Treasures of Gold
Archaeologists were excavating the site of the former Giv ‘ati car park lot just outside the City of David, in Jerusalem, a site that has exposed 11 different periods of habitation. They were being aided by a young woman volunteer when coworkers heard her screaming. Thinking she might have been stung by a scorpion or suffered some other injury, they rushed to her aid. They found her transfixed, staring down on her discovery of 264 gold coins bearing the likeness of Byzantine emperor Herclius minted between 610-613 AD. It was a cache of gold of inestimable value and has aided archaeologists in dating their dig.
Unknown treasures are believed to be buried all around Jerusalem waiting to be discovered. What might yet be awaiting discovery are valuable treasures including the Ark of the Covenant.
We are in effect all treasure hunters at heart. Most treasures available to us are unidentified.“ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6: 21)
The passage relates to spiritual treasure, things of value to us. This brings to mind the question of what do you value most? What we have our heart set on is what we value.
There is nothing wrong with having wealth and material goods. However, how we value them is what is most important. This poem by Lorrie Cline entitled
“Met the Master Face to Face” puts treasures in their proper perspective.
With station and rank and wealth for my goal,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul,
I had entered to win in life’s mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and knew Him and blushed to see,
That His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me;
And I faltered and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away.
Melted and vanished, and in their place,
Naught else did I see but the Master’s face.
And I cried aloud, ‘Oh, make me meek,
To follow the steps of Thy wounded feet.’
My thought is now for the souls of men,
I have lost my life to find it again,
E’er since one day in a quiet place,
I met te Master face to face.”
Let the Master enable you to evaluate and align what you treasure.
There are treasures at your disposal more valuable than those gold coins.
They are of eternal value. Lay up treasures in heaven for yourself.
Love Transforms
Jesus said the greatest of all commandments is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22: 37)
All who heard Him identify what He declared to be the most important commandment were very familiar with it. It is a part of the Jewish creed known as the “Shema.” The word “Shema” means “to hear.”
It was the first Old Testament Scripture to be learned by a child. It is worthy to be learned and conformed to today.
The Coventry Cathedral in England was largely destroyed along with 700,00 homes was largely destroyed by German bombs during World War II. The new cathedral at Coventry has much art. None is more striking than the larger than life sculpture just outside the main entrance. It depicts Michael the archangel, spear in hand, poised triumphantly over a prostrated, manacled dragon. It depicts the ultimate victory of Christ over evil.
He, the triumphant, resurrected Christ, the one Who commanded us to love is the one who gