THE ONE AND ONLY: JESUS CHRIST
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
The Pearl of Great Price
By Mike Robinson
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| Jesus is utterly unique |
Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:5-8).
A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have (Dwight L. Moody).
On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires, and the more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world will wither in my eyes and I will be more and more crucified to this world (John Owen, The Glory of Christ).
Jesus is a person: God manifested in the flesh (1Timothy 3:16). And this winsome man is calling all His children to Himself (John 3:14-16). Jesus is the solution to all your troubles, but He is much more than that; He is the Lord who guides you and desires a deeper relationship with you. And today, as you read this volume, prayerfully seek the love and grace found in Jesus Christ. You will discover the most marvelous and life-transforming truths the world has ever known.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
All divine names and titles are applied to Him [Jesus]. He is called God, the mighty God, the great God, God over all; Jehovah; Lord; the Lord of lords and the King of kings. All divine attributes are ascribed to Him. He is declared to be omnipresent, omniscient, almighty, and immutable, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is set forth as the creator and upholder and ruler of the universe. All things were created by Him and for Him; and by Him all things consist. He is the object of worship to all intelligent creatures, even the highest; all the angels (i.e., all creatures between man and God) are commanded to prostrate themselves before Him. He is the object of all the religious sentiments; of reverence, love, faith, and devotion. … He declares that He and the Father are one; that those who had seen Him had seen the Father also. He calls all men unto Him; promises to forgive their sins; to send them the Holy Spirit; to give them rest and peace; to raise them up at the last day; and to give them eternal life. God is not more, and cannot promise more, or do more than Christ is said to be, to promise, and to do. He has, therefore, been the Christian’s God from the beginning, in all ages and in all places (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology).
Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44).
During Second Temple period under Jewish Law (Halakhah) if one found an unclaimed treasure one must also own the land to keep it. Thus the man in this parable buys the field. He bought it at the pre-treasure price because if the owner knew of the treasure he would have sold it for a much higher price. Is this fair? Perhaps. The owner had the chance to survey the land and search for treasure, valuable minerals, or precious commodities before he sold it. If you list land for sale in Texas and sell it, then later the buyer discovers oil, the oil is the new owner’s. The kingdom, with Jesus as King, is the greatest treasure one finds; by God’s grace we discover it and delight in it. Additionally, since Jesus is so amazing we must share this treasure with others.
The practice of hiding valuables in the ground was common to the first century people Jesus taught. In ancient Israel, people hid food, gold, silver, and other valuables to protect them from raiding armies as well as thieves. The people of Israel had little treasures hidden throughout the whole countryside.
The man in this story discovered such a valuable treasure that he had to have it. So he sells everything for it. He prized it above everything he had. And this is a small picture of how the believer is to think of Jesus. He’s more important to you than everything you own; He’s more prized than anything to you. Mere religion will not satisfy; all your things you own do not compare; nothing can compete; you must have Jesus since He is more valuable to you than anything in the entire world. Jesus is the most precious thing you have because He has you and loves you unconditionally.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20; italics mine).
Jesus can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a pool and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water. Yes he can make this habitation of dragons, this heart which is so full of abominable lusts and fiery temptations, to be a place of bounty and fruitfulness unto Himself (John Owen, The Mortification of Sin).
What comfort does atheism give you? (Atheist Peter Akins).
I've Found a Friend in Jesus, He's Everything to Me
I've found a friend in Jesus, He's everything to me,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Apple-tree of trees, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He's my comfort, in trouble He's my stay,
He tells me every care on Him to roll:
He's the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
He all my griefs has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He's my strong and mighty tower;
I've all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps me by His power.
Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal:
He's the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
He'll never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I've nothing now to fear,
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll:
He's the Apple-tree of trees, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
The Pearl of Great Price
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 (Matthew 13:45-46).
Help us to recognize your voice, help us not to be allured by the madness of the world, so that we may never fall away from you, O Lord Jesus Christ (Albrecht Durer).
The enjoyment of [God] is our highest happiness, and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to Heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean (Jonathan Edwards).
Jesus' birth in Bethlehem was a moment preceded by eternity. His being neither originated in time nor came about by the will of humanity. The Author of time, who lived in the eternal, was made incarnate in time that we might live with the eternal in view. In that sense, the message of Christ was not the introduction of a religion, but an introduction to truth about reality as God alone knows it. To deny Jesus' message while pursuing spirituality is to conjure an imaginary religion in an attempt to see Heaven while sight is confined to the earth. That is precisely what Jesus challenged when he said, "I have come that you may have life" (John 10:10). His life spells living. Your life or my life, apart from Him, spells death (Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods).
At the time of Jesus many pagans throughout the Roman Empire worshipped pearls and Roman emperors often wore them in their hair and ears. The Jewish Talmud considered them almost priceless.
The man in this parable sees the pearl of pearls and he must have it! He must possess it for it possesses his heart. Consequently, he sells everything he owns to obtain this pearl of great price. Likewise, the Kingdom of God in Jesus is worth more than everything in the universe collectively.
Hence the Christian should have the attitude: “I must have Jesus. I have to have Jesus. Without Jesus I’m nothing. I need the Lord Jesus. I desperately want Jesus; He’s everything to me!”
Jesus Christ is not valued at all until He is valued above all (Augustine).
Jesus is Priceless
Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23-24).
During the course of time men have gone to great lengths, both legal and illegal, to obtain diamonds, gold, pearls, and money; yet all men die and they cannot take a dime with them. The Pearl of Great Price, Jesus as King of the Kingdom, never leaves us and we have Jesus forever. Jesus is utterly priceless; more valuable than all the wealth in the entire world. This King in His Kingdom is the source of true joy.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5).
Come visit our church - DFW Life Church in Benbrook - see www.DfwLifeChurch.com
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Come visit our church - DFW Life Church in Benbrook - see www.DfwLifeChurch.com
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