Opening Prayer
O God, give us light and desire to find and buy the pearl of great price. Amen.
Text: Matthew 13:44-46
“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. 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.”
Devotion
The hidden treasure is the riches of grace: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Christ is in the Church’s Means of Grace with the fruits of His death and resurrection, forgiveness of sins, and eternal love, but hidden to reason and the sense of natural man. But when the Holy Spirit enlightens us, we have the treasure and keep it in our heart. Christ becomes more precious to us than all, and the Gospel with its saving message becomes so dear to us that our whole heart sells everything in order to have it. What is valuable to you otherwise, such as spouse, home, health, and friends, whatever shines before you and brightens your life, disappears like the stars when the sun comes up. They are still there – you have your earthly home, you live with your household and family, you enjoy your health as far as God keeps it, you carry out your business and you love your homeland – but none of these things now is the dearest to you; you carry Someone else in your heart, and for His sake you are willing to lose all. In Him spouse and children and all earthly blessings take on a different meaning’ I could say both lesser and greater in value. You are happy with all of them, and you thank God for them; but you can be separated from them all, if God wills – you cannot lose them any more if you do not lose Him – you can endure anything, and He is so precious to you. You can feel pain over the loss, but in the midst of all trial still be happy. But Him you cannot do without; you cannot lose Him without losing your heart and your life.
Some seem to find this treasure without seeking it; they help and get it, they take the Word to heart as soon as they hear it, and they go and practice self-denial. Others search, looking for life and peace – and find the Lord. What a find! “The pearl of great price.” The pearl of the highest value, pure and beautiful, noble and precious beyond all other precious gems together! God’s ways with us are remarkable: some come to faith sooner, some later. But all who find the Lord deny themselves for Him. Note this teaching! There is a warning in it: He wants and He should have the whole heart. But there is also comfort in it: to “sell all” is self-denial. The Lord speaks about “selling” because it costs a struggle for all the saints. Don’t lose heart if you feel it is an expensive trade. Pray for the enlightenment of the Spirit to know the glory of the treasure, for grace to believe in the unseen present Savior and, as far as you can endure it, to taste “the joy of His salvation” (Psa 51:12). Otherwise we all understand that here He is talking about “buying without money and without price” (Isa 55:1).
Closing Prayer
“O eternal Light, surpassing all created light, penetrate my whole heart; cleanse, rejoice, enlighten, and enliven my spirit and all its powers, that I may come to You with thanks and joy. O when shall the blessed hour come when You shall meet me with Your presence and become all in all for me!”
Hymn
Strike down in me all earthly leaning;
Lock out from me all fleshly lust,
That I in You be ever gleaning
Your Spirit’s deeds and joyful trust!
You only are my Pearl, my Choice;
In You alone shall I rejoice.
But teach me more and more to know You
And what it means to be Your own;
Your love within me let me show You;
Not my will, but Your will alone!
Denying all, my God above,
Forget myself, for You I love.
Landstad: Med dig, min Frelser, vil jeg lide L 531:2-3 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Wer weiss wie nahe (ELH 111); alternate hymn: Glorious things of thee are spoken ELH 214