Category: Articles

THE MERCHANT’S EXCHANGE RESULTED IN MORE RICHES AND TREASURE FOR HIMSELF THAN WE CAN EVER FULLY COMPREHEND

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

God speaks to us in ways that we can understand. He speaks here of a man buying Christ. It can be understood as losing all for the sake of gaining Christ. One thing the rich man lacked, to sell all his goods, give it to the poor, and follow Christ. This was a commandment too high for the rich man for he was very rich. He would not follow Christ on account of His riches. The Christian is one who has parted, can part, will part, counts himself as parting from all earthly things to gain the heavenly. And if this can be considered an exchange, that which the merchant receives is a treasure and riches more than can ever be comprehended.

In the fall of 2017, the corporation well known to us as Amazon reported its revenues and profits for the quarter to investors. The next day, the stock price of Amazon rose more than $120 per share. This is when Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is said to have made more than $6 Billion. He is one the merchants of the world look to as a model of success. They too want to make their billions like Jeff.

Mr. Bezos’ wealth can be measured. While he has much money, his wealth is quantifiable. You can add up his houses, stock, cash, and all his assets, subtract his liabilities, and determine his economic value.

In contrast, the poor looking Christian in the Kingdom of Heaven who drives a typical car, eats out but rarely, and must drive long distances rather than flying, has treasure that is so great it cannot be qualified. For how can you quantify that which cannot be purchased? How can you quantify that which is eternal? How can you quantify a gift that gives no end in satisfaction? The merchant sacrifices all in this life to gain all in Christ Jesus. What an exchange. What riches for the merchant!

My friend, at the end of II Corinthians 5, the Lord says that Jesus has been made sin for us. Jesus who knew no sin has been made sin for us so that we who knew nothing but sin might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Has there ever been exchange like this? He who is holy, harmless, and undefiled took upon Himself all of the Christian’s sins, paid for those sins, suffered death for these sins, and gave to worthless sinners His righteousness of infinite value. Are you partaker of this great exchange my friend? You who have already believed? Do you see the treasures you have in your pearl? Fret not at the wealthy of the world – you are of far more worth than one of them – for you have that which is eternal. That which they have shall soon leave them.

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT FOUND A PEARL OF GREAT OBJECTIVE VALUE
Though the world hates it and denies it, ridicules and mocks it, nevertheless, the pearl is of greatest value.

“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price…”

It is a modern phenomenon to interpret that which we read by the feelings that the words bring to our minds. The impact of this in relation to the Bible in particular is that a generation is coming to age with an exceptionally low view of God’s Word. It is not the solid rock on which we stand, and which addresses all areas of faith and life, but rather it is the shifting sand of man’s feelings that change from day to day. It has become for many a mystery book that changes whenever it is opened depending on the life experiences we have had that hour and the life experiences with those playing the game with us.

However, this poor treatment of the Scriptures does not in fact change what they actually are – the unchanging Words of the unchanging God. Though they may be despised, rejected, mocked, burned, and abused, the Word of the Lord shall stand forever and will still be used of the Spirit to pierce the hearts of men and lead to Salvation.

The Merchant in our parable has found a pearl of great value. The value however, is not a value that he feels should be applied to it. Jesus does not, say, when “he found a pearl that felt to him as if it should have great value…” Jesus says, “he had found one pearl of great price…” The value was an objective reality. The reality was not derived by the man’s emotions. It was objective due to the perfection of the Pearl itself. Because the pearl was what it was the value was very great. The merchant and his feelings had no impact on the value of the pearl.

Foolish men might pass by the pearl, see it even, touch it, hold it, consider it, ponder it, be offered it, and reject it. And yet, the pearl is still of great price.

Wicked men may mock the pearl, hate the pearl, seek to destroy the pearl, deny it is of any worth, and harm those who have it, yet the value of the pearl is in no wise diminished. The value of that which is perfect. The value of knowing God and eternal life in Jesus Christ is not derived by those who would know Him or those who would reject Him. The value of God is intrinsic. The value of God is an objective truth. Who is a god like our God? There is no God: I know not any. God is the Lord and there is none else. He formed the light and created darkness: He makes peace and creates evil. The Lord does all these things. He is a just God and a Savior and there is none beside me. (Excerpts from Isaiah 44-45)

My friends, this Jesus Christ who the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments bear witness is of great value in and of Himself. There is no other like Him. He is the Savior. And he tells us to look unto Him and be saved, for He is God and there is none else.

