The Pearl of Great Price

Matthew 13:45–46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Introduction

The Popular Interpretation

The Merchant seeking Christ: Sinner

The Pearl: Christ

The Problem with the Interpretation

Sinners Can’t seek God

Romans 3:11 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

Jesus does the seeking: Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Adam didn’t seek God, Abraham didn’t seek God, Paul didn’t seek God, the Philippian Jailor didn’t seek God

We Love him BECAUSE he FIRST Loved us!!!

This is not to deny the experience of seeking ofter God. Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found..” But the is something that happens first.

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

Something always take place before a sinner can seek him!

Sinners can’t purchase salvation

In this interpretation of the scripture it would indicate that the sinners can Purchase their salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

There never has been and never will be a sinner that has ever bought his or her salvation.

Righteousness they have none! Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”

Goodness they have none! Romans 3:12 “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

SO WHAT COULD THIS PARABLE MEAN?

It is much more precious than a sinner finding Christ

Much more precious than a sinner giving up everything for Christ

But that Jesus Christ would give his EVERYTHING just to save us!!!

The Parable

Matthew 13:45–46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

The Merchant

The merchant man is Christ

Cross Reference with Matthew 13:24 “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:”

The Merchant’s Determination

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The Desire in His Determination

Psalm 45:11 “So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: For he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.”

What a God to greatly desire poor, sinful people as us!

The Destination of His Determination

John 14:1–3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

This tells us of the intense desire of the heart of Christ which will not be satisfied until He has his blood bought people around himself!!

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The Pearl

The Pearl is the Church

Matthew 13:45–46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

He Sought The Pearl

The Surprising Price of the Pearl

“great price”

How tragic it is that so many don’t see their true value as Christ sees them

What a blessing that God not only DESIRES you but he says you are of GREAT PRICE

This world wants us to think we are worthless BUT GOD says otherwise!

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.”

The Sell Off for the Pearl

Matthew 13:46 “Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

This is something we couldn’t ever fathom.

The God of all Glory selling everything he had to purchase us!! WHAT A THOUGHT!!

He who was rich, for us became poor— poorer than any of us have ever been.

So poor that he occupied a manger— that one day we could occupy a mansion

So poor he had no where to lay his head— that one day we could rest of heads on him

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

He Bought The Pearl

1 Peter 1:18–19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

It was at the Cross where He bled and died where He poured out what soon would purchase our salvation!!!

And while he was buried He carried the Precious Blood he shed, took it to the transaction table of the Mercy Seat of Almighty God. where he placed it to cover our sins!!

Close

Considering the Pearl

Matthew 13:45–46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

As we have already covered The Pearl represents the Church.

The Protection of the Pearl

Unlike other gems such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, etc. that can be cut into smaller pieces and maintain value. A pearl is the only gem that loses complete and total value when it is cut. a single division destroys it.

The Production of the Pearl

A pearl is the product of a living creature, it’s the only gem that is. Not only that, but it is a product of suffering.

An Oyster living in the ocean. One day a small grain of sand intrudes and pierces its side.

God has given the oyster a way of self preservation, when the grain of sand pierces the side of that oyster it produced a substance called nacre that covers the wound. Repeating this process again and again.

As this process continues it creates what we know as a pearl.

WE ARE THE GRAIN OF SAND THAT PIERCED THE SIDE OF OUR SAVIOR!!

THE VERY THING THAT INJURED THE OYSTER IS ULTIMATELY CLOTHED WITH BEAUTY BUT IT’S NOT OF OUR OWN!!

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Peter 1:18–19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Just as the sand injures the oyster, our sin injures the savior.

What came from the savior wasn’t Nacre as the oyster produces but it was his precious blood shed for you and me.

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”