The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man seeking fine pearls.”
Matthew 13:45
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking to fine beautiful pearls. A child of God is worth the price of a pearl. So much is a child of God loved that a beautiful place is prepared for all those who have faith in Christ Jesus. The kingdom of heaven is also the rulership over the earth. God having rejected the burned offerings for sin instead established the preaching of the gospel. This preaching is the cross of Christ where his son gave of himself for the remission of sins. Christ was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed, states Isaiah 53:7. This familiar verse is quoted, but if you read further, you will find in this verse 10 how it pleased the Lord to bruise him. Can you imagine that? I find it hard to believe, but for the sake of saving us from ourselves, Christ became our sacrifice for our sins.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
Isaiah 53:10
How astonishing to read how it pleased the Lord to bruise his own son. He was bruised for our iniquities. As a parent myself, I would only want the best for my child, and many parents do believe that their children are good and would not do evil things. Iniquities meaning immoral or grossly unfair behavior. What mother believes that their children would be immoral or have extreme unfair behavior? Yet, God sent his son to be our sacrifice for the remission of sins and the promise of inheritance. That as His children we would not be immoral or have extreme unfair behavior. God provided humanity a way out of gross behavior through his own son. If we can have a little understanding about our relationship with the father God through Jesus Christ, our hearts would know the genuine meaning of His love for us. This is the kingdom of heaven at hand. The kingdom of heaven where a man is seeking to fine beautiful pearls. Who are the fine pearls stated in Matthew 13, verse 45? The pearl is the true church of God.
The pearl becomes the illustration of the church, who are those that are called out to be the body of Christ. This is the body of believers who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and live under His authority. The body of Christ is the church to whom Christ gave of himself, for the church and fulfilled the promise of the seed. The church being the pearl of great price is a mystery in itself. How is a pearl formed? It is formed by accretion, the process of growth or increase by gradual accumulation of additional layers of matter. Additional layers of matter are the individual members of the body of Christ who make up the church. The true ministry of Christ is done through the manifestation of the Spirit. The apostle Paul describes the body as being one in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit where we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
By one Spirit where we all baptized into one body. That body are those who believe in Christ as the son of God. It does not matter what race you belong to; God has set the members in the body as it hath pleased him, [1 Corinthians 12:18]. It is God who has tempered the body together, see verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 12. How amazing this is and something that we rarely think about. In the church we should be influenced by the Spirit of Christ and be tempered into His love. This is the reason for the ministry of reconciliation to continue within the body where God has set in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues, [1 Corinthians 12:28]. The key to these gifts is love, for love never fails us when we truly understand the purpose and will of God.
The church is subject to Christ for he has given himself for it. Love is the key to the ministry of reconciliation. Our speech should always be with grace and seasoned with salt. The body lifting up Christ and submitting to each other in love that the church not having spot or wrinkle should be holy and without blemish to become the great pearl. I have wondered about the twelve gates that were twelve pearls in Revelation chapter 21, verse 21. Each gate was one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold as transparent glass. When you read verse 24 of chapter 21 of Revelation, it states that the nations of them who are saved shall walk in the light of it. Nations of people who are saved shall walk in the light of the glory of God. This is the new heaven and earth. The body of believers grafted into the branch of Christ to represent the Church, the pearl of great prize. Christ is coming for the bride, which is the church, the body we have been baptized into, the body of believer’s who are the pearl of great prize.
