Jesus loved telling stories. At one point in Matthew’s Gospel, He tells a couple back-to-back about a hidden treasure and a priceless pearl. A man stumbles across the treasure and then sells everything he has so he can get his hands on it. Meanwhile, a merchant’s quest leads to the discovery of the most beautiful pearl he’s ever seen and he too sells everything so he can acquire it.
I always thought these stories are telling me to search for God, to search for Jesus, or to search for the Kingdom. And once I’ve found them, I have to sacrifice everything to hold on to them.
While it’s indeed true that following Jesus and being citizens of His Kingdom involves commitment and even sacrifice, I now wonder if I’ve been reading these stories wrong. Maybe these stories aren’t so much about me sacrificially searching for Jesus as they are first about Jesus regarding me as a treasure for whom He sacrificially searches!
I must say I really enjoyed preaching on these stories Jesus told during our recent parables series at Trinity CRC. A few weeks ago I also had the privilege of sharing this message at Inwood CRC. Please keep reading. Or watch online.
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4th Point 
You remind me of how much God loves me. Thanks.
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Someone has to do it, Jodie – none of us hears it often enough from the voices around us! Blessings to you this Advent and Christmas season. ~Stanley
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Really enjoyed your parable series! Eye-opening as well as heart-opening!
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