Will you listen to God today who calls you to look to Him in faith or will you look to the lost and dying world who tells you to reject the one and only God? Look to Him. His worth is objective; His glory beyond all comprehension. The merchant cared little what others thought about his find. Will you, like the merchant, take hold of Christ today? Or will you, like the fool, take hold of what the wicked say to value. Look to Christ and live, dear friend!

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT WAS SATISFIED WITH THIS PEARL FOR THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THAT WOULD EVER SATISFY

“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Why is it that the Merchant does not keep looking for a better pearl? He found one perfect pearl of great price but why not keep looking? Perhaps he could find a larger perfect pearl. Or a perfect pearl that shared its glory with its owner? One of the dictionary definitions for “perfect” is “excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement.” The merchant is satisfied with the Pearl he has found because He knows with certainty that there will never be anything ever found afterwards that could improve upon the pearl of great price which he has acquired.

“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. (Psalm 50:2)”

“As for God, his way is perfect: the Word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. (Psalm 18:30)”

The Lord Jesus Christ, our God, is without possible improvement. There is none greater than Him for all the Gods of the worlds are idols but He made the Heavens and the Earth. Power and majesty are before Him. Strength and beauty are at His right hand. Justice and Judgment are the habitation of His throne. Mercy and truth are His paths.

In the splendor, majesty, fear, and awe of such perfection, the Merchant has found satisfaction and peace in the Prince of Peace. There is none else that can or will ever satisfy the merchant for there is not event theoretical improvement of the perfect Pearl that He has found. When that which is perfect is found, than that which is imperfect shall be done away (I Cor. 13).

My friends, when Simeon beheld the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem he did not put him down and said, ah well, I will look for another. No, my friends, Simeon acknowledged that now he could depart from this world in peace, for his eyes had seen God’s salvation. He did not need to see another. Simeon was satisfied with Jesus Christ for He was perfect. Will you this day, who have had a portrait of perfection laid out before you, respond as the Pharisees did saying, “Is this the Messiah or should we look for another?” Or will you rather, like Peter, say of Jesus, thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God?

THE MERCHANT DID NOT FIND A “FAIR” PEARL OR A PEARL OF MODERATE PRICE BUT A PERFECT PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price…”

On three occasions I have researched the quality of a precious stone. One of those occasions was the purchase of my wife’s engagement ring. It was during this time that I learned about the quality and characterizes of diamonds. What makes them sparkle. What makes them valuable. What makes them desirable. Like the quality of a pearl, the better the cut, brilliance, and blemish free surface of a diamond, combined with its size, the more valuable it would be. I learned quickly that I could buy my future wife a large diamond if I was okay with the fact that it looked foggy and did not reflect light. Alternatively, I could afford a diamond that was almost perfect in cut and brilliance if I didn’t mind the fact that it was very small. Ultimately, I settled for a diamond of a fair size that had minor imperfections and whose moderate price I could afford.

This is quite the contrast to the pearl that the Merchant finds and buys. He does not find a pearl that is perfect but small, or imperfect but large. He does not find a pearl that is categorized as “fair”. He does not settle for the moderately priced, moderately brilliant pearl. Rather, he finds the one pearl, the perfect pearl, the ideal pearl, the pearl by which all other pearls may be measured, and he buys it. This purchase is not of moderate price like the diamond I bought my wife. This pearl is of great price. It will take everything this merchant has to acquire this one perfect pearl. For the merchant, however, the value of the things that he will give up are nothing to be compared with the value of the one pearl of great price. For you see – that which is perfect is beyond value. Its value is far above rubies, gold, silver, diamonds, and treasure. That pearl which is perfect is a priceless treasure. Every wise man would quickly acquire it no matter the cost.

