The Pearl Of Great Price! Series

"The Pearl of Great Price"

Matthew 13:44-52 & 1 Chronicles 13:8-14

MY HEART HAS BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING THIS TIME WITH YOU THIS MORNING TO SHARE A MESSAGE FROM GOD THAT CONTAINS WITHIN IT THE POWER TO TRANSFORM SOMEONE’S LIFE THIS MORNING. THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FOR YOU TO BEAR WITH ME EARNESTLY LISTENING FOR THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING TO YOUR HEART. WE WILL BE IN BOTH TESTAMENTS OF THE BIBLE SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE PLACE ONE FINGER IN THE 13TH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW AND ANOTHER IN THE 13TH CHAPTER OF 1 CHRONICLES.

ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1995 IN A LITTLE BAPTIST CHURCH 13 MILES EAST OF AMITE LOUISIANA, ALMIGHTY GOD WALKED INTO AN EVENING WORSHIP SERVICE TO CALL OUT A PREACHER THAT IS SPEAKING TO YOU THIS MORNING. SINCE THAT TIME CHRIST JESUS HAS TAKEN AN EVIL AND VILE CREATURE BOUND UP IN SIN AND SET ME FREE TO PREACH THE LIFE CHANGING MESSAGE OF MY SAVIOR FROM THE HOLY GROUND I NOW STAND UPON. MY LIFE UNTIL THAT MOMENT WAS IN SHAMBLES AND MY FAMILY AND MY MARRIAGE WAS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. FRIENDS WHEN I TELL YOU THAT JESUS HAS THE POWER TO SET YOU FREE FROM THE CHAINS AND SHACKLES SATAN HAS PLACED ON YOUR SHOULDERS, I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE FROM MY EXPERIENCE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID FOR ME.

(1) I MAY NOT BE THE BEST MAN WALKING THE FACE OF THE EARTH TODAY BUT PRAISE GOD I’M NOT THE MAN I USED TO BE

(2) MY HEART WAS MOVED SO GREATLY BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT I SURRENDERED ALL THAT I HAD AND ALL THAT I EVER HOPED TO HAVE TO BE USED IN THE HAND OF GOD FOR HIS GLORY.

(3) UNLESS WE GIVE GOD ALL THAT WE ARE AND PLACE HIM FIRST IN OUR LIVES, WE CANNOT LIVE A LIFE THAT PLEASES GOD.

IN THOSE FEW YEARS SINCE FINALLY SELLING OUT TO JESUS MY VALUES, MY PURPOSE, MY PLEASURE AND MY GOALS HAVE BEEN FOREVER CHANGED TO STRIVE SO THAT I MAY ONE DAY HEAR MY LORD AND MY GOD SAY,

"WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT"

AND YOU WILL NEVER CONVINCE ME THAT ANY GREATER REWARD EXISTS FOR A SERVANT THAN TO HEAR THE PRAISE OF HIS MASTER. IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 13 BEGINNING IN VERSE 44 WE SHALL BREAK THIS BREAD OF LIFE TO HEAR A MESSAGE ENTITLED "THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE" AND THAT IS A SUBJECT THAT HAS BECOME VERY DEAR TO MY HEART.

READ SCRIPTURE

MANY THINGS IN THIS WORLD TODAY THAT A MAN CAN CHASE SEARCHING FOR SIGNIFICANCE AND PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS NATION WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO PURSUE THINGS THAT BRING THEM PLEASURE AND A FALSE SENSE OF FULFILLMENT. MANY NAMES OF THE IDOLS THAT CONSUME US AS WE PLACE THAT FALSE GOD IN THE PLACE TO BE RESERVED FOR ALMIGHTY GOD, THE LORD JEHOVAH, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

1. CAREER

2. WEALTH

3. FAMILY

4. SEX

5. DRUGS

6. RECREATION

JESUS SAID A VERY SUPRISING THING THOUGH IN THE TEXT WE HAVE JUST READ. THE SON OF GOD WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN OUR PLACE ON CALVARY SAID THAT THERE WAS A MAN WHO HAD SEARCHED THE WHOLE EARTH LOOKING FOR GOODLY PEARLS AND ONE DAY HE FOUND THAT PERFECT AND MAGNIFICENT PEARL. WHEN HE FOUND THAT PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, HE REALIZED THAT IN ALL HIS LIFE IF HE SEARCHED THE EARTH UNTIL THE END OF DAYS; THERE WOULD BE NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT. HE DESIRED THAT PEARL MORE THAN ANY THING IN HIS WHOLE LIFE AND JESUS SAID THAT HE WENT AND SOLD EVERY EARTHLY POSSESSION THAT HE HAD IN ORDER TO POSSESS IT AND OWN IT.

WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A MAN COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR A PEARL, BUT I CAN DESCRIBE SOME THINGS THAT WILL MAKE IT RELEVANT TO OUR TECHNOLOGICAL ERA.

A. WE CAN GO TO ALMOST ANY CAR DEALERSHIP IN THIS NATION TOMORROW MORNING AND FIND SOMEONE OUT THERE WILLING TO GIVE ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO OWN A TOP OF THE LINE 3000 POUND HUNK OF STEEL TO DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

B. WE COULD GO INTO MANY COMPANIES AND PLACES OF BUSINESS TOMORROW MORNING AND FIND PEOPLE WILLING TO SACRIFICE EVERYTHING THEY OWN AND HAVE TO CLIMB JUST ONE MORE STEP UP THE CORPORATE LADDER.

C. IF WE HAD A MIND TO, WE COULD GO TO WALL STREET AND THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE TO SEE EVIDENCE OF SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO RISK EVERYTHING THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE JUST ONE DOLLAR MORE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SECURITY…

BUT IT IS MY SAD DUTY TO TELL YOU THAT IN CHURCHES ALL ACROSS THIS GREAT NATION GATHERED IN GOD’S HOUSE THIS MORNING, THERE ARE NOT MANY WHO ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE GOD HIS TITHE MUCH LESS EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO SERVE HIM. VERY FEW MEN AND WOMEN HERE TODAY WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE GOD ALL THAT THEY ARE AND LAY ALL THEY POSSESS AT THE NAILSCARRED FEET OF CHRIST JESUS TO BE USED FOR HIS KINGDOM. NOT MANY WHO ARE WILLING TO SAY TO THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, HERE I AM LORD, USE ME.