Sermon Outline –
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: MATTHEW 13:45,46
Jesus used parables or stories to teach spiritual truth – using
common things and activities to help people understand the v
alues and ways of the supernatural world of the
What does this brief parable, “The Pearl of Great Price,” mean to us?
Parables usually had one main point, so . . .
We are the merchant – seeking value in this life
“Fine pearls” are the accumulation of all we have found
to have value, and in the end are sold to obtain the pearl
of great value
The pearl
“of great value” is the
The Main
Point: The
Okay . . . So what does that mean to me today?!
What exactly is the
being forgiven of our sins?
promise of heaven?
being a part of the church?
getting saved?
being used in ministry for Jesus?
material blessings?
spiritual wisdom?
These are all only facets of the Great Pearl - glimmers of
Kingdom glory that shine thru into this life, reminding us of
the greatness of the Pearl – but they fall short of the essence
of the Kingdom of Heaven
The Pearl that God wants us to have as our own, the most
important thing that is supposed to mean more to us than any
other pearl we have found in this life, is this:
By faith in Jesus Christ God gives us the right to be his
beloved sons and daughters - we have the privilege of
knowing the King as our Father God!!
That’s it? That’s right! To be the son or daughter of God is
our highest calling – in fact it is “the most important thing!”-
of greater value than anything else we could possess or attain
Can you support that in the Bible? Yes! Galatians 4:4-7
Why did God send his Son to redeem us? So that “we
might receive the full rights of sons (and daughters)” (v.5)
All the great stories we love have God’s story at their core . . .
Neo in the Matrix
Luke Skywalker in Star Wars
Jack rescuing Rose in Titanic
Now that Jesus has rescued us from our sins and our enemy,
Satan, who used our sins to enslave us, what next?
Many believers struggle with what the Christian life is all
about – “How do I please God?” What do I need to DO?
To really get to God’s heart, you’re asking the wrong
question – “What do I need to BE?” (Remember the first and greatest command?)
When we get our hearts right, other things fall into place – our doing flows out of our being in love with the Lord
John
the power or authority to become sons, we must still work
(there IS a battle going on!) to make the relationship with
our Father a reality
This
ive up every hindrance - other good pearls perhaps - that
keep us from enjoying the full blessings of being children of God
Is this Gospel still “good news” for you? So many Christians
lose the victory – operate as duty-bound, under guilt and
shame, never feeling like they are doing enough, never
feeling that they please the Lord
Good days or bad, we are his beloved sons and daughters, filled with His Spirit, and loved unconditionally
The Take Home:
Through faith in Jesus Christ you have been given power to
become a child of the Living God, with full rights and
privileges - that is the Pearl of Great Price. "Dear friends,
NOW we are children of God. . . . !" (I John 3:2)
God wants to make you His son or daughter – will you make
the choice to receive Jesus, ask for forgiveness of your sins,
and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Spiritual Help Resources
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Connecting through Prayer
A consistent prayer life is fundamental to establishing strong connections with God, others, and God's plan for our lives. Drawn from the booklet "Connecting through Prayer," this article is sure to enrich your prayer life.
