Value of the Gospel

Matt. 13:45-46

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church during this Christmas season. We are honored and thrilled to have you join us today. If this is your first time here, please be sure to connect with us.

We are in a Christmas series entitled: Gospel Christmas. The gospel is the greatest gift we can ever receive. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This gift is given to us at the expense of Jesus’s death on the cross.

Have you ever considered how amazingly valuable the gospel is? In the passage we just read, God likens the kingdom of God which can only be entered by believing the gospel through accepting the perfect work of Christ as your Savior. When you value something, you will treat it with respect and care.

Here the entrance into heaven is compared to a merchant who finds the pearl of great price and gives up all his pearls for the one pearl. There are some who view this very differently. Some would say this does not point to the gospel because the searcher for the pearl, finds it and pays for it. They would go on to say, that a man without Christ is not seeking for Christ but Christ seeks after Him.

All of that is true; however, the context focuses on the value of the kingdom of heaven which is only given to us through the gospel.

Jesus is not teaching that entrance into the kingdom depended on self-sacrifice but entrance depended on faith in Him. We give up all our substitute gospel beliefs to believe in the One True Gospel and way to heaven.

The value of being a child of God through faith in Christ is priceless, more valuable than all the possessions the richest man could acquire. There is nothing to compare to it in worth and beauty. It is forgiveness, love, peace, happiness, virtue, purity, righteousness, eternal life, glory, and so much more.

Jesus likens the value of the gospel to something the ancient world knew as extremely valuable which are pearls. This wholesale dealer was in business to buy and sell pearls for profit. This particular merchant spent his time seeking fine pearls. He probably made various visits to coastal ares where pearls were harvested and he would haggle with divers. The hearers were most familiar with this process and Jesus teaches the kingdom of heaven is the most valuable possession they could have.

Pearls today are very valuable depending on various factors. The price is determined by type, color, size, shape, luster, and surface quality. A basic freshwater pearl ranges under $100 to south sea pearl upwards to $100K. In our modern world, diamonds are considered the most valuable piece of jewelry.

It has been reported that the wife of Roman emperor Caligula often wore a vast fortune in pearls in her hair and on her ears, neck, wrists, and fingers. Cleopatra is said to have owned two extremely valuable pearls, each of which would be worth several million dollars in today’s market.

The emphasis is on the value of the gospel. Jesus is teaching us some lessons in this parable for us.

Lesson 1. . .

The gospel must be personally accepted

This means that all that we seek to acquire and think is so valuable in this world, that the gospel is more valuable than those things. A person who accepts Christ as their Savior, it would be worth a person who will give up all he possesses in his life for the gospel. This is what Jesus meant when He said Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Religion operates on the principle of “I obey—therefore I am accepted by God.” The basic operating principle of the gospel is “I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ—therefore I obey.

Timothy Keller

Everyone of us who live in this world is under the dominion and penalty of sin. We cannot erase or get rid of this problem in own power. It is not attending a Bible preaching church or being baptized or going through the motions of being a Christian.

Each person must recognize that we are sinners before a holy God. We must admit all our righteousness are as filthy rags. We are in need of a Savior personally and individually before God. We are forgiven and accepted into God’s family not because of a wife or a parent or a grandparent or a church or a good heart. We must admit: we are sinners before a Holy God.

This means we turn from our sin, our treasures and desires of this world, our religion, our self will, and call only on Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We are to accept Him individually by faith.

One day I was witnessing to a man about his need for Christ. He told me everything was fine between him and God because his wife takes care of that for both of them. Thank God for a Godly wife but her Godliness does not take care of his need to personally accept Christ.

Some people think my granddaddy was a Christian, my dad and mom, were Christians so I am a Christian. God says we must personally accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Lesson 2 . . .

The gospel is priceless

The express value of salvation is seen through the idea that the gospel is worth selling all our possessions in order to receive it. Job describes the tireless effort of man to acquire riches.

Job 28:1, Job 28:3–4 “He setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out all perfection: The stones of darkness, and the shadow of death. The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; Even the waters forgotten of the foot: They are dried up, they are gone away from men.”

Job 28:6-7, Job 28:10–11 “He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing. He bindeth the floods from overflowing; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.”

“The value of God’s kingdom far exceeds that of all earthly riches and advantages together—and would still exceed them in worth even if they brought the satisfaction they promise. Yet God offers His priceless kingdom to any person, no matter how poor, how insignificant, how sinful, who trusts in Christ. The price is the same for everyone—all they have. For those whose hearts are genuinely turned to Christ, whatever values they have clung to in the past will be exchanged eagerly for this priceless treasure.” John MacArthur

God is telling us that the gospel is more valuable than all the efforts man take take to fine, mine, refine, cut, polish, mount, sell, and buy precious stones, none of them offers anything truly worthwhile or lasting. Pearls cannot heal broken relationships, give peace to a troubled mind, or forgive a sinful heart. They offer little for the present and nothing for eternity.

The gates of pearl were not an artistic whim, but had a theological purpose. They represented the Pearl of Great Price, a figure from the Gospels, which pointed to Jesus Christ.892 John Gilmore, Probing Heaven

John Gilmore

The blessing of being a child of God through faith in Christ is utterly priceless, more valuable than all the possessions the richest man could acquire.

There is no worth compared to it, no worth better than the gospel, no philosophy that is greater, no religion that is truer, no hope that replaces the gospel. There is no light that can outshine it and there is no beauty than is greater to behold.

Mercy is without price and beyond all price.

Anonymous

When Robert Herbert Thompson-who owned 180 newspapers, controlled 290 other companies, and was personally worth more than 300 million dollars in the last century-was asked how much he would give to buy the New York Times newspaper, he said, “I’d mortgage my soul.” If they could, many people would do just that in order to achieve the possessions, fame, or power after which they lust. Many a person has sold their soul for much less.

This value and this worth for the gospel is offered to any person, no matter how poor, how insignificant, how sinful, who trusts in Christ. The price is the same for everyone. Whatever values they have clung to in the past will be exchanged for the priceless treasures.

George Bennard said in his song: So I'll cherish the old rugged cross 'Til my trophies at last I lay down I will cling to the old rugged cross And exchange it someday for a crown

Lesson 3 . . .

The gospel is the source of true joy

It was from joy that the man in the parable sold all he had to buy the fireld that held the priceless treasure. Joy is a basic desire in every human being and is the desire that all the others, either directly or indirectly serve. Human satisfaction can only be found in God’s divine provision.

1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

The apostle John declares in the opening of his first letter 1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” Paul speaks of this kingdom Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” He say in Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Since joy is a basic desire of every human being. Do you have joy in your life? Where are looking for it? Another job? A different career? A different spouse? Looking in these places will bring only disappointment.

Your desire for joy can only be found in the true source of joy which is a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are Christian today, you have the most valuable possession you can have. It is the gospel pure and simple. Whatever you value, you will take care of it. You will love and appreciate it. You will respect what God has given you. During this Christmas season, let me remind you the greatest gift is not under the tree but in the person of Jesus Christ.

If you have not received Jesus as your Savior, you can accept Him today. You can have the greatest gift ever given by calling upon Jesus today