Sometimes the Christian is chastised by the world for wasting what could be a fun life. For those who do not have the priceless treasure of the one perfect pearl, the Christian looks to have nothing at all. But the Christian has something the world cannot understand.

The Christian has something that is perfect beyond words. The Christian has a pearl, has one pearl, and that pearl is perfect. Here are words even the world can understand. The man with the most money in his generation has yet to enjoy his riches beyond the closing of his eyes to sleep the sleep of death. No man has ever brought his worldly wealth with him though all the world has tried. But the Christian’s treasure is Jesus Christ Himself who leads His people from this life through death and too life forever with him. He does not just give peace now but no peace later. He is the Prince of Peace, He has conquered death, He has prepared places for His people in Heaven, He has reconciled the Christian to God with His own blood. He is the perfect treasure. He is the one perfect treasure. No one and nothing else has done, can do, or will do what He has done, is doing, and will do. What can be possibly compared to this pearl Jesus Christ? He is the perfect treasure. He who has Christ, has treasure without comparison. And he has treasure that will lead him from this life to the next.

My friend, do you, this very day, have the priceless treasure? Are you trusting in the one perfect pearl of great price or have you settled for foggy treasures of the world that will soon disappear? None who have Christ have ever lacked. None who have Christ are ever poor. Take hold on Him by faith and with repentance unto life and you too shall have the one perfect pearl of great price that shall never leave you or forsake you but will be your God even through death.

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT COUNTED ALL HE HAD PREVIOUSLY, AS NOTHING, AS TRASH,COMPARED TO THE GAIN OF THIS PEARL

“…Who…went and sold all that he had…”

Jim Elliot was a missionary who died bringing the gospel to tribes in Ecuador. He is credited with saying, “He is no fool who sells that which he cannot keep to buy that which he cannot lose.”

The apostle Paul said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

What is it about all the good things of the world that a gospel missionary would advocate selling and the apostle Paul would refer to as dung? What is it about the Merchant’s wealth that would allow the Merchant to sell all that he had in order to buy the one pearl of great price? Certainly it had to do with the perfection of the pearl. But it also had to do with the worthlessness and transience of the merchandise the Merchant possessed.

Remember Revelation 18 and the remarkable vision that is seen of John. As he sees the end of the world, he sees merchants. They are not the Merchants of the Kingdom of Heaven but rather merchants of the Earth. And these merchants of the Earth are weeping. Why? Because their merchandise is worthless. They have no more buyers. For in one hour, their great riches came to nothing (vs. 11-19).

I read recently that after a positive earnings report, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos saw his net worth increase more than $6 billion in one hour. $6 billion! Can you even fathom what that kind of money looks like? The estimated wealth of the United States is well in excess of $60 trillion. To say that is a lot of money is perhaps the understatement of the year. And yet, the day is coming when this money, all of it,  will sprout wings and fly away. It will vanish like the wind. It will evaporate like the dew of morning. In one hour, there will be none to give it any value. None will buy it. The treasures of this world are fleeting and yet they are relentlessly pursued by the world.

The Merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven is no longer making the pursuit of these treasures his goal. Rather he is selling all of these temporary treasures to buy that which is eternal. He sees truly that the pleasures and riches of the world are fleeting and are vanity. One thing is not vanity and that is Jesus Christ – knowing Him and the power of His resurrection. Making Christ our own because Christ has made us His own. This is life eternal, even Jesus Christ. And this is that thing which the merchant pursues.

In comparison to Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification, in comparison to having Christ as our savior who reconciles us to the Father, the treasures of the world, the riches of the world, are but utter foolishness and worthless. Trusting in them is among the greatest deceits and follies. The merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven has departed from those things. He trusts not in the treasures of the world but puts his faith, hope, trust, love, desire, and foundation in the one pearl of great price, Jesus Christ, who has never, will never, and can never let down, forget, or deceive one of his own.

