The Parable Of The Pearl

Matthew 13:45-46:

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

1.  Have a definite purpose in life. The Greek word for 'merchant' means a traveling wholesaler who is traveling throughout the world to seek the premium products that the world has to offer. To seek the best merchandise to sell. He's looking for the best pearls of value, not because of why he wants them but to have them for his clients.

You know the pearl is valued for its size, its shape and its luster. Those three things make the value of a pearl and so that is what he is looking for. You've got to have a great purpose in life. Aimlessness produces restlessness and despondency. If you want to be successful you've got to have a goal in your life. The true measure of a man is not how tall he is but how high his ideals are. If you're going to climb you've got to reach for the branches and not the blossoms. I think too many of us are just reaching for the blossoms of life. You reach for the branches and then you can climb higher. Stay on the path that leads to your goal.  Set a goal in your life. Chart the course and hold yourself to it and you will succeed. Have a purpose. You know having a purpose, God will empower you to fulfill that purpose in your life. God will do that for you.
 

The merchant man looked the world over until he found what he was after. Nothing stopped him. He was focused on doing what he was doing.

2.   In order to be successful in life you have to have high standards. He had the highest standards. The Greek word here indicates that he was seeking goodly or fine pearls. He was seeking the best pearls that money could buy. Seeking the biggest and the best in perfect pearls is good when Jesus is your pearl. You need to seek a relationship with Jesus Christ because successful people have high standards, and the highest standard that you can have is none other than our Savior Jesus.

3.  If you want to be successful you need to have a sense of value. So many people go out and they say well I bought that I thought was going to be okay, or I married him, or I married her. I thought... Well, you need to have a proper sense of value. You need to have a good judgment and how do you get that. God will give it to you. You need to consult with your partner and God will help you to make proper decisions in life. All too often we conclude that something is valuable simply because so many people are chasing after it to get it. I've got to get me a pair of those boots. I've got to get me one of those electronic devices, because everybody's getting it. I've got to have one. The crowd does not set your value. Your value is set by a high standard. Not the crowd. Keep that in mind. If you follow the crowd their values will become your values.

A pearl isn't much. If you hit a pearl with a hammer you end up with a pile of lime-like chalk. It's just dust. A pearl isn't much. It's only the covering that makes the pearl valuable. And that's what makes you valuable is that covering. If you're covered with the robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, you're valuable. You're priceless. You are the pearl of great price. In Eden God covered man's nakedness, and at Calvary God covered man's sin. In both cases an innocent lamb died for the guilty.

A pearl is produced as a result of suffering of a living organism and from much suffering an object of beauty and value is formed. And I'm wondering, could it be that when we all get to heaven that those who have suffered the most in this life will be the most valuable up there. As the little grain of sand in the oyster is ultimately clothed with a beauty not of its own so we are covered with the beauty of the righteousness of the character of Jesus Christ and that is priceless. You can't afford it. All you have to give is filthy rags in exchange for the robe and that's all he wants, is your filthy rags and he will give you this covering that will make you a priceless pearl. It will make you into one of Jesus' jewels. Never forget your value.

So Jesus is standing at your heart door knocking and Jesus is looking for pearls. He's looking for this jewel. Jesus loves you because he sees in you a pearl. You are the pearl that he died for. May his death not be in vain. He paid for your covering with his blood. Give your life to Jesus. May He be the thrill of your soul. May he be jewel of your life and may you sparkle in his kingdom. Jesus loves you.