Matthew 13:45-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
In this section of Matthew the Gospel writer is giving us Christ's Words on the Kingdom of Heaven. The quick definition of the Kingdom of Heaven would be what the world will look like when God's plan comes to fruition. Christ is telling his disciples how great value the Kingdom of Heaven is. He has already used a Mustard See and Leaven to talk about how powerful and fruitful the Kingdom of Heaven is, even if it looks small and insignificant. He has just told the disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven is a like a Hidden Treasure and we ought to seek it out. Here, in the above passage, Christ tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fine pearl one can discover. What Christ wants us to know is not that the Kingdom of Heaven has the value of a pearl, but that, like a pearl in the days of the disciples, the Kingdom of Heaven is something of great value we should pursue. Christ wants them, and us, to know that the pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom is a worthy pursuit. When we find it, by faith through only His grace, we find a great thing ... of great wealth (in man's terms). It is amazing how quickly we will trade the temporal and seen for the eternal and the unseen.
One of the greatest stories told along these lines is about Jim Elliot, who was a missionary tot he Auca Indians. Although he offered them the grace of God's Word through the gospel they would eventually take his life. One of his most famous quotes was: “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." That is the essence of what Jesus is telling the disciples. Jesus wants us to know that, as believers, we are recipients of something of so much value, nothing we currently know can compare to an inheritance with the Saints (Colossians 1:10-11). We foolishly exchange this eternal gift of Christ and the Holy Spirit's active work in our lives for trivial pursuits whose expiration dates are only moments away and whose existence is soon lost from our memory. In the above words Jesus tells us to give all to find the joys of the Kingdom. Sell all you have to enjoy it. He is not telling them they can buy or purchase the Kingdom. He is simply telling them, using human terms, the prize is so good, there is nothing you own or want to own that will ever compare to what Jesus offers in Himself, the Kingdom of Heaven. The truth is Jesus is the prize we should all be in pursuit of in our lives. Our entire being should be sold out to Him. He is of utmost value.
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