Dear Friends, do you this day, like the Merchant in our parable, consider all things as dung that you might gain Christ? Are you this day like the preacher of Ecclesiastes who found all things to be vanity except one thing – to fear the Lord and keep His commandments? The world will tell us it is a foolish thing not to pursue all the wealth, riches, and pleasures that it has to offer. Is it foolish to give up what no man has ever kept through death in order to gain that which no man, who after taking possession, has ever lost?

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT GAVE UP ALL FOR THE PEARL, HE HELD NOTHING BACK

“Who…went and sold all that he had…”

A man came to Jesus one day and asked, what must I do that I may have eternal life. Jesus said, keep the commandments. The man said, Lord, I have kept all your commandments from my youth. Jesus said to him, sell all you have, give it to the poor, follow me and you shall be perfect. Here it was, eternal life, presented to this young man. He could have it! However, he would not take hold of it, for he loved his possessions more than he loved Christ. In contrast to the men of faith in Hebrews 11, the rich man who came to Jesus counted the riches of Egypt greater reward than the treasures of Heaven. This rich man perished in his sin, for he did not buy that one pearl of great price, but rather he bid for it and came up short.

Paul counted all things as loss that he might gain Christ. He counted even his own life as forfeit compared to the riches of Heaven and being present with the Lord. The Lord here is not saying, put yourself into poverty and you will have me as your Savior. But he is certainly saying if we count anything as equal to Him or greater than Him, we are not worthy of Him. Even more so, the Lord is showing that this merchant let nothing stand in the way of obtaining Christ. Whatever hindrance there was, he sold it all that he might not lose Christ, but that he might gain Christ. If the TV was leading him to laziness and worldly thoughts and pleasure compared to the treasure of Christ, the TV was gone. If his habits were leading him to think too highly of himself, he changed his habits. If he was living with his girlfriend in sin, he stopped. Whatever in his life was contrary to Christ, he sold all, he gave it all up, that he might gain, receive, embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In society today it is an odd thing to think of losing all for the sake of Christ. We have so much wealth and no one is taking it from us or even threatening to take it from us because of our faith. But do we count it all as loss? Can you lose your 401k tomorrow and follow Christ? Is your hope for retirement in Christ or in your savings account? Is it in Christ the giver of your wealth or is it in your wealth? Have you deceived yourself into thinking that it is easy for a wealthy man to get into heaven? If your wealth is keeping you from the kingdom perhaps it should be shrunk. What happens if tomorrow you are in poverty? Have you learned with Paul to rejoice in plenty or in want? Where is your treasure? The Merchant sold all and bought the pearl.

I remember in college, when the lottery was very high, thinking to myself when buying a ticket and telling God to make it legitimate, “If I win the lottery, I will give half of the after tax proceeds to the church and missions and other God honoring places.” How silly and foolish this thought was. Do we think this way about our current wealth?
I would be willing to sacrifice half for Christ…but hopefully I do not need to sacrifice all.”
“I am willing to give up some sins but let me keep a few secret sins.”

Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26). He also said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:4) Do we think that Jesus is teasing when he said this? Be not deceived – there are none in the Kingdom of Heaven but those who have sold all and bought the pearl.

Dear friends, the hour is coming when the pearl may no longer be found. The day is coming when Jesus Christ the master of the gate shall close the gate and no more may enter. Though they offer all it will be too late. Do not negotiate for the pearl today my friends. Do not offer a portion of what you have today, my friends. At the end of the day today, the Lord may close the gate. The free offer of the gospel to all men may be brought to an end. The Lord may return or end your life. Buy the pearl, dear friend! Rid yourself of all that leads you from Christ, count all as loss. It is free, come, buy without money! But it will share its place with none else. Sell all else, my friends, and buy the pearl this very day!

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT DID NOT BID FOR THE PEARL – THE MERCHANT BOUGHT THE
PEARL

Who, when he found one pearl of great price…bought it.

“I give my Sunday morning to Jesus along with several hours a week listening to Christian music and Bible studies, are you suggesting I may not be in Christ’s Kingdom?”

