The Pearl of Great Price

Thank you, Mr. Schulz. And good afternoon. Happy Sabbath! Nice to see all of you here. It's definitely a full house. And Paul Moody reminded me of all the thousands that would be listening in on the webcast. He said he was trying to put my mind at ease. Really, I'd like to say hello to all of you as well. It's certainly a wonderful blessing to be here on God's wonderful Holy Sabbath day. It is very likely that you are aware of Jesus' parable known as the Pearl of Great Price. Many messages have been given regarding this parable, but personally, I never grow tired of hearing about the Pearl of Great Price. We find this parable over in Matthew 13 verses 45 and 46. It's only two verses long. Matthew 13.45.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Pearl of Great Price is multifaceted, but there is, make no mistake, just one true Pearl of Great Price. Salvation and eternity in God's glorious kingdom is surely an aspect of the Pearl of Great Price. Being called of God and coming to know Jesus Christ and the Father is certainly an aspect of that great Pearl. God's precious truth, his commandments, his way of life is certainly an aspect of this marvelous, marvelous Pearl. And, of course, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ both by the Father and the Son is an aspect of this glorious Pearl. Certainly, the parable points to the coming kingdom of God, multifaceted, but one Pearl.

Today, specifically, I'd like to focus on what it means to sell all that you have to buy that awesome Pearl. Just how well do we understand the meaning of this Pearl of Great Price in regard, especially, to the price that we must pay for it? Of course, this Pearl is priceless. It's worth a great deal, but it also costs a great deal. And that's what I'd like to focus on today. Is it worth the cost? That's my question. I've got to see if I'm staying up with my PowerPoint here. Oh, not exactly. That's okay. We'll get there. All right, I was inspired to give this sermon several years ago, but inspired to do the PowerPoint last night. So you can imagine why I might be having some difficulty here. So the question is, is it worth the cost, this Pearl? Generally, when we talk about this parable, we focus on the awesomeness of the Pearl of Great Price, how wonderful and how awesome it is. Nevertheless, perhaps another scenario will give you a little inkling of what it would mean to sell all that you have to buy this Pearl of Great Price. Again, it costs a great deal. The idea for what I'm about to share with you was inspired several years ago by a scenario that I discovered of all things, of all places, on the internet. The author was anonymous. No credit was given. I could not find who the author was. And I've changed the scenario significantly to fit our reality here in the United Church of God a lot more closely. There'll be just two people in this little scenario. There'll be the shopkeeper and the pearl seeker. Of course, God is the shopkeeper, and I would say God and Christ together, the shopkeeper, and of course you are the pearl seeker. So let's listen carefully and let's consider what this means to you personally and how it relates to the price we must all be willing to pay to enter God's kingdom. The shopkeeper begins as you walk into his shop. How may I help you?

The pearl seeker says, this pearl, I've seen pearls the world over and this is one of a kind. Would you ever consider selling it? Oh, certainly it is for sale. Well, how can that be? I mean, it is one of a kind. I've never seen a pearl like it anywhere and I've traveled all over this world. How could you sell it? You're right, it is one of a kind. It is priceless. Nevertheless, it is for sale.

But how much is it? It's going to cost you everything that you have.

Everything? Well, I don't understand. Well, whatever you have, that is what the pearl costs. If you have 10 million dollars or if you have two cents, that is what it costs. Everything that you have.

Now, that's one time when you were glad you were not Jeff Bezos and had billions of dollars or Bill Gates.

Well, this sounds like a terrific deal for me. I'm not wealthy. I don't have that much anyway. Let me see if I've heard you correctly. If I give you everything that I have, then I can have the pearl. That's right. Well, then we have a deal. I'll buy it. I'll buy it right now. Well, you made an excellent decision. Now, give me all that you have. Let's see. I have 2500 dollars in my checking account. I've got my checkbook. I'll write you a check and I have 4000 dollars in my savings account. I'll have to go, you know, get that. That's fine. I'll take it. I'll take it all. But what else do you have? Well, that's all I have. Well, do you have any money in your pocket?

Well, sure. I have a few dollars in folding money in my pocket. Well, don't count it. Just hand it over. What else do you have? Well, I don't have anything else. Well, where do you live? Well, I do have a house. Well, I'll take the house. All of it? Yes, all of it. Give me your house.

