I recently had an opportunity to share with my church on the parable, The Pearl of Great Price.

I shared this video on YouTube based on the sermon.

I also wanted to share my notes with you.

I pray that you are blessed and God speaks to you as He did to me.

FOCUS SCRIPTURE: The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

Matthew 13:45 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: 

Matthew 3:1-2

“In those days John the Baptists came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

John the Baptist was the first to mention of the Kingdom of Heaven in the gospel, and it would then be mentioned 31 additional times in the gospel. 

Key Term: Kingdom 

Greek: Basileia

Definition: 

• Royalty (abstract)
• Rule (concrete)
• Realm (literal and figuratively)
• Dominion & Exercise of power 
• Divine spiritual kingdom 
• The glorious reign of the Messiah 
• Golden age where true righteousness will be established
• A theocracy established that brings peace and happiness 

Internal Kingdom: Christ is King and rules in the hearts of believers

External Kingdom: Return of the Messiah for His church, He will judge and reign in bliss and glory 

This kingdom lives in the hearts of men now and will be manifested in the real world in the coming age. 

Citizen: 

• Inhabitant of a city, town or country
• Owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protections from it 
• Affords duties, rights and privileges 

Matthew 13:37-38

Jesus said, 37 “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the SONS of the KINGDOM.”

• Believers of Jesus are sons and daughters of the Kingdom, the citizens of the Kingdom.  
• We are the good seeds to be sown throughout our home, families, cities and nation. 
• We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

• What duties, rights and privileges are afforded to me as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven?

THE MERCHANT: 

Key Term: Merchant: 

Greek: emporos

Definition: 

• Tradesman
• Wholesaler

PEARL OF GREAT VALUE:

The Formation of a Pearl: 

Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand or a parasite, becomes trapped in a mollusk. (example: oyster or clam)

As a defense mechanism, the oyster will secrete a combination of a mineral and protein layer over the irritant. This substance will continue to develop layer on top of layer and over time the pearl is formed.  

In the natural (not farmed oysters), a person may check hundreds of oysters before finding one pearl. 

In ancient times, divers gathered pearls from Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.  The pearl was a symbol of wealth and status.  Women of Rome wore strings of pearls that would cost tens of millions of dollars in today’s currency. 

Jewish teachers sometimes used expensive pearls to represent the teaching of Torah. 

Matthew 7:6

Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”

A pearl is formed from

• Friction
• Discomfort
• Pain 

As the oyster confronts this friction, pain, discomfort, it takes persistence and time to develop the beauty of the pearl that ultimately formed from pain. 

• What pains have brought us to this point in our life?  
• Looking back, are we able to see how the Lord created some pearls from our pain?

BOUGHT FOR A PRICE: 

Bringing it all together: 

Key Term: Bought  

Greek: agorazo

Definition: 

• To purchase, specially to redeem – buy, ransom 
• To acquire for oneself by ransom or price paid 
• To buy out, especially to purchase a slave from freedom 
• Spoken of those who Christ redeemed by His blood from the bondage of sin and death 

Matthew 20:28

Jesus said, “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”

Key Scripture: 

Matthew 13:45 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

• Merchant: Jesus
• Pearl of Great Price:  The Church, You & Me
• Sold all that He had and Bought it: The redeeming work of the cross 

Brothers and sisters, as we woke this morning, we woke one day closer to eternity.  We woke one day closer to the return of Christ. 

We are closer today than we were yesterday. 

The Church and the Christian are like the pearl, we are formed through suffering, even out of suffering, even out of pain, we are of great value in the eyes of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven.  

He redeemed us. He paid the full price to set us free from slavery and bondage.  

We are citizens of heaven. 

As citizens of heaven we have duties, rights and privileges that are afforded to us. 

May we remember:

• We are chosen
• We are called
• We have purpose 
• We have privileges only afforded to the Sons and Daughters of God

May we take today’s reminder and enter this coming week in the authority and hope found in the redeeming work of Jesus. 

Many Blessings,

Misty