When compared with the deceitfulness of our flesh and the popular ideas we hear around us, we should expect the merchant to say in this parable, “I will offer 35% of my wealth for this pearl of great price.” Or, “I will offer my Sunday morning, Tuesday morning, and maybe two additional hours a week for this pearl of great price.” The Merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Christian man, knows of no such offer. The one who has found the great pearl does not even consider bidding on it. The merchant does not consider making an offer of a portion of his wealth for the pearl. The merchant sells all and gives all the proceeds to obtain this great treasure.

Several years ago I wanted to buy a book that was no longer in print. I expected it could be as much as $75.00. While looking on EBay, I found a copy for $18.00. The seller allowed me to buy it immediately for $18.00 or I could make my “best offer” and see if anyone offered more. If no one offered more in a few days, I could buy it at my best offer price. As I expected to pay $75.00, I did not hesitate to immediately buy the book for $18.00 so as not to risk losing it to some other buyer.

If you, my friend, can relate to this account for a book, how much more for salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ the Savior? Will you, like many others, come face to face with Jesus Christ and, rather than selling all and making Him your own, instead stand there and bid? Will you be tempted to ask…

“Well, do I have to keep the 4th commandment if I want Christ to be my own?”

“Can I worship God in ways that are pleasing to me if I make Him my own?”

“Can I continue pursuing worldly pleasures, lusts, wealth, pornography, drugs, love of self, and have salvation on the side?”

Dear friend, the Christian in the Kingdom of God knows what he desires, for the Lord has enabled him to understand. The Christian desired salvation and eternal life, found it in Jesus Christ alone, sold all that he had that he might obtain Christ. Complete surrender of his whole self is all that would suffice. Christ shares his glory with no one else. He will not be bid for. He will not be kept next to other treasures for there is no other treasure in comparison to Him. So take hold on Christ, my friend. Sell everything. Count everything but trash in comparison to Christ and obtain Him.

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT FOUND ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE AND WAS CONVINCED
WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER

“…when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Some years back I was at a child’s birthday party and a man asked me if I went to Redeemer Presbyterian Church. I answered in the affirmative and asked him of his church affiliation. He said he was a man who believed in all faiths as all led to the same place. This is what is known as universalism – the idea that all religions lead to the one true God and to the same place after death. The Merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven knows of no such thing as Universalism. The Merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven is not a Universalist. The Merchant knows of one pearl of great price and he knows with certainty that there is no other.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and life, no man comes unto the Father but by me (Jn 14:6). He said, whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Don Jesus Christ. This the true God, and eternal life.” (From I John 2-5)

The merchant looks for, longs for, seeks salvation and eternal life. He finds it in Jesus Christ. And when he finds it, he makes it his own and he knows there is no other way. The Christian is not confused by who the true God is or that the true God is exclusive. The Christian knows that the only way of Salvation is in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully Man, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily and through whom is given eternal life to all who believe. Through this Jesus, access is given to God the Father who is one with Jesus Christ and God the Spirit. To know this God is eternal life. There is no other way.

The merchant has found this one pearl, he has sold all to obtain this pearl, for he knows with certainty no other will do. He needs not keep any of his own treasures in reserve in case he finds a better pearl. He does not need to bury any silver in the ground under his home in case he needs additional treasure. He does not hold out his new pearl of great price to try and trade for an even better pearl or many lesser pearls. No, rather, he has found one pearl of great price, it is the pearl of greatest price, it is life eternal, and he will not part with it though all the world be against him and his life be forfeit.

Dear friend, there is no other that can help you or save you. Only Jesus Christ will suffice. Jesus Christ alone saves. He will not let you down. Though you sacrifice all, even your own life, for the sake of Christ, you shall obtain far more than you ever gave up. For you gave up what is temporal for that which is eternal. The Christian knows there is no other greater pearl than Jesus Christ. Do you know this?

