It's a "really bad bootleg" but check out the video above, check out the lyrics here if you want, do a quick read of Matthew 13:44-46 and 1 Timothy 6: 6-19 and then on with todays theology..
When I first heard this song I thought that it was about The Pearl of Great Price. That’s the parable of Jesus from the reading tonight. When Fleming McWilliam was singing “Oh look I’ve found it, don’t drop it etc” I could see the merchant in the Parable thinking the same sort of things.
But as I kept listening to the song and then looked at the lyrics I realised this Christian band were singing about something quiet different than Jesus’s parable. Why would they want to throw away the Kingdom of Heaven, how could it be doing such bad things, consuming them and making them want to kill?
Confusion reigned until I watched an interview with them and I discovered the song is based on a book by John Steinbeck called “the pearl”. A quick check and I found out the library had a few copies so I read it and it all became clear as to what they were singing about.
Also while reading the book I realised that I was also reading a parable…
Adrian Plass once described a parable as a story that keeps your brain busy at the front door while the truth slips in through a side window and sandbags you from behind…
John Steinbeck’s parable was about a very different Pearl than Jesus’s. So todayt I’m going to write about the two parables, two parables about two very different pearls and the truth that is trying to slip in through our side windows.
Let’s start with John Steinbecks
Once upon a time there was a subsistence Pearl diver called Kino…
Kino lives in a village in Mexico at the beginning of last century. He loves his wife, Juana, very much and they have a small baby boy called Coyotito. Even though he only manages to find enough pearls to keep them fed and housed - together they are very happy.
One day however he manages to find it… a pearl the size of a sea-gulls egg and as perfect as the moon. It was the greatest pearl in the world. As he looked at it he could see his dreams form – he saw an education for his son, he saw better equipment for his pearl diving, he saw stylish clothes for his wife…. He saw his hopes his dreams his life.
He called it the pearl of the world
The pearl brought him instant celebrity status in his village. His friends and relatives crowded him and were awed at his find, they all felt a little jealousy and envy.
Also looking on were the various “independent” pearl merchants… (the middle men who would buy the pearls and sell them on (for a lovely profit) to the jewellers in the city.)
The merchants looked on with greed in their hearts. That evening they talked behind closed doors and therefore Kino did not have a good day when he went to sell his pearl.
You see Kino’s dreams had been growing. With each moment that he held the pearl his dreams, his hopes and his life plans they all grew. He was going to use it to buy equipment like a bigger boat and maybe a stronger knife. With those he’d dive and find more and more pearls. Of course he’d also need a gun…
So with his heart pounding he went to the first merchant. “It’s flawed” the merchant said “too big – it’s worthless – but I like you so I’ll take it off your hands and get rid of it…” Over and over he heard the merchants say this – and his anger grew…
He knew it had to be worth more, it just had to be. He wasn’t going to give up. The next day he and his wife would go to the city and sell it themselves. That will show the greedy parasites.
Back at his grass hut someone had been there and looking for the pearl of the world. That night he did not sleep well. He hid the pearl but he was waiting for the thieves to come. He wouldn’t let them have. If he wasn’t some poor diver they would not do this to him.
Thieves came in the night, they fought... Kino, Coyotito and his beloved wife Juana escaped. Their hut caught fire and so all they escaped with was some clothes and a few provisions they had prepared for the journey. And of course Kino still had the pearl of the world. He wouldn’t let it go
That night they set off before more thieves could try to take his pearl. Part way down the road they were attacked. Kino fought well and in the dark he took the attackers knife and killed him.
He was just a diver, no one would believe him, and he had to run, run and hide.
Into the jungle the family went and headed to a mountain with caves. Behind them Kino heard followers so he sent his baby son Coyotito and Juana ahead while he laid an ambush.
From behind he struck. The knife going into a someone’s back, Kino then turned on the other – he had a gun. A shot rang out. It missed Kino and bark from a tree spat at him, up the mountain Coyotito frightened awake began to cry. The last man turns to the sound and Kino attacks. In the struggle Kino kills again but from the gun a random blast. The babys terrified cry ceases. The mother’s mournful wail begins.
In the morning, carrying the bloody bundle of Coyotito - Kino and Juana walk numbly through the village towards the sea.
At the shore Kino throws the pearl of the world with all his might into the ocean. It sinks and settles under the mud never to be found again.
it could be the pearl
it could be our hope our dream our lives
it could be the pearl
the end of all our pain and strife could be the pearl
or it could be a demon in disguise
So what is the truth in the Parable of the Pearl of the world?
In Kino’s pearl of the world he did not find hopes he did not find his dreams and most certainly he did not find life. Instead he found corruption, deception and evil. Which together destroyed him and his family. The treasure of this world acted as a lure to the sinful nature in himself and the people around him.
Like Kino we have things that we put our hopes, dreams and life into. Like Kino if we focus too much on those things it will bring out the sinful nature within us and the corruption in the people around us. Hopefully we will differ from Kino in that we won’t end up as killers but our “pearls of the world” will not satisfy us.
We invest time, effort and our hearts into things of this world in the end they really have no value and they will destroy us.
For example. Money: It can’t buy happiness – at best you only get to rent it for a short time. In the late 80’s the decade of selfish ambition the catch prase of the Yuppie was “He who dies with the most toys wins” It was a phrase that showed no care about the future or eternity or other people just the purchase of more and more things for yourself. It showed people’s attitudes were that there is nothing after this life so we had better do what we want.
Christian’s at the time countered this phrase with one of their own “He who dies with the most toys – still dies”
What good is the Lamborghini, the plasma TV, and the mansion when you are dead? Nothing at all, they go to someone else and your body rots in the ground.
Life is more than just this body, there is an afterlife and without Jesus all the money and “pearls of this world” are just dust and ashes
Another example of a pearl of the world is Fame
Fame – I’m gonna live forever, light up the sky with my name Fame!
That was some lyrics from the title song to a movie and TV series for all you people looking confused… doing such great things that you are remembered long after you are dead and gone. Having everyone looking up to you while you are here. A real boost to the ego – people literally worshiping the ground you walk on. Not to mention auctioning your used towels on ebay.
Of any pearl of the world that’s has to be the one to go for – but then again how does that explain all the famous people with drug addictions, rock stars killing themselves, not to mention Michael Jackson.
They might be able to do some stuff astoundingly well but their lives it seems are still hollow, they want something in their lives and fame doesn’t do it. They feel all the inadequacies in them and it doesn’t match the public image – adding the guilt of a type of hypocrisy onto it all as well.
These are a couple of obvious examples – there are pearls that are a little more insidious. You base you life on them but in the end they by themselves mean nothing.
How about doing good things? You go through your life, treating others as you would like to be treated, you are generous with your money, you get a good education and a good job and you use it to benefit others, you live humbly and are not arrogant at all.
Great things- wonderful things but in the end they are still pearls of this world – what would make them a treasure in heaven is if you had the Pearl of Great Value that Jesus told a parable about…
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Kingdom of Heaven – to put it simply is where God is in control. It is in Heaven itself where He is, it is in the lives of all the Christians on Earth here and now, and in the past and in the future. If you are a Christian then you are a member of the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
The merchant was on the lookout for fine pearls – and he finds one. Not just any pearl but a great pearl – one that he just had to have. Being the canny merchant that he is – he sells everything he has to buy this pearl. It must have been an amazing pearl for him to risk such an investment. If it fell through he had nothing.
Humanity is the merchant. Everyone on the planet seeks something, some sort of answers to where did we come from, what is wrong with this planet and where are we going?
Some choose to ignore the questions, some acknowledge them but say we will never know, some seek answers in science, and science alone, while most of the planet have some sort of religion. A belief in something higher and greater than we are.
Christianity is one of these belief structures and it has many many unique things about it. The most major and important one is Jesus. Jesus himself is God coming to us. Through Jesus, God reaches down to us to bring us to Him. In all other religions you have to try to reach their version of god.
Because of this and what God wants in our lives and how He interacts with us – Christianity is not a “religion”, not just some sort of belief structure it is a relationship. A relationship with Jesus Christ who is God. Christ is the centre of everything we say and do and believe – that is why we are “Christ”-ians
Jesus wants us to “sell everything we have” and by that He means give up all our “Pearls of the world” and give them to him. He becomes our Lord and we his servant. Our hopes are to be what He hopes for us, our dreams are to be His dreams and our lives are his.
There are no good deeds enough for us to buy this Pearl of Great value – in actuality it is a gift to us from God and all we can do is surrender our pearls of the world back to Him.
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. To confess is to state a true thing – criminals confessing to crimes – so when we confess that Jesus is Lord that means He “owns” us and the rest of the universe. We do what he wants, when he says jump we jump. We are just stating the facts.
Believing with your heart that Jesus rose from the dead is important. You see Jesus rose from the dead because he was God, Jesus died because he was paying the price for our sins and through that we have forgiveness. Part of the gift of Salvation is forgiveness. Again nothing we can do to purchase that – it is all from God – what we do is respond.
Through the bible, history and experience we have found that Jesus is a loving and kind and forgiving master – he will give us no task that we are unable to accomplish. He is there with us guiding, leading and helping us – another reason Christianity is not a religion but a relationship
Jesus has said not to worry about the Pearls of the World… Just worry about him
Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus will provide the things of this world that we need. As He is our Lord then he may judge it right that we become rich or famous or whatever– but we have to use those things in his service.
For example Michael Jones when he was an All Black used his fame to promote Christianity – He still does in fact. The Bible Society of Australia a few years ago produced a special edition New Testament in which Michael, Inga Tuingamala a whole host of others. explain what Jesus means to them and how to become a Christian.
If we are a Christian then many, many things will try to come between us and Jesus. Money may make us feel like we don’t need him. Fame could distract us from his tasks. We may even be so wrapped up in learning and studying the bible that we forget to do what it says..
For you, for me, we all have to take a look at our lives and ask “Are we serving Jesus fully? What is there in our lives that keeps us from Jesus? What can we do for Him?”
Jesus warned “MT 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Where we go from here is nicely summed up in tonight’s second reading from 1 timothy chapter 6 beginning at verse 6. I’d like to read it again… Where Timothy talks about money – substitute it with whatever Pearls of the world you may struggle with…
1TI 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1TI 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen.
1TI 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Let that be our prayer - amen
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