What is worth everything you have? In Matthew 13, Jesus tells back-to-back parables about a man who stumbles upon buried treasure and a merchant who finds the pearl of great price.
Both sell everything without hesitation. That is the picture of what Christ brings to us — a salvation so valuable it dwarfs every possession, accomplishment, and relationship we hold dear.
But here is the part that should stop you cold: what if Jesus is the man in the field? What if you are the treasure he found, and he sold everything to redeem you?
That is the gospel! Not your righteousness, not your good living, but his grace poured out for sinners who need a Savior. The net is still in the water, but the end of the age is coming. The time to recognize his worth is now.
Questions to Ponder
- Pastor Patterson says a healthy detachment from possessions and accomplishments is the first mark of someone who truly values Jesus above all else -- what possessions, achievements, or relationships do you find most difficult to hold loosely, and what does that reveal about where you place ultimate value?
- Jesus used parables to get behind people's defenses and leave what Pastor called 'a pebble in the shoe' -- what truth from these three parables has lodged itself in your thinking, and why do you think it is difficult to ignore?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for being the treasure beyond all value and for giving everything to redeem sinners like us. Help us to see your grace as our greatest possession, trust in your righteousness alone, and live with urgency, gratitude, and love for others. Amen.
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