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT DID NOT JUST DRAW NEAR TO THE PEARL BUT HE OBTAINED THE PEARL

“Who…went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Perhaps some of the greatest words spoken by Jesus are also some of the most dreadful for us to consider. When a scribe came asking Jesus the greatest commandment in Mark 12:28-34 and he heard Christ’s response, the Scribe agrees with our Lord’s answer. To this Jesus responds in vs. 34, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”

Similarly, when Paul is in prison and making his defense before King Agrippa in Acts 26, Paul challenges King Agrippa with the question, “believest thou the prophets?” To this King Agrippa confesses unto Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

On the one hand, the words of the Lord and the words of King Agrippa are of great joy to believers and of great hope to unbelievers. But the Merchant in our Lord’s parable teaches something quite sobering. The Kingdom of Heaven is not like merchants who draw near to the pearl of great price. The Kingdom of Heaven is not made up of those who are close to Jesus or those who are almost persuaded to believe in Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven is made up of those merchants who have obtained Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven is made up of those who do believe in Jesus Christ and those who have actually entered into the Kingdom of God.

Jesus refers to Himself in John 14 as “the door”…if any man enter in he shall be saved. People next to the door are not saved. People pondering the door are not saved. Those that go in the door, that enter in shall be saved.

Holding the living water does not bring eternal life to the soul. Drinking the living water brings eternal life to the soul. Yes, it is a joyful thing to see one who was in unbelief coming closer to the Christian faith. But unless He obtains Christ, he has nothing at all.

The Merchant in our parable is one who has found the pearl of great price and has obtained the pearl at whatever cost – even the selling of all that he had to obtain it. The Christian has won Christ. The Christian is found in Christ. The Christian has obtained Christ.

Dear friends, at any cost, through any suffering, draw near to Jesus Christ and make him your own! Jesus came proclaiming to all men that the Kingdom of God is at hand. That proclamation is being made to you again. Repent and believe the gospel. Do not ponder it. Do not think about it for another day. Take hold of Christ this day. Cast off every thing that would hinder you and obtain this pearl!

Ben Stahl, Elder

THE MERCHANT SOUGHT THE LORD AND FOUND THE LORD. HE WAS NOT LEFT TO KEEP SEEKING

The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Today as in all of history, men are in the world searching for meaning to their lives, for truth they can make their own. Because broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there are that find it, most of the searches these men perform lead to ways of destruction. They can lead to all manner of sins – from false religions to substances that provide temporary escape, even to the less obvious love for the promises of the world. But few there are that find the Lord Jesus Christ because they know not whom they are searching for.

The merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven is not like these worldly merchants. The merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven was looking for goodly pearls. The merchant was looking for Heavenly truth. The merchant in the Kingdom of Heaven was looking for the way of salvation, the way to Heaven, eternal life, peace with God, assurance in this life and assurance for that which is to come. The merchant was not left to keep searching but the merchant found what he was looking for. He was looking for goodly pearls and he found the one pearl of great price. The Christian merchant is one who was seeking the truth and who found it. Like Andrew, Peter, Nathaniel, and Phillip, who looked for the Messiah and found Him, even Jesus Christ (John 1:35-51), so the merchant in the Kingdom seeks and finds.

Our Savior said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you…” He does not say, seek and ye “might” find, but rather seek and ye “shall” find. The merchant in the kingdom of Heaven is one who sought and who found even as the Lord had promised.

Our Savior made this promise and showed the urgency of it. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near (Isa. 55:6). A day is coming when the Lord will no longer be found. Today is the day of salvation – seek the Lord, look upon the rock that is Jesus Christ, and find Him. The day will soon be too late. Those who did not make finding Jesus Christ their greatest pursuit but made him instead their afterthought will soon face the judgment. Seek the Lord now. Find Him. None who seek Him now will He turn away.

The worldly merchants are always searching and never coming to the truth. The Kingdom of Heaven is like merchants who have sought the Lord Jesus Christ and have found Him.

Dear friend, find the Lord! Lay all else aside, every worldly care, every distraction, every sin, everything, and find the one pearl of great price, even Jesus Christ the Savior of all who repent of their sins and believe in Him alone for salvation. Will you wait until the time when the Lord himself, the master of the house is risen to shut the door and you are outside saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not…” (Luke 13:25). Or, will you seek Him now while he may indeed be found? None who seek now are denied.

Ben Stahl, Elder