I have nowhere to sleep except in my car. Oh, you have a car.

Oh, and also a truck. Okay, I'll take the car and the truck. Now I don't have anything. I've given you everything. Well, are you married? Yeah, I'm married. Well, I'll take your spouse.

My spouse? Yes, and do you have any children? Yes, I have three lovely children. Well, I'll take them as well.

Well, now I have nothing left but myself. I'll take that too. And now the pearl is yours.

As I hold it, as I look at this pearl, and now that I own it, it is even more beautiful than anything I have ever imagined. But what a price to pay. What a cost. Everything that I have.

So the shopkeeper pauses for a moment, looks the person in the eye, looked you in the eye, and says, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. You remember your spouse? Well, of course I remember my spouse. I'm going to let you keep your spouse. She will continue to be your spouse, but this time with a little difference. A lot of difference, actually. You must accept your spouse as a gift from me, and you'll live according to what I say and not according to what the world says. You will do your best to treat her the way that I want her to be treated, the way the Bible says, with great love. Okay. And the children? Oh, yes, I remember my children. Not your children. Remember they're my children.

But I will let you keep them. But you must now treat them as a gift and raise them my way.

Remember they're my children. I'm not really sure I understand the difference before I came in here to your story. You're giving me everything back. Again, the difference is to do what I say, not what the world says. Do you understand? Well, I think I do. Well, let's make sure.

Do you remember the car? Well, sure. And the truck? Yes. Well, I'm going to let you keep the car and the truck. But remember, it's my car. It's my truck. Okay, I'll remember that. I may need the car occasionally. I may need your truck, especially the truck. I may need you to help move some people from time to time. I may need you to drive someone to the hospital or go visit someone in the nursing home. Do you understand? I want you to help others with the car. That's what I want you to do with the car and the truck. Okay, I think I understand. Let's talk about your house. Well, I'm going to let you live in that house.

But I want you to remember that it's my house. I own everything. It really is my house. And from time to time, I may need a bedroom for one person or even a whole family. I may need your whole basement for a family. Do you understand what I'm telling you? I want you to use that house to benefit others. Well, of course. Now the money. Yes, the money. I'm going to let you keep the money. But I want you to use the money profitably. You have to remember it's not your money, but it's mine. And I want you to regularly give me 10%. I do have a church, one true church. I want you to give 10% of whatever you profit. Yes, you will have to keep working. You have to keep working. I want you to do that, at least until you're old enough to retire and you get to decide when that is. So whatever you profit, I want you to give 10%. And there are times when I'll need a special offering on special holy days that I also want you to observe.

Do you understand? I think I do. I think I understand. Well, I hope we all have a little better understanding of what God does expect of us when we have bought the Pearl of Great Price. Let's go to Mark 12. Verse 41. I'm now in sync with my PowerPoint. I am on a roll. Mark 12. Verse 41. Let's go there. You're all familiar, or many of you, anyway, are familiar with the widow's two mites. Let's read this account. Jesus Christ, of course, is here. Mark 12.

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. Now that reminds me of what I used to do as a kid in the Methodist Church. It's a lot different because I was trying to see who the big spenders were. I don't know that Jesus Christ was…he probably didn't have the same motive I had. But it's an interesting account here. He says, And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrant. It's a very, very tiny bit of money. So he called his disciples to himself and he said to them, Surely I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury. For they all put in out of their abundance. They put in a little bit out of their abundance. But she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had. She put in her whole livelihood. And really, this does speak to what God does expect of all of us. Really, we have to be willing to give everything. Not just to give a little bit of our abundance, but whatever God requires. Now, God doesn't require that we give up everything as we understand that. It's more like the scenario. He wants us to use the blessings that he gives us. If he gives you a nice house, use that blessing to help others. If he gives you a nice car, use it to help others. You know, whatever he gives you, try to involve others. If he gives you a nice ball glove, ask children to play with you. You know, use everything that God gives you in a way that would be most pleasing to him. This widow understood the meaning of this parable regarding the pearl of great price. She was willing to give everything that she had. She had faith. She trusted that God would provide. Now, you've been bought with a price. You've been bought with a pearl of great price. You've been bought by the shed blood of the creator of all things, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. He bought and paid for you with all that he had to give. He gave up his very life, and what a life he had lived for all eternity. An amazing story, I'm sure. He gave that up so that he could give us his kingdom. In John chapter 3 verse 16, and I know you're quite familiar with John 3 16, probably the most popular verse of all, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but should have everlasting life. And verse 17 says, for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God surely does want to save us, and not just us in this room, not just those who are listening in, not just the United Church of God, but all people. God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth and repent of their sins and be a part of his kingdom. Of course, we're free moral agents. It's our choice, and God is calling people at different times and in different orders, as we understand. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Let's consider a couple of verses here in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 in regard to this. 1 Corinthians chapter 6. We'll start reading in verse 19. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19. Again, it talks about how we are bought with a price. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19.

