The Pearl Of Great Price (Kingdom Life Series-III)

                                                    THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE!

We talk very little about Pearls these days. Wilma and I ministered in Hyderabad in India, called the City of Pearls. This was due to its booming pearl processing and trading industry which has been supplying the finest pearl jewelry to India and the rest of the world for more than 400 years. The former Indian Rajas (kings) knew the value of Pearls, as once they were the proud owners of the world's richest diamond called the Kohinoor Diamond.

The British (stole), wrongfully acquired it, and placed it among the crown jewels of Queen Victoria on the annexation of Punjab in 1849. Even if the Kohinoor diamond's value is unknown, it is part of the Crown Jewels, valued between $10 and $12 billion. Kohinoor Diamond was mined at Kollur Mine in Andhra Pradesh, operated during the mid-19th century, and was one of the largest and most productive diamond mines on the Indian subcontinent.

The reason for my sharing about pearls and diamonds is that some people value them and are often proud to own them. Today we will learn about a pearl of a different kind and value. Our Kingdom Life series taught us how God's eternal Kingdom operates worldwide through Kingdom citizens. God's workers are spreading God's Kingdom as they go out and scatter the seeds of the Gospel. Last week we learned when God's Kingdom message is presented to various people how they produce a rich harvest or lack thereof.

When they receive the message, the good-hearted people will hold on to it, apply it, and produce a rich harvest, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, through perseverance. In today's reading, we read about Jesus using two similar parables, one after the other, to emphasize the absolute and infinite worth of God's Kingdom and how people might obtain it.

These two parables are about more than pursuing earthly treasure and pearls but about seeking and receiving the one and only one who is worth pursuing and the cost involved in doing so. I title this message "The Pearl of Great Price." Matthew 13:44-46.

 

I. THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE (Vs. 44)

Vs. 44. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Just imagine this scene: A man went to a field to work in the morning.

While he was digging the field, he accidentally stumbled upon a treasure. It looked substantial, but he needed to know how much it was valued. He was excited about his fortune. But there was a problem; it was not his field. So he hid it, went home, sold everything he owned, and bought the field. If you were that man, would you risk losing everything to buy that field if you thought the hidden treasure was not worth more than all you owned?

Under rabbinic law, if a workman came on a treasure in a field and lifted it out, it would belong to his master, the field's owner; but here, the man is careful not to lift the treasure out until he has bought the field. The parable's focus, therefore, is on the value of the treasure, which is worth every sacrifice. When the man buys the field at such sacrifice, he possesses far more than the price paid. The Kingdom of Heaven is worth infinitely more than any earthly treasure. Those who know where the treasure lies joyfully abandon everything else to secure it.

To stress the importance of saving our souls from eternal destruction and the cost of discipleship, Jesus said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" Mark 8:34-36

The human soul is more precious than all the fleeting treasures of this earth. It has an eternal destiny. It is worth losing everything to ensure that we will live with Jesus in his eternal Kingdom forever if only we believe in Him. We already get to enjoy its blessings here and now.

 

II THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL (45-46)

            Vs. 45-46, "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" The word "again" ties this parable closely to the preceding one. The connection is the supreme worth of the Kingdom. The parables of the hidden treasure and the Pearl are a pair, and pairing is not uncommon in Matthew, an excellent way of reinforcing a point.

The merchant in the parable went out searching for "choice pearls," the rarest natural pearls. Unlike the farmer, the merchant was intentionally looking for a pearl of great value. When he found one, he knew this single Pearl surpassed any other pearl he had ever seen or owned. He sold everything he had and bought that Pearl of great value. A man or a woman might own several pearls (possessions), but nothing can be compared with the Pearl of Great Price.

III. THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

            What is the Pearl of Great Price in this parable? It refers to the Kingdom of God even more, so Jesus, the King of God's Kingdom. Let me show you how Jesus is indeed the Pearl of Great Price. In the Bible, pearls were often referred to as knowledge, wisdom, and something of great value. Jesus said, "Don't throw your pearls (something valuable) before to pigs." Matt 7:6. In a way, Jesus was saying don't give away your valuable wisdom to those who may not value it.

