One Pearl of Great Price

Matthew 13:45–46

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Our key verse is Matthew 13:10-11, “And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

I. A Picture of the Church:

a. A pearl is formed inside an oyster. There comes in some impurity, and it imbeds itself in that oyster. And then the oyster begins to release a substance to cover that impurity and it covers it layer by layer until something beautiful has been made. A pearl is made of something living and cannot be divided.

b. Aren’t you glad Jesus has covered us by His precious Blood and clothed us in His righteousness and His glory? Aren’t you glad He brought us out of the depths and made us into something fit for the throne room? Aren’t you glad He has taken us from darkness into the light? We are being formed from beginning to end, layer by layer, gradually, being maturing and being perfected (Ephesians 5:25-27; 4:13).

II. The Pursuit of the Church:

a. Jesus said this merchant man was in pursuit of something most rare and valuable. And when He found this one pearl of great price, He went and sold all that He had and bought it. Jesus came on a mission. He’s been in pursuit of you. He went looking for you (Psalm 45:11; Luke 19:10; Psalm 139). Aren’t you glad the Lord pursued you?

III. The Price of the Church:

a. God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because He loves us. The merchantman sold all that he had and bought this one costly pearl. That’s how we know the merchant man is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9).

b. Think of the price that the Lord Jesus Christ paid to buy the one pearl of great price. From His youth (Psalm 88:15), to Gethsemane, to Pilate’s Hall, the whipping post, the mocking, the shame, the crown of thorns, the cross. Why did He do it? Because He was purchasing the pearl of great price. He gave all that He had, this merchantman!

c. So, what does all of this tell us? Well, we cannot buy Him. He is not for sale. The gospel is not for sale. We didn’t seek Him. He sought us. He took our sin. He covered it with His own life’s blood. He made something beautiful out of that which cost Him everything. We are that one pearl of great price.