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? This is Paul talking to the church at Corinth. The church at Corinth wasn't perhaps the model church. There was division, there were issues, there were problems, there was sexual immorality. There were a lot of things that shouldn't have been going on, but they were still God's people and God was working with them, and they were growing, and they were overcoming, and they were changing.

1 Corinthians chapter 6 again verse 19. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit that is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you are bought at a price, therefore glorify God. Notice that therefore. I capitalize that because I want us to realize there's a connection here. You are bought at a price.

Therefore, we are to glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God's. So to me, that says everything that God has given us, everything He blesses us with, we need to strive to bring glory to Him in the decisions and the choices that we make on a daily basis. Now let's go to 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1, again, it talks about the precious blood of Christ. We were bought with a wonderful price, a pearl of great price, and we've been given this great pearl of great price that's multifaceted.

Verse 13 of chapter 1, 1 Peter. I guess I can't forget my clicker here. Oh, there we go. Alright, 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 13. We're going to read a number of verses here. Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lust, as in your ignorance, but as He who called you is holy.

God has called us. The Father has called us. He's revealed His Son to us, and the Son has revealed the Father to us. If you've seen one, you've seen them both. Christ said, I and my Father are one. But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct. Both God the Father and Jesus Christ are perfect, completely holy, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.

So that is a high and a holy calling to become like Jesus Christ, to become like the Father, and to actually be born into the family of God, no longer capable of sinning. Now that's the most awesome thing ever. And when I think of that, I think, wow, that is going to be wonderful. No longer shackled by my flesh, by carnality, but actually becoming spirit and being born into the family of God. So continuing back here, verse 17, and if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.

I think that's interesting. This is our time. This is our time of our stay. We're staying here on the earth at this present time. And the scripture talks about now is our day of salvation. This is our time. This is our stay. And we're supposed to conduct ourselves in a proper godly fear, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world.

This was a wonderful plan that the God the Father and the one who became Christ, they devised this plan for you and me, for all of us, who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory so that your faith and hope are in God. Let's read a few more verses. Since you have purified your souls and obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. Again, this speaks to using the blessings that God has given us to benefit one another. We truly are our brother's keeper.

We should love our brothers, love our sisters, again, not just of this fellowship, but all people. God wants us to extend that love to all people. Since you have purified your souls and obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. Of course, it starts with the Church of God, and then it goes on from there. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever, because all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is the flower of the grass.

The grass withers and its flowers fall away, and the Word of the Eternal endures forever. The pearl of great price endures forever. The Word of God endures forever. Now, this is the Word which, by the gospel, was preached to you. This is the gospel of the kingdom of God. So we are to be holy in our conduct, and it says all your conduct.

It doesn't just say some of your conduct. Our goal is to become holy as God is holy in all of our conduct. That's a tall order. I understand that. I realize that. I haven't gotten there yet. I've been at this a long time, but I'm not there. But I know that I need to continue to strive to be there. All of us do. That's part of the pearl, understanding and grasping the knowledge of why we're here and what we're doing.

So how thankful are we to God the Father and to Jesus Christ for all that He gives us? Let's go to Romans 12 for a moment. Romans 12, verse 1. Romans 12 and verse 1.

I think most of us are pretty familiar with these verses. Some may not be as familiar, so let's read them. Verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. So we're talking about a total surrender, a living sacrifice. Someone who sold everything, gave up everything, and bought the pearl of great price. So we mustn't be pretenders. We need to be genuine. Have we actually given up everything? Have we surrendered everything? Are we truly that submissive? Perhaps we can all do a little better. I know I can do better. I'm sure all of us can do a little better. And it's good that we strive to do better, not that we should be discouraged. We have so much to be grateful for, so much to be thankful for, so much to be joyful about. God has given us so much.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You know, God wants us to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. We are called to prove all things. Christ said, nevertheless, not my will, Father, but your will be done. That should motivate us every day of our lives to become more and more like the Father and His Son.

