Are you sure that’s what you’d like to do Lord? We have other options today. We could have devotions together. We could pray with some of our buddies. We could tell a few strangers about you.

“Ya, we could. But every now and again I just like blessing you.  Let’s go to the cliff.”

The cliff. You know Lord, cliff and blessing don’t seem to belong in the same sentence. Cliff and danger work for me. I’ve got some friends who will say, “Cliff and stupid are a pair.” I know you like this kind of stuff. Just realize that I don’t have the luxury of seeing beyond the cliff.

“I know. Why do you think I want to take you there? When you get to the cliff, what do you think I want you to see?”

Well for one thing, it’s an invitation to the impossible. I guess that’s what I see.  That’s also my point of resistance.

“I don’t need to take you to the cliff for you to know it’s impossible. You know that now. What is it about going there, being there, actually stepping off the edge? What do you think I want you to see?”

My face on the canyon bottom?

“Nice one. That’s pretty good. Now be serious.”

To be honest Lord, every time we go to the cliff I ask you the same thing. Why are we doing this? You never tell me.

“That’s true. And every time you’ve survived. So what did you see in each of those times?”

Honestly? I don’t know. My eyes were closed. Honestly. I really hate heights.

“Fair enough...What did you sense?” 

You. I sensed you. You were with me. I could feel you holding me up. 

“Why do you think I want to take you to the cliff?”

Jesus tells two parables in Matthew 13 about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure in a field.  While you are trespassing, you stumble across it and realize it is worth more than all you possess.  You promptly liquidate all your assets, purchase that field and now have more resources than you could ever have imagined. Complete freedom.  Asset rich, cash rich.

Parable #2 The Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  He finds one and sells everything he has to possess it.      It sounds very similar to the first.        

~  Look again  ~

#1 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure in a field

#2 The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking...

#1 Asset Rich ~ Cash Rich

#2 Asset Rich ~ Cash Poor

In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is not about the pearl.  It is about the merchant.  Who determines the value of the pearl?  What does the pearl have to do to become valuable?

Who is the Pearl?

Who is the Merchant?

our answer will reveal how you approach life; how you approach God; how you view yourself.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

Can you believe what you are reading?

Having recently returned from a week in Haiti, I discovered that most Haitians are decedents of Africans forced into slavery. That history still leaves its mark.

Sitting with 15 leaders from a little congregation, I asked the question, “Who is the pearl?”

Stunned silence.  Two worldviews collided: Slavery vs. Pearl. “Who is the pearl?”  ~  Silence. 

“We are? We are.” One whispered

“Who is the merchant?”

They couldn’t speak it.  Slowly a young woman began to point to the ceiling. “God?”

The room felt the weight of the Spirit of God; like a heavy blanket falling on our shoulders.  Every person was literally bowed, wrapped in its revelation. 

Is it possible for a person, a culture, a people to believe a lie for centuries, never knowing the truth?  “Is it possible that we are actually pearls of great value and not defined by slavery?” 

Is it possible that every person is a pearl of great value? Is that the message of Christ? For so long we have been only sinners needing to be saved. What if we are actually pearls who have lost our true identity?  How would that truth change us? If we are all pearls, would that explain one of God’s reasons for praying for those who persecute you?  Could that be why God invites you to love your enemy?  Would that be the foundation upon which the two great commands rest?

Maybe so...

Do you know who you are?  Do you know that your value is not determined by what you do? Have you ever been told that it is God who declared you precious?  

You are not required to do anything in order for you to be declared precious. 

The consequences of not knowing how precious you are will result in years of wasted striving; years of guilt and condemnation.  

Are we sinners?  We are pearls who sin.  God’s invitation is to see ourselves defined by his definition.  Believe it. You are precious beyond measure.  When you begin to allow that truth to enter your heart and not just your mind, you will find yourself acting more like a pearl.  Your worth is a gift.  So now you are free. Those who Christ sets free are free indeed. 

You love because it’s good to love.  You love because he first loved you.  You don’t love because you have to.  You love because you are a pearl of great price.  It is in you to reflect the glory of your Creator.  If you say you love God but do not love your brother who you can see, you simply are missing the entire point.  (1 John 4:20-21)

"Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16b (NIV) 

"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10b (NIV)

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8 (NIV)

Maybe that’s not a fair question. But wouldn’t you like to do greater works than Jesus?

I would.  At least I think I would.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with a young man whose life purpose was to be a concert pianist.  He practiced hours a day.  I remember saying to him, “I wish I could play like you.”  A little annoyed, he said, “No you don’t. If you wanted to play like me, you would be willing to practice, like me, for hours a day. You just want the privilege without the work.”

And we all knew that was true.

Jesus' spoke about authority and power and influence. He prayed that his followers will be so full of the Presence and Power of the Spirit of God, they will be able to do even greater things than Jesus. And my heart says, "Ya, bring it on."

So why don't people line up outside our church doors so that they can receive prayer for healing?