            Listen to Job, who showed us where wisdom and understanding are found. Job 28:12-28, "But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it. It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver. It's worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or bluestone. Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral and Jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

It's worth more than the purest gold. "But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. "God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding." This is how one can acquire wisdom and understanding.

If you search for wisdom and understanding, you will end up in Jesus Christ. This is what Isaiah prophesied of Jesus. Isaiah 11:2, "And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." Here is the fatherly advice of the great King Solomon. Proverbs 2:1-6,

"My child, listen to what I say and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Paul encourages Colossian Church to go after Jesus because "In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col 2:3. He unashamedly went after Jesus. "I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him." Phil 3:7-8

Paul considered everything he owned as garbage when it came to gaining Christ. What garbage do you need to let go of to gain Jesus Christ, the Pearl of Great Price? When you put your faith in Jesus, your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive His Kingdom. Having Jesus in your life is far more worthy than silver, gold, diamonds, or any earthly possessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Producing a Harvest (Kingdom Life -II)

                                                           PRODUCING A HARVEST

(Kingdom Life-II)

We started a new sermon series called "Kingdom Life" last week. We learned about what God's Kingdom is like, its arrival, and the truths and fallacies related to God's Kingdom. As the name suggests, we established that it is not mine, yours, but God's Kingdom.

I love this solid working definition of God's Kingdom in eight words by the Gospel Coalition. The Kingdom is God's reign through God's people over God's place. God wants to reign as King through His people over the earth as He is reigning in Heaven. Why is it essential for God's children to know the message and even more so to live by Kingdom principles?

First, "The word 'kingdom' is found fifty-five times in Matthew; twenty times in Mark—forty-six times in Luke and five times in John. The phrase 'the Kingdom of God, or 'Kingdom of Heaven, or his Kingdom, occurs about eighty times. These statistics show the great importance of the core teachings of Jesus." [1] If it was important for Jesus, it should be for His disciples too.

Second, all those who received the message of God's Kingdom will live in His eternal Kingdom, which Jesus establishes upon His return. It makes perfect sense to know about the place where we are going to live forever. As we wait for God's Kingdom to arrive in its finality, in the meantime, we have to live out Kingdom principles as Heaven's representatives on earth.  

How did Jesus spread this Kingdom message? By preaching, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." He realized that He couldn't do it alone, so He chose a band of twelve rugged Galilean fishermen to become His followers. He taught them what God's Kingdom was like through parables and teachings. He showed them how to live Kingdom Life on earth. Last week we saw a farmer scattering seeds in his field, which fell on four different types of soils. Today we will learn how those soils produced fruit or the lack thereof.

I. Explanation of the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

This parable contained: A farmer, seeds, and four different kinds of soils. Who is the farmer? The farmer represents God himself. Jesus elicits this Truth in another parable of Wheat and Weeds ( Mt 13:37), where he says, "The Son of Man is the farmer."

The great farmer is God, and the field is the world. God is concerned with his Kingdom's message spreading worldwide. To accomplish it, He employs angels and people. Before sharing this parable, Jesus reminded his disciples about the harvest and the need for workers to harvest. (Matt 9:37-38). God is the chief farmer. His followers are little farmers in His field (I Cor 3:9).

What about the seeds? The seed is the message of the Kingdom. What is the message of the Kingdom, then? The Kingdom's message is the Good News. It is about how people can enter God's Kingdom by repentance and returning to God from their evil ways. What about the soil? The four different kinds of soil represent four categories of people who respond when the message of God's Kingdom is presented to them. Let me unpack this parable.

II. What hinders Christians from producing a harvest?

Jesus explained the spiritual message behind a familiar farming story. It was the same farmer scattered the same good seed in his field. Some fell on a footpath as he scattered, and the birds came and ate them." As we share the Word, it sometimes falls on the footpath only to be eaten by birds. The footpath people represent those who hear the Word but don't understand it.

