44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:44-46
In the past the church often assumed that the pearl of great value represents Jesus, and we as believers give up everything we have in order to obtain Him. Recognizing that He is worth more than anything else in the world. In a basic sense it is true that God’s kingdom is worth more than anything else we could have or desire.
But nowhere else in the scripture is it the case that people can make a financial transaction to possess God. God is not our possession. We are God’s beloved possession. Instead the rest of scripture indicates that Jesus sold all he had to buy us. He paid for us with his precious blood. Jesus did not hesitate, out of love for us, the pearl of great price he gave up his life on the cross.
We as the church are the treasure that is buried in the field and purchased with eager marvelous joy. We are hidden among the world, we are the wheat hidden among the weeds.
As a child I like to collect things. Baseball cards, comic books, action figures. A common wishful thinking daydream of mine was that I would some day find an old crate or lock box in a dusty attic somewhere, maybe left behind from a previous owner of a home, maybe somewhere else. In my daydream that box would contain old baseball cards from say the 1920s or 30s, and maybe some old valuable comic books.
Now as an adult I realize that finding such a treasure would only be of limited value to me, and would only bring temporary joy. Now I know the real treasures of this world are not what we can find, but instead true treasure is God finding us and showing us His perfect love.
God knows how precious we are. Because of God’s love we have become a treasure, beloved for eternity.
The small daughter of a famous artist was once asked which child was her mother’s favorite. The little girl replied: “She loves Jimmy the best because he’s the oldest, and she loves Johnny the best because he’s the youngest. And she loves me best because I am the only girl.”
Parents have their own imperfect way of loving each child best. Even more so, God loves us personally, no matter what our life experience is or what we have accomplished in life. Jesus wants us to recognize that we are all precious in His sight, all the pearl of great worth.
But Jesus also wants us to know that the entire church is the pearl of great price, not just me. Jesus did not die on the cross so that I could go on about my life secure in my salvation without any further thought about my life in God’s kingdom. As Luther writes in the explanation of the 2nd article of the Apostles Creed about Jesus purchasing us with his blood:
All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.
The church is the pearl of great price because being his own people means receiving the gifts of Jesus through the means he intended- gathering for the divine service as one body in Christ and receiving his gifts.
When you know someone loves you, it makes you feel your worth so much more. Even more so we feel our worth knowing that we have such worth in God’s eyes as the church, His spotless and perfect bride.
If young men and women in our churches could understand what great worth they have as individuals and as part of the church, how different might the decisions be that our youth make. If youth were properly taught what a treasure they are to Jesus, how much less would be the temptations of the treasures of popularity with peers, material pursuits and pursuits of vanity.
If parents understood the worth they are to God, how much more confidently and joyfully might they raise their children in the faith! How sad that the joy of God’s kingdom is so often hidden among us through our failing to see how precious we are to God and what an unsurpassed gift of grace we have in the church. May God grant many more to see the big picture of following Jesus, who has paid with his life for us the pearl of great price.