Pearl

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

 - From Matthew 13

Eternal Life is the Pearl of Great Price.

Would we do anything, to live forever? Do we?

This parable of the Lord is saying, very simply, this:

If you want eternal life, you have to give up everything and follow Him. "Everything" means "everything." "Follow" means "follow." And "Him" means "Jesus."

And "Give up" means "Give up."

Who do you know like that? There was a Christian singer-songwriter, Keith Green. Except, I believe he considered himself more of a hymn rider. He wrote one of my favorite modern Christian songs (one of my favorite songs, period), Your Love Broke Through. Keith refused to receive royalties for his original songs. He said that the songs belonged to the Lord, and that he should receive no credit for them. This is in the spirit of leaving everything for Christ, He died at the age of 28 in 1982. I was just at a point of being aware of him, and becoming a fan, I was crushed at this sad news. Keith awaits the resurrection, and will be there when Christ returns.

This is the Pearl of Great Price. Imagine releasing your last breath. Instantly, life ends. But again, instantly, you wake up. It may be that very afternoon. It may be a thousand years later. But to the sleeping dead, time flashes by until Christ returns and restores life to all those waiting in their graves. Is there a flash of lightning? A great wind? Or perhaps the sound of His voice?

Either way, we wake up. And we never die again. You cannot place a price tag on this.

Jesus paid for it all by sacrificing His own life. That's what it's worth: the life of the Son of God.

Who eagerly gives up their life? My Dad welcomed death when it came. He had had a happy, full life and a rather brief fight with cancer. Quietly, in the wee hours of a March morning, he exhaled and his head turned briefly, to the side, and he was gone. But prior to all that, he had told me that he was ready.

Nobody knows, with certainly, the details of what comes next. But whatever it is, that's eternal, is worth whatever it costs.

Would you sell everything you have, and follow Jesus, for the assurance of eternal life?

Who does this?

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