Pearl of Great Price

By: Pastor Doug Batchelor

An Amazing fact!  A brooch purchased for $14 at a Bristol, Rhode Island antique shop has turned out to contain a priceless purple pearl.  Alan Golash, a Newport antiques dealer, claims the value of the rare pearl is supported by gem experts who examined it.  His partner found the 19th century ornamental pin while rummaging through a basket of costume jewelry at a former antiques shop.  Golash, who restores antique jewelry, cleaned the brooch, and discovered it was made of 18-karat gold and enamel and included three small rose-cut diamonds. Based on its construction and Victorian styling, it is believed to have been created sometime between 1850 and 1875. But most notably, the brooch features two rare pearls, both of which gem experts say are all natural, purple and produced from a type of clam known as Quahogs –which are extraordinarily rare. The larger of the two pearls is about the size of a marble. "We've never had a pearl like this before," said Betty Lin, Vice President of Jewelry at Christie's Auction House. Golash plans to sell the brooch at auction in two years in Hong Kong, where pearls are highly prized. In the meantime, he plans to put the jewel, which he's calling the Pearl of Venus, on a nationwide tour to increase awareness and also its value, which may exceed several million.

Jesus said,  "…the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45, 46

I remember reading a story about an American missionary, David Morse who, while serving in India, became great friends there with a local pearl diver, Rambhau.  Many an evening he spent in Rambhau's humble hut, reading to him from the Bible, and explaining to him God's way of Salvation.

Rambhau enjoyed listening to the Word of God, but whenever the missionary tried to get Rambhau to make a decision and accept Christ as his Savior, he would shake his head and reply, "Your Christian way to Heaven is too easy for me!  I cannot accept it.  If ever I should find admittance to Heaven in that manner, I would feel like a pauper there…like a beggar who has been let in out of pity.  I may be proud, but I want to know I have earned my place in Heaven, and so I am going to work for it."

Nothing the missionary could say seemed to have any effect on Rambhau's decision, and so quite a few years slipped by.  One evening, however, the missionary heard a knock on his door.  He found Rambhau standing there looking very serious.

"Come in, dear friend," said David. "No," said the pearl diver. "I want you to come with me to my house, Sahib. I have something to show you.  Please do not say no."

"Of course I'll come," replied David.  As they neared his house, Rambhau said: "In a week's time I will begin a pilgrimage, working for my place in Heaven; I am leaving for Delhi, and I am going there on my hands and knees."

"Man, you're crazy!" said David.  "It's nine hundred miles to Delhi, and the skin will break on your knees, and you will have blood-poisoning or leprosy before you ever get to Bombay."

"No, I must get to Delhi," affirmed Rambhau, "and the immortals will reward me for it!  The suffering will be sweet for it will purchase Heaven for me!"

David responded, "Rambhau, my friend, you can't.   How can I bear you to do it when Jesus Christ has suffered and died to purchase Heaven for you!"

But the old man could not be dissuaded.  "You are my dearest friend on earth, Sahib Morse.  Through all these years you have stood by me in sickness, in want; you have been sometimes my only friend.   But even you cannot turn me from my purpose to purchase eternal bliss. I must go to Delhi!"

Inside the hut, David was seated in the very chair Rambhau had specially built for him, where on so many occasions he had read to him the Bible.  Rambhau left the room to return soon with a small but heavy English strongbox. "I have had this box for years," said Rambhau, "and I keep only one thing in it. Now I will tell you about it, Sahib Morse.  I once had a son…"

Astonished, David replied, "A son!  Why, Rambhau, you have never before said a word about him!"

"No, Sahib, I couldn't."  Even as he spoke, Rambhau's eyes were moistened. "Now I must tell you, for soon I will leave on my pilgrimage, and who knows whether I shall ever return.  My son was a diver, like me.  He was the best pearl diver on the coasts of India.  He had the swiftest dive, the keenest eye, the strongest arm and the longest breath of any man who ever sought pearls.  What joy he brought to me!  Most pearls, as you know, have some defect or blemish only an expert can discern, but my boy always dreamed of finding the 'perfect' pearl, one beyond all that was ever found.  One day he found it!  But by the time he found it, he had been under water too long…and that pearl cost him his life, for his lungs began to bleed and he died soon after."

The old pearl diver bowed his head.  For a moment his whole body shook, but there was no sound.  "All these years," Rambhau continued, "I have kept this pearl, but now I am leaving, and it is doubtful if I will ever return.  To you, my best friend, I am giving my pearl."

Rambhau worked the combination on the strongbox and drew from it a carefully wrapped package.  Gently opening the cotton, he picked up a mammoth gleaming pearl and placed it in the hand of the missionary.   David knew instantly this pearl was one of the largest pearls ever found off the coast of India. It glowed with an iridescent luster and brilliance never seen in cultured pearls.  It would have brought a fabulous sum in any market.

For a moment David was speechless and gazed with awe. "Rambhau!  What a pearl!"

With a soft reverent voice, Rambhau said, "That pearl, Sahib, is perfect,”.

David quickly looked up, realizing this to be the very opportunity and occasion for which he had prayed, an opportunity to help Rambhau understand the value of Jesus' sacrifice!  David said, "Rambhau, this is a wonderful pearl, an amazing pearl. Let me buy it. I would give you $10,000 for it."

Rambhau replied, "Sahib!  What do you mean?"

"Well, I will give you fifteen thousand dollars for it," David said, "and if it takes more, I will work for it."

"Sahib," said Rambhau, stiffening his entire body, "This pearl is beyond any price.   No man in the entire world has money enough to pay what this pearl is worth to me.  On the market, a million dollars could not buy it.  I will not sell it to you. You may only have it as a gift."

"No, Rambhau," David responded, "I cannot accept that.  As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it for free.  Perhaps I am proud, but that is too easy.  I must pay for it…or work for it."

Rambhau was stunned. "You don't understand at all, Sahib!  Don't you see?  My only son gave his life to get this pearl, and I won't sell it for any money.  Its worth is in the lifeblood of my son.  I cannot sell this pearl, but I can give it to you.  Please accept it as a token of the love I have for you." David was choked-up and for a moment could not speak. Then he gripped the hand of the old pearl diver.  "Rambhau," he said in a quiet voice, "don't you see?  My words are exactly what you have been saying to God all this time."

Rambhau looked long and searchingly at the missionary, and slowly, slowly he began to understand.

"God is offering to you Salvation as a free gift," said David.  "His gift of Salvation is so great and priceless that no man on earth can buy it, as millions of dollars are too little.  No man could ever work it off; his life would be millions of years too short.  No man is good enough to deserve it.   It cost God the life-blood of His only Son to make the entrance for you into Heaven.  In a million years, in a hundred pilgrimages, you could not earn that entrance.  All you can do is to accept it as a token of God's love for you, a sinner.  Rambhau, of course I will accept the pearl in deep humility, praying God I may be worthy of your love.  Rambhau, won't you accept God's great gift of Heaven, too, in deep humility, knowing it cost Him the death of His Son to offer it to you?"

With tears rolling down his cheeks, Rambhau was beginning to understand.   In a soft voice, he said, "Sahib, I see it now.   I have believed in the doctrine of Jesus for the last two years, but I could not believe His Salvation was free.  Now I understand.   Some things are too priceless to be bought or earned.  I do not need to crawl on my pilgrimage to Delhi.  Sahib, I accept Jesus’ gift of Salvation!"

Ephesians 2:8, 9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."