These people consist of skeptics, unbelievers, atheists, etc. They hear the Gospel preached repeatedly but never seem to respond to it because the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts. It is discouraging when we see the Gospel doesn't seem to bear fruit. Let's remember we are contending with the devil. He tries everything to confuse and stop people from believing the Truth, lest they be freed from their sin and receive God's gift of salvation.

The seed on the rocky soil: "Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died." Matthew 13:5-6.

The rocky soil represents the people who, when they hear the message, quickly respond to it with Joy. Their newfound joy won't last long if they fail to be part of a spiritually nurturing fellowship where their roots of discipleship grow deeper. We call them shallow Christians.

Unfortunately, some Christians like the Kingdom's promises but don't want to follow its principles. They won't read the Bible, pray, worship, or attend Church. In other words, they like the perks but want to avoid paying the price. When some hardship or trouble hits them, they throw in the towel, stop attending Church and eventually give up their faith hence bearing no fruit.

The seed among the thorns: Matt 13:7, "Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants." (NLT). In Mark's Gospel, we read the thorny ground represents those who hear the message, "but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful. Mk 4:18-19

The Word bears no fruit on these people because "they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun." Luke 8:14,( The Message). Unfortunately, many Christians worry about tomorrow and care about making money and having fun.

Jesus offered another alternative to his followers, "So, don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:31-33. Is worry keeping you up all night? Are you caught up in the web of the deceitfulness of riches and rendering you fruitless? Here is how you can bear much fruit.   

III. What Makes Christians Produce a Harvest?

            The seed on the good soil:  Matthew 13: 8, "Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

Why did three soils not bear fruit while the fourth produced a harvest?

Haven't they all received the same seed? Yes, they did! The main difference was that the fourth soil was fertile and could produce an abundant harvest. Similarly, good soil represents those capable of producing a harvest of thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times. Over my years in ministry, I have noticed Christians representing all these four soils. Which one are you today?

 When we look at Matthew and Luke, we glean a few principles that would help us cultivate our hearts to produce an abundant harvest. First, pay attention to Jesus' admonishment to his listeners, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." Matthew 13:9

The fruit-bearing Christians don't stop at just listening to God's Word. They try to understand with the help of the Holy Spirit and apply what they are learning in their daily lives. Second, They hear God's Word, cling to it, and with perseverance, produce a harvest. Luke 8:15.

Throughout the Bible, the harvest carries spiritual significance. The harvest has always been a beautiful and important part of life on earth. It is symbolic of bounty, health, and abundance. In the parable of the farmer scattering the seed, spiritual harvest results from God's work in man's heart. This explains how people respond to the Good News.

In some, the devil steals it from the beginning. The message won't go deep into others because of the lack of discipleship. Some others get caught up in worries, pleasures, and deceptiveness of riches, bearing no fruit. Yet  some good-hearted people hear and respond to God's Kingdom message. They produce a spiritual harvest by increasing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23).

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible(, Vol. III, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1976, p. 804).

Kingdom Life Part I

                                    The Parable of the Sower & the Seed                                 

For the first time in over seventy years, the United Kingdom and the world have renewed their fascination with a King in anticipation of the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6^th,2023. If you grew up in a Catholic or a Protestant Church, you might be familiar with Lord's Prayer. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." It ends with, "For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:9-13, NIV. How fascinated are we with our King and His Kingdom?

We are embarking on a new series of teaching, "Kingdom Life," Do you know what God's Kingdom is like? Has it already come, or will it come one day in the distant future? How will we live in this world as citizens of God's Kingdom? Before we go further, I want to clarify certain truths and misconceptions regarding The Kingdom of God.

 

I. The Kingdom of God.

As the name suggests, it is not mine, yours, or even the devil's but God's Kingdom. God has always been and always will be the eternal King of the heaven and the earth He created. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, "O Lord of Heaven's Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth." Isaiah 37:16

King David praised God: "He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever." Psalm 146:6. "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. Ps 47:6-7

God wanted to be the King of Israel. Instead, people wanted a human king like other nations around them. God gave Saul as their King, which turned out to be a disaster. Since many kings and kingdoms came and went, let's not be too impressed by them. Instead, let's get to know, love, serve, worship, and stand in awe of our God, whose Kingdom will endure forever.

