Month: July 2024

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

/ pastorpete51 / 8 Comments 
 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 ESV

July 4th, 1974, in Southern Missouri, was a hot day, but perfect for a church picnic. All kinds of things were happening that day in America, but what my wife and I remember most is the birth of our oldest son. That afternoon after lunch, we cooled off by tossing a frisbee around with the other young people from our church. So, when Nancy’s labor pains started, she was having so much fun that she declined to tell me until they only were five minutes apart. Then when she informed me, it took a moment for reality to set in. Finally, in a state of panic I ran for the pickup and together we sped the two miles up the dirt road, and then another twenty-five minutes down the state highway to the hospital. Let me just say that this was a trip which neither one of us will ever forget! Later that night, at precisely 11:45 P.M., our parenting adventure began, and the details of that special July 4th remain precious to us even after forty-nine years.

Two hundred and forty-five years ago on a different 4th of July, our nation was born. Part of the reason we celebrate, is found in the second paragraph of a document that we call, the Declaration of Independence and it began with the groundbreaking idea:

 “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” So on this July 4th, though we could find things to complain about in our nation, and plenty of people we would like to blame for those issues, let’s remember that both today’s verse, and the Declaration, remind us to honor and respect everyone. We do this, not because we agree with everyone or accept their lifestyle, but because we are all created by the same God who never changes, and we are all sinners in need of a Savior. That is why God sent His only Son, Jesus to the cross to die. There at the Cross of Christ the ground is level, and His grace is available to all who ask. So, as you see the fireworks go up commemorating our national freedom, remember that only Jesus can give real life, true liberty and a happiness that will last forever. Now that’s something to really celebrate about!

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Pearl of Great Price – Day Two

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Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matthew 13:46

Yesterday our sister from Seeking Divine Perspective, mentioned that in the Pearl of Great Price story, Jesus is the pearl, but in the previous parable about treasure in the field, we are the treasure that Christ purchased. That was such a great insight, because Jesus gave up His life for His bride, the church.

But returning to our story, let’s look into the specific business decisions that this pearl buyer needed to take. Like an Elon Musk or a Jeff Bezos, he was no shrinking violet. He showed himself willing to risk an enormous investment in what he believed, and to do it immediately! He knew that just finding the pearl of great price didn’t give him any advantage, in fact he may have worried that others would have seen it and already be in the process of trying to buy it. So, he looked over his inventory and immediately sold everything to raise the capital he needed. Jesus shows us that God’s kingdom operates on that same principal. We not only have to choose what to sell and what to buy, but we need to move with urgency. The true Gospel is a message that will cut us to the heart and make us cry out, “What must we do to be saved?!” In the pearl merchant’s case, he needed to decide if selling all his pearls to buy just one was worth the price and then he needed to act on that decision right away. He recognized this as the opportunity of a lifetime and took action, because he believed that this one special pearl would still be of even greatest value!

Finally the pearl of great price became his. He brought it home, no longer as a prize to be pursued but as a possession to be treasured. Jesus wants us to know that the kingdom of heaven can be ours by faith! Faith is our own decision. No one can force us or choose it for us. If we will just see Jesus Christ is that greatest pearl, then no other pearl will hold our hearts.

Jesus Christ is the pearl of heaven, and everything we could ever have pales in comparison to knowing him. Though God’s gift is freely given by grace and nothing that we have could purchase it, following Jesus will mean leaving everything behind just to know Him, and having Him as the treasure of our hearts means that just as we will belong to Him so for all eternity, He will belong to us!

Pearl of Greatest Price

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls Matthew 13:45

 When I was a contractor, I had always been both intrigued and drawn to this story. While there are many different kinds of businesses, at the end of the day, the main point is to make a profit. But Jesus doesn’t tell us this story as some sort of training in business, He is pointing out that in our spiritual life we could learn a lot from this merchant, and that this pearl buyer had some values that Jesus wanted us to consider.

The first thing Jesus says is that the merchant was seeking beautiful pearls. His customers were not at all interested in the more common or flawed pearls that anyone could easily find. So, then for all of us comes the uncomfortable question: are we looking for second best in spiritual things? Are we just willing to settle for whatever is easiest? The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” is true in both this world as well as in God’s kingdom. In Christ we have an inheritance whose value is greater than we can imagine. Why would we sell out for lesser things, when we can find in Him the pearl of Greatest Price?