So just how precious is eternal life to you? It's good that we think about eternity for a moment. Think about eternal life. How precious is living forever to you? What kind of a value can you put on living forever? Talk about priceless. That is priceless, living forever. And you know, many people just don't grasp forever. In fact, none of us really grasp forever, right? We're finite. We're human. We're fleshly. But it's good to try once in a while. You know, it's interesting, but some years ago, it was actually in 1994 at the Miss USA contest. A question was asked of Miss Alabama. The question, if you could live forever, would you and why? Her answer, I would not live forever because we should not live forever because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever. But we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever.

Now, I'm not really picking on Miss Alabama because all of us are a little bit clueless when it comes to living forever. You know, what does that really mean, to live forever? In 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9, I think I got behind on my clicker. Hey, I think we lost control. That's all right. I never needed that anyway.

Guess it wasn't all that inspired.

All right, 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 9, here it talks about how I has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. We don't understand forever because we're human, but we want to live forever, right? God has given us something that wants to live forever. I want to live forever. I want to go on. I don't want to just die and be forgotten forever.

So just how precious is God's truth to you? What is it worth? Is it worth giving up your home, giving up your car, your family, your life, giving it up to use it in a way that God intended in the first place? Is that so hard? It is in a way. It's difficult. It's not easy. Most people don't do it. I mean, out of the billions of people that live on this earth, just a small handful are really grasping what we're talking about today, this pearl of great price. Many are searching, but unless God's opening their minds and calling them, they're really not grasping what you and I have been given. So it should be very precious to us, this pearl of great price. Now, I'd like to go quickly through three principles in regard to holding fast to the pearl of great price. What can you do to hold fast to this wonderful pearl? Because you bought this pearl, right?

You're committed. You're convicted. I was convicted at age 18.

And I'm so grateful that God called me when I was young because I needed a lot of time to work on this self. So what can you do to hold fast to the pearl? Number one, you need to be an expert. You need to be a pearl expert. That's what I'm trying to say. You need to be a pearl expert. Now, in my briefcase, which I forgot to bring up here, is a very expensive string of pearls with earrings. It cost me one dollar at the dollar store. Can you believe that? You can get a ring of pearls and earrings for one dollar. Now, something tells me those may be imitation pearls. Not the real thing. Yes, very imitation pearls. We need to be pearl experts because we don't want to be deceived by everything that's out there. Now, we do need to know the truth and live the truth, accept the truth, believe the truth. Satan would like to deceive us. He's a roaring lion. He's seeking whom he may devour. The merchant was seeking. He saw the pearl. He knew enough about them to recognize a real find. A real pearl. A genuine pearl. I believe I found this genuine pearl many, many years ago. I found it. I'm holding on to it. It's priceless. So, there are natural pearls, there's cultured pearls, there are imitation pearls. You can go research it, look it up. It's interesting. But, you know, most importantly, you need to become a pearl expert. How faithfully do you really believe in the pearl of great price? Think about it. Mall it over. Talk about it. Consider it. How can we do better in regard to holding fast this pearl of great price? How can we use it more effectively? That needs me to the second principle, and that is have faith in your investment.

Have faith in your investment. You've invested everything, right? This is the most important thing to you. Why else would you be here on a Sabbath afternoon, a Saturday, of all things, sitting there in a tie or all dressed up? No, you've made this commitment. You've already invested in the pearl of great price. So how strong is your faith in that investment? How strong is your faith? Are you willing to continue to invest everything that you have, everything that comes your way? Are you willing to invest every bit of it? The merchant didn't hesitate because he knew his investment would be returned to him, multiplied many times over. In many ways, he didn't look at it as so much of a sacrifice because he knew that he was getting a real bargain. And then he got all this back. You know, he got all everything back. God was blessing him with everything. He just has to use it in a way that God intends. Now, that's the important thing that we grasp. God is so wonderful, so powerful. He owns it all. He has it all. So we do need to be careful not to limit the Holy One of Israel, to truly have faith and trust in Him and believe that He will guide our every step as we surrender ourselves to Him more fully. Now, Satan would like to discourage us. Satan uses discouragement. It's one of his most deceptive tools. In fact, he speaks to you in certain ways, subtle, very sneaky, and he wants you to think that it's God talking to you. Don't be mistaken. Again, know the pearl of great price. Know who's talking to you. The Scripture is clear that we are to resist Satan and he will flee from us. If we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. So, brethren, let's be sure that we seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness and know that all these things will be added unto us. God will give us all things. It talks about that in Luke chapter 12, about seeking God's kingdom. It says, sell that you have in verse 33 of Luke 12, sell that you have and give alms. Provide yourselves money bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fail not, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys or corrupts. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. God looks on the heart. He looks to see what treasure you have built up in your heart.

