladly and joyfully give ourselves to serving in it!
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