PONDER POINT: "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.
"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.
Matthew 13:44-46
In July 2010, a man found a pot of silver coins in an open field beneath the surface. 52,000 antique coins dated to the Roman 3rd century AD were found. In July 2012, a man found a pot of Gold in Israel that was dated to the Crusades in England. They found 108 gold coins.
Can you imagine the elation, joy, and explosive excitement they must have had? What tremendous treasure, for so long buried beneath the soil, is only now to have been excavated, redeemed from the grave, and given new value and appreciation!
Jesus is the man in the parable who recognizes the great prize buried within the dirt of the earth. He relinquished all that he had to redeem and restore it to a place of intended value. It is no longer buried but brought up from the depths and grave to be used for the value it was originally intended to have. He was willing to pay whatever price was necessary. And He Did.
He gave HIS LIFE to restore us. Each one of us is a coin of value, minted with a purpose to be used, to gain and increase the Kingdom of God.
Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,.......Phil 2:5-9
Yes, some of us are silver, tarnished, stuck, weather-worn, and no longer pristine—but valuable none the less!
The Pearl of Great Price is also a picture of the value Jesus Places on each one of us. Mankind, made in the image of God for a very unique purpose, has caused the heart of God to extend toward us in a way no one else can. To spend Himself on us, to redeem us back to what He originally purposed us for.
Pearls are amazing, and before the cultured pearl explosion, good pearls were more valuable than gold because of their rarity. Only those of authority owned any, and the best was reserved for royalty. Crown them, and garments, rings, necklaces, and earrings are adorned only for the most elite.
Pearls have a unique composition. Initially created due to an irritant or a parasite, the host oyster continually coats the foreign object with nacre, which encases it and becomes a gemstone over time. Microscopic crystals surround the pearl, and though created through pain, hidden, and formed in secret, when finally harvested or found, it is immediately seen for its immeasurable value.
Jesus goes to great lengths to retrieve us from the world's dirt and restore us to be a usable commodity in His Kingdom.