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You are here: Home / Devotions / TAKE 5–MAY 19, 2017

TAKE 5–MAY 19, 2017

May 19, 2017 by beardonnam Leave a Comment

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46
Jesus continued to teach using parables–remember, a parable is a “story about ordinary people doing seemingly ordinary things, but with a message that has eternal significance”. The Old Testament had pridected that Jesus would teach in this fashion. Right here in Matthew 13, the writer tells quotes Psalm 78:2 which indicates that Jesus would communicate truth through such stories (vs 35).
So, this story is about treasure hidden in a field and a fine pearl that’s for sale at a market.
In the case of the field, a man finds treasure hidden there, rehides it (because it belonged to the land owner), goes and sells everything he has and buys the field and in so doing, buys the hidden treasure.
Likewise, a merchant is in a market place, searching for a fine pearl. He locates one that’s considered “priceless”, so he goes away, sells everyting that he owns (which was probably a lot since he was a jewelry merchant), just to have enough to buy the priceless pearl.
In both stories, what’s being sought after is so valuable, no price is assigned to it. In both cases the seeker sells everything that he has of value in order to obtain what’s priceless.
This parable is usually interpreted that the Kingdom of Heaven, being “hidden treasure” or a “priceless pearl”, is so valuable that we should be willing to give up everything to obtain it. Upon obtaining it, we’ve recieved something so priceless that nothing else on earth can compare to it in value!
This is a good interpretation of Jesus’ parable and I see the point and agree that NOTHING we could ever have on earth compares to it.

My problrm is this: there’s NOTHING I could ever sell or give up or give away that could EVERY buy my salvation. Its indeed priceless and I’m indeed poor apart from Christ (Matthew 5:3) My very best work on my very best day on earth is as filth compared to the Righteousness of my Jesus (Isaiah 64:6). No, I don’t think that what these verses mean!
I believe that Jesus speaks of US as the buried treasure and the priceless pearl! Though, I’m certainly a “diamond in the rough”, Jesus sees me as priceless and was willing to lay down all of His privileges as God to become a human being Who walked through life perfectly and ultimately gave Himself to be sacrificed on the cross so that I could be reconciled to God! (Phil. 2:8).
To me, that’s the “so” in “for God ‘so’ loved the world that He gave . . .” (John 3:16)

God views YOU as PRICELESS! He gave up everything for you! Return to Him today!
Think about it!

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