 

II A few facts and misconceptions about the Kingdom of God.

We must study and know certain truths about God's Kingdom to refute the false teachings and prophets out there to deceive sincere followers of Christ. Here are a  few facts about God's Kingdom. First, God's Kingdom is the reign of God in the universe and His children's lives.

Secondly, it never comes to an end. Prophet Daniel prophesied in Daniel 2:44, "During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever."

Third, when will it come? One Biblical view, which I also believe, is called the "already but not yet" view of the Kingdom of God, developed by Princeton theologian Gerhardus Vos early in the 20th century. As per this view, Christ's followers actively participate in God's Kingdom here and now. The full expression of it happens when Christ returns.

Some claim that the miracles performed by modern-day "prophets and apostles" are greater than anything done by the original apostles. This heretical teaching is known as Kingdom Now Theology and Dominion Theology. It is also popular among "Word of Faith" teachers who teach that salvation brings total healing of all diseases and problems right now is not Biblical.

The prosperity gospel, name-it-claim-it teachings, are based on the teaching that God's Kingdom is in full operation and that by prayer, we can appropriate its blessings. People are told they never need to be sick or poor because the riches of God's Kingdom are available to them now. We can overcome these false teachings by knowing the truth about God's Kingdom.

  

Jesus began and concluded his ministry by teaching people about God's Kingdom and its implications in the lives of his followers. He used stories and metaphors to teach His disciples about God's Kingdom and how they were to live as Kingdom citizens on earth. On one occasion, he shared a parable of the Sower and the seed to elicit Kingdom life among His disciples.

 

III. Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seeds.

Jesus was a great storyteller. He would often pick up an everyday activity or situation and uses it to teach his disciples and listeners Kingdom truths. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as the parable of the farmer scattering seed found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Why use parables? His disciples even asked him why? Jesus replied (Mk 4:11-12), "You are permitted to understand the secret [ mysteries] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10.

            "When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.' For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them." (Greek version).

Then Jesus challenged them, saying, in Mark 4:13, "Then Jesus said to them, "If you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The first parable sets the premise for the other parables, seven in total, that Jesus shared in Matthew chapter 13. They intended to teach his disciples and us about the purpose and the principles of God's Kingdom. Let us listen to the purpose of the parable of the farmer scattering seeds.

It was the spring season in Palestine. A farmer went out to his field to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds ate them up. Others are on shallow soil with rock. They sprouted and died quickly because of the hot sun and shallow roots in shallow soil. Some among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

Still, other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." What underlying purpose of God's Kingdom can we understand from this parable?

 

IV. Without someone preaching, people will not hear the Gospel.

What do we need to reap a rich harvest of the crop? We need the seeds, the ground, and a farmer to prepare and plant the seed. You may have the seeds, and the environment may be well prepared, but without the farmer out there scattering the seeds and taking care of it and the field afterward, you forget about reaping a harvest, let alone a rich harvest.

This parable gives us the primary purpose of God's Kingdom. For God's Kingdom to be established and bear fruit in people's lives, its message must be spread far and wide. What was the message of God's Kingdom? It was the Good News. When people repent of their sins and turn to God by believing in Jesus, they will enter God's Kingdom, enjoying all of its benefits.

As a farmer who went out to his field to scatter some seeds, Jesus came to His own preaching the message of God's Kingdom. He traveled the entire region of Galilee with one message saying, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."

The purpose of God's Kingdom is that it is spread out far and wide so that more people will come to know God and live a fulfilling life on this earth by practicing the principles of His Kingdom. How would that purpose be realized without a messenger who would go out and spread the Good News, like the farmer who scatters his seeds? 

For that reason, Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16. He used this parable of the farmer scattering his seed to teach his disciples to become the scatterers of the Gospel seeds everywhere.

Similarly, sharing the message of Hope is not limited to pastors, evangelists, and missionaries but is open to all the Kingdom citizens. The first sign of Kingdom life is that we become the Gospel seed carriers. How are you scattering the seeds of God's Kingdom?