Today’s Advent Reflection is from Calum Piper
The Greatest Sacrifice.
Matthew 13:44-46
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, 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.
Reflection
I once watched TV documentary on The Savoy Hotel in London. Within one of London’s most famous hotels there is a very expensive jewellery shop. In one episode there was a segment on a lady who visits the shop every week to look at the latest jewels. Each week she would buy at least one new things – racking up a weekly bill well into the thousands. She said she just loves jewellery!
We all have things we like to buy, comforts we don’t mind spending money on. Food, cars, holidays. Its nice to have things that we like. Buying, collecting, desiring are all comforting things to do (most the time).
Just think for a moment – what is the most valuable thing you own?
Now think about that thing you most love to collect – What is it?
Imagine someone comes a long one day and offers you the greatest gift of all time, in the whole wide world. Its yours right now – they say. The only string attached is, you have to get rid of your most valuable possession, and give up your collection of toys, gins, cars, golf clubs (insert your loved possession).
Would you give it up for the greatest gift in the world?
That’s exactly what is happening in Matthew 13. The man finds a treasure that he longs to be his. It must have been an incredible treasurer because he gives up everything else to have it.
We are offered the greatest gift in the world, Jesus the Son of God.
God welcomes and calls each of us by name. Instead of us having to make great sacrifices to receive Gods love – he made the sacrifice. He gave up everything. Philippians 2 says:
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Jesus gave up his place in heaven to become one of us. God gave up his only Son to reclaim the greatest treasure – Us!
What a comfort! What a Joy!