Neville Turley

“Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl.”  Matthew 13:45-46 (GNT)

Throughout his ministry Jesus focused attention on the kingdom of heaven.  Being part of the family of God is worth more than anything the world has to offer.

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like the perfect pearl.  You should be prepared to surrender all you have to be part of it.  You must sacrifice all your other lesser pearls for it.  It is not an easy thing to do.  Some find it just too difficult. 

Like the rich young man who told Jesus that he had kept all the commandments and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. (Mark 10:17-22)  Mark’s Gospel records that Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, “You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.”  When the man heard this, gloom spread over his face, and he went away sad, because he was very rich.

To be part of the kingdom of heaven, a citizen of the kingdom of God, is the perfect pearl and it is the birthright of every person who has been born again. (John 3:3)

It is not a citizenship that we can acquire through any merit of our own.  It is a gift from God.  Jesus claimed your citizenship in the kingdom of heaven when he laid down his life on the cross and put you right with God.

Because of our Lord Jesus Christ we have the precious privilege of being part of the family of God:

We are heirs of the Father

We are joint heirs with the Son

We are children of his kingdom

We are family, we are one.

Prayer:  Almighty God, by your grace alone, we are part of your family. Strengthen us by your Holy Spirit so that we may be worthy citizens of your kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen