I have often said, “One will not pay more for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom than they're value of them”. Man has a built in value structure, we see something and we invest in it what we feel it is worth; I have found this to be true with Jesus and the Kingdom of God also. How much are we willing to surrender for the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom? What do we know about His Kingdom? We are told that The Kingdom of Heaven does not come by observation. This is what Jesus said (Luke 17:20-21) and we know it to be true because men and women all around us live their lives everyday oblivious to its reality. Jesus again said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure “Hid” in a field: Mat 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field”. We should point out several things about this treasure, this treasure was stumbled upon quite by accident, this person was not looking for it; but once stumbling upon it he immediately sees its immense value and only because he sees its value is he is willing to sell all to obtain it! Many go through this life in selfish pursuits and seemingly without purpose (even in Christianity), will they recognize the true value of Christ when they see Him? He and His Kingdom are the treasure hid in the field.
We have another analogy of the Kingdom of Heaven in Mat 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it”. In this instance the person is seeking for the hidden pearl. He is one who recognizes his need and he is convinced that there is a single pearl of great price that if sought for can be found and can be obtained by selling all. This man when he finds this one pearl he immediately realizes its value. I remember a story told by a dear saint from years ago by the name of Walter Buetler. God had sent him to an airport in Amsterdam and while sitting in this airport he began to wait on the Lord; and so quietly in a corner he sat with his eyes closed and had a meeting with the Lord right in this busy airport. While sitting there minding his own business a man walks up to him and says “Sir, I have been sitting over there watching you for hours and there has been a light on your face. I have been all over the world seeking for the peace that I see in your face; won’t you please tell me your secret?” This man was a seeker who found the Pearl of Great Price and right there in this airport in Amsterdam Bro. Buetler led him to Christ. Many today are seeking pearls of different sorts that can only provide false satisfaction for a short time but there is only one Pearl of Great price!
In both instances the finders understood the value of what they found and were willing to sell all they had to obtain the very valuable contents. But what does selling all mean to us? Consider a sales transaction for a moment… One advertises, one comes to purchase what is advertised, the item is then surrendered to the one who pays the price. Selling all simply means you must surrender something you posses. Selling all for Christ means you surrender all, everything! In both cases the only way to obtain the treasure is to surrender all. Matt 10:37-39 perhaps in a weak moment one thinks “Selling all? This is a lot to ask”, but just consider for a moment a few of the things Christ willingly surrendered for us.
- From absolute control and power to submission to abuse and ultimate death.
- From unbroken communion with the Father to the cry “Why hast thou forsaken Me?”
- From absolute reverence and honor to being despised and rejected.
- From perfect peace to oppression so intense he sweat drops of blood.
- From perfect joy to becoming a man of sorrows.
- From heavenly adoration to being despised and rejected of men.
When we consider what He has willingly surrendered for us perhaps we will quickly agree He is more than worthy to have all of us… What will you surrender for Christ? Can He ask of you anything or is there a point where you would say… “Not that Lord…” Remember to obtain the treasure to obtain the pearl we must surrender all.
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