I’m not sure how much I’ve changed since the days of talking to that budding concert pianist.  I don’t really want to put in the work required to be a concert pianist.  

I wonder if I approach my relationship to faith in the same way? Do I want the thrill of the power and authority of God in me, without any of the responsibility?

Verses comes to mind from the Beatitudes 

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

I’m one of those guys you might label as a bit of a couch potato. We’re into what Bill Johnson calls "convenient hunger."  When we’re watching the hockey playoffs. Someone says, “I’m hungry.” - It’s a trigger.  Like Pavlov's drooling dogs. Suddenly we’re all hungry.

“Yea, me too.  Honey, go get us some chips okay?”

Our wives may or may not say this but they’re thinking, “Why don’t you get them?”

“Come on honey. Just get us something.  Anything.  And while you’re at it, can you bring us something to drink.”

“I mean the fridge is way over there.”

The reality is, we don’t want to get up and walk all that way, the whole 30 feet to get ourselves some food. It’s not really hunger. It is convenient hunger.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Study the Gospel of John and discover how Jesus did the works he did because he knew what his Father was doing in heaven.  Jesus said the words he said because he heard what his Father was saying in heaven.  Jesus did nothing of his own initiative.  He only acted upon what his Father directed him to do.  He repeats that theme 6 times in the Gospel of John.

Why am I laboring this point? Because we need to ask ourselves how badly we really want a vibrant faith, intimacy with God, confidence in our inner being, credibility with others.  How badly do we want to live and act as Jesus?

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“Mr. Collins, you appear to be inadmissible to the United States pursuant to 212 (a) (7) (A) (i) (I) of the INA, as amended because you are entering the U.S. to speak at a Bible study in which you will receive monetary compensation.  Do you understand?”

Calmly, “No.”

“What do you not understand?”

Again, calmly, I answered. “I specifically inquired of US Customs before attempting to cross into the States and was told that churches were allowed to cover expenses.  That’s all they are doing. I have obeyed the instructions given to me by Customs officers to the letter.  I have been completely transparent at the gate and in here. Three days ago I did a preliminary walk in at two points of entry and asked what I needed to do to speak at this men’s Bible study.  I followed those instructions exactly.  This decision seems excessive and I do not understand it.”  

Four hours I sat in a customs office.  I had to make a sworn affidavit, got finger printed and picture taken. The customs officer seemed a little embarrassed at times as my case unfolded.  The irony is that my topic for the evening was going to be about how we live out our lives in society.  

Light has a way of removing darkness.  In fact, darkness is simply the absence of light.  Jesus’ invitation is simply to shine.  How do you shine when one little invite to speak at a men’s Bible study has consumed so much: one day of prep; one day being denied entry; one day doing a walk in inquiry at two ports of entry to find out what I needed to do to be allowed in; one day being denied a second time.  That’s a lot of hours and there was the knowing that 20 to 30 men just got stood up a second time.

Shining and anger have very little in common.  Was I angry? Actually not.  Very calm in reality as I reflected upon God’s control verses man’s. But I was concerned that my testimony not be damaged in any way.  I knew there were Christians who work at that border crossing.  I knew that all the officers on duty last night knew that I was a pastor and that I was asked to speak at the church where some of those officers or their associates attended.  I knew that if I acted in any way that allowed darkness to rule in a place rather than light, the implications would be significant. - After four hours, I asked to speak to the supervisor.

Everything you say in a place like that is witnessed by at least one other person.  The supervisor approached and said, “I’m told you want to speak to me.”

I said, “Yes. I’m concerned.  I have no difficulty with your decision to not allow me to enter the US.  It is a discretionary call that you needed to make.  I suspect that when you made that decision, you did not have all the information.”

She said that was true.  She had not been told about my walk in inquiries and the instructions I had been given.

I continue. “I am a clergyman and I know that we have often done things that have brought dishonour to God. My concern is that you might think negatively of this clergyman resulting in me bringing dishonour to God and his people.  I have been completely honest with you.  I have hidden nothing. I am hoping that my behaviour has not in any way damaged your opinion of the church and clergy.  I want to honour God in every aspect of my life.”

She smiled, ever so slightly.  Looked into my eyes and said, “You have not done anything to damage my opinion of the clergy.”

The point of the story is that light shines whenever we walk in dependency upon Jesus. I had asked God to guard my heart against frustration.  I had asked him to help me say what I needed to say in a respectful way.  He did both and more.  As I spoke to the supervisor, I knew the other officers were listening.  I knew that there was respect in the room.  I knew that my behaviour had not compromised the lives of the Christians who worked alongside these people. In fact, I suspect some of the officers were Christians and were both thankful and blessed that God had showed up at a border crossing.  

I was especially thankful, that although I had not been able to teach the men about the principles of living the presence of God in society, I had been given the blessing of being able to apply it.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”  His invitation is to abide in him.  When you do, you will shine.

One other note.  I am in the process of producing four worldview DVD's that will be a solid resource for you.  Your prayers in that regard are appreciated.  Delivery date is the end of March.

David