They made me think …

I met with some girls at a prayer meeting this week and they read:

“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

I really had to think about this parable before I really came up with what I thought it meant.

At first I thought the merchant was the people. That we were seeking the pearl (Christ) and that we would give all we had for Him.  While this made sense to me at first, I soon realized that we don’t have anything to give.  Romans 3:23 says we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  There’s nothing we can do on our own to get to God.  (For it’s by grace you have been saved through faith.  Ephesians 2:8)

What makes more sense to me is that the merchant represents Christ.  He is seeking the pearl.  The pearl represents the church.  Eventually he gave His life (all he had) to purchase that pearl.  (1 Corinthians 6:20 “for you were bought with a price.”) 

The one pearl represents the idea that the universal church is the family of all believers.  (no denominations, no groups)   (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)  He didn’t look for a pearl necklace with multiple different pearls on it.  We are one body in Christ.

Now on to think about the second question.  How is the kingdom of God like a mustard seed….

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10