What is your Worth?

Matt 13
45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

In this parable, Jesus talks about the “pearl of great price”. Who is this pearl of great price and what is the worth or value of this pearl?
The worth of something is established by what someone is willing to pay for it. If we put up a pearl for sale, its worth is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it. So if someone pays X amount of dollars, then we say that, the pearl is worth X amount of dollars. In other words the value of that pearl is equal to the value of the money paid to acquire it.

We are familiar with this parable being taught as Jesus being the pearl of great price and that we need to pay a price to obtain Jesus and to make it to heaven. We have heard it said that we need to do this and do that and the whole rigmarole of religion, to be worthy of Jesus and His kingdom. There is nothing further from the truth. Our best efforts will always fall short of His glory and His standards. There is no price we can pay, no sacrifices we can make, no amount of religious works we can do to gain His acceptance. All such attempts are futile and will never amount to anything close to His value. He is priceless. If we could pay our way to heaven with our works and by following all the rules and regulations of religion, there wouldn’t be any need for Jesus to die on our behalf. Paul says in Gal 2:21 that if you could become righteous by keeping all the rules and laws, then Christ died needlessly.

Let’s look at this parable from a grace perspective. Sin separated man from God. The righteousness of God demands that sin be punished; and the penalty of sin is death. This means that you and I would have to face God, the righteous judge, and be condemned to eternal destruction. God also knew that you and I would never be able to save ourselves by any of our self efforts. So, what did God do to save us, and at the same time punish our sins? John 3:16 says that God loved SO loved the world (you and me), SO much that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, the lamb slain before the foundation of the world for our sins. Our sins were placed on Him and He bore the wrath of God and OUR sins were punished in His flesh (Rom 8:3).

What was the price God paid to redeem or purchase you and me? He gave His very best, His only Son, His very life, which cannot be compared to millions of dollars or all the wealth in this world. So you are EQUAL in value to Jesus, because that is what God paid to redeem you. In God’s eyes, you are as precious as Jesus. YOU ARE THAT PEARL OF GREAT PRICE! He paid with His life and blood. Jesus gave up His glory, riches and domain, and suffered humiliation, even to the death on the cross, to pay the ransom for us (Mark10:45). You are His purchased possession. You are apple of His eye. You are graven in the palm of His hands. You are most precious in His sight. Quit looking at yourself as worthless and start looking at yourself through God’s eyes.

There is a false sense of humility when one says, “Oh! I am a poor old sinner saved by grace” or “I’m not worthy to receive God’s blessings”. Quit looking at yourself and how you don’t measure up. Look at what God did for you through Jesus, knowing very well, that you would never measure up.

Religion will say that you are not good enough, you need to do more and become better to become worthy of His kingdom. Religion focuses on what we need to do but God says,” Look at what I have already done in you through the finished work of Christ on the cross.” He says, “You are a saint, you are righteous, you are holy, you are loved and accepted in Christ, you are royalty, you are that pearl of great price, you are precious.”