This brings me to the third principle. How do we hold on to this pearl?

We invest the pearl by sharing it with others. We share it with others. Learn to live a life of giving right now. At the meetings yesterday, the international meetings, Monte Knudsen was talking about in East Africa, they're beginning to understand what it means to give. In those third world countries, it's easy for them to want to get from those who have so much, and we do have so much, but they also need to learn that they need to give as well. So I thought that was very poignant what Monte talked about. We all must learn to give whatever it is we have, whether it's two mites or whether it's a vast fortune. We have to learn to invest it, to share it, to give it. God gives us pounds and talents. He wants us to use those pounds and talents for the benefit of others. He wants us to plant seeds for the kingdom of God through the example that we set, through the love that we have for one another, the support that we give God's church, the support that we give everyone, those who are sick, the widows, the fatherless. That's pure religion. That's undefiled. That's what God wants to see us invest in. He wants our prayers. He wants us to know that those prayers go up to the third heaven. God hears every one of your prayers as you go in faith and in fervency. God hears every prayer and every single prayer makes a difference. You have to believe that. You have to trust God.

So let's make sure that we invest the pearl by sharing it with others, especially our church. Of course, helping our children grow up in the way that God intends, teaching them properly. Always, it's their choice as they grow older whether or not they'll stick to that pearl of great price. So, brethren, it's believed that all the apostles, except John, were martyred and gave the ultimate sacrifice for the pearl of great price. They gave their own lives. Some will have to do that in the future, just prior to Christ's return.

We need to be willing to do that if that is what God requires. We also know that God will protect many. Not all people will be martyrs. Either way, we need to be willing to give it all, to give up everything that we have. Again, we're all Christ's disciples. Now, what would you do if you had an ironclad guarantee? Let's say I told you that I'm going to give you a thousand times whatever you give me in six months. If you give me a thousand dollars, then I'm going to return a thousandfold. If you give me ten thousand dollars, I'm going to give you a million dollars. If you give me a hundred thousand, I'm going to give you a hundred million dollars. Guaranteed! Guaranteed! Would I have any takers out there? Would you go sell everything? Because whatever you scraped up, I'm going to give you a thousand times more. It's a guarantee.

Wouldn't you sell your old ball glove for five dollars? It'd be worth five thousand bucks.

A towel. If you could sell it for a dime, it'd be worth a hundred bucks. Wouldn't you sell everything that you had? Imass it all together and then bring it to me in six months, and I give you a thousand times that. I think I would have a lot of takers. If I really believed I could carry through and do that, I would certainly take that offer if there was someone I could trust.

You can't trust me, because I don't own everything, but God does. God does own everything.

And he doesn't make guarantees like a thousand dollars more or a thousand times more. Maybe it'll only be 20 times more or 30 times more or a hundred times more. But there are promises. There are parables about that, too, that God will give back to you in abundance, whatever you learn to give. So what about the parable of the Pearl of Great Price? Have you given up your life? Have you given up everything? Have you totally surrendered? How thankful are you for this wonderful Pearl of Great Price? Will you continue to hold on to that Pearl of Great Price? Will you continue faithfully and not become weary in well-doing? You know, that gets some people, doesn't it? They become weary in well-doing.

They've given so much. I've given thousands and thousands of dollars to that church. I've given all this. I can't give anything else. We must not become weary in well-doing. You know, God wants us to continue faithfully to do our very best. So will you continue to faithfully pay the price to retain the Pearl of Great Price, not just for yourself, but also for others?