Thursday, January 15, 2004 (73)
WE HAVE FOUND THE TREASURE. A finding of immense, immeasurable value. The Apostle Paul said, We have this treasure. Something on which he placed great value. A treasure that was already in his possession. It is not beyond the capability of every Christian to obtain this precious treasure and to thoroughly enjoy it to the full. 2 Cor. 4:7 This great find is identified by the Lord Jesus as being the kingdom of heaven. Its hiding place was in a field. When a man found it he was filled with exceeding great joy and proceeded to sell all that he possessed with the single purpose in mind of buying the field where he had found the treasure. None of his previous possessions where of equal value. He cut all ties with the past to purchase the field in which the treasure was hidden. Mt. 13:44 Jesus urged His followers not to gather the treasures of this world. A person can so easily have them be corrupted or stolen. But heavenly treasures are everlasting and cannot be destroyed. The moral of the story being that where our treasures are, there will our heart, our attention, our emotions and desires be also. Are we seeking earthly treasures of those which are heavenly and Spiritual? Mt. 6:19-21 To really possess the treasure there must be total commitment, anything less will fall short.
TREASURE STORED IN JARS OF CLAY. The Lord has purposely chosen to place the treasures of His kingdom in the least worthy of all containers, those made of the dust of the earth. That the power of the Lord might be displayed and His ability to maintain the vessels. Also, that no flesh would find anything to brag or gloat about before Him. 1 Cor. 1:27-29 Today, in the hodgepodge that is called the church there are a great variety of vessels. Some to honor and some to dishonor. But, that will change. There will be a definite division made in the house of the Lord. There is a purging, a disunion, a disassociation due to be exercised in the household of faith. Most unfortunately, not every vessel is dedicated to the work of the Lord. The Word and the Spirit will perform a definite work of cleansing and purification. 2 Tim. 2:20-21 The door to a perfect church is by way of the cross. Not His cross but ours. The old, the carnal man must be crucified, not literally but spiritually. The sinful nature must die. This is the secret of an overcoming life in Christ Jesus. The life of sin must be completely destroyed and eliminated. Otherwise, it only appears to be dead until an occasion arises to stir it up, then it becomes glaringly apparent. Life in Christ is contingent on our experience of dying to self and sin. All Christians, at conversion are released from some measure of sin in their lives, some more than others. The will of the Lord is absolute liberty and freedom from all that hinders and binds our Spiritual liberties. Rom. 6:6-7 The full value of the found treasure is only evident where there is complete commitment to the Lord. The total treasure is waiting to be discovered. The price that must be paid for it is minimal compared to the extreme wealth obtained by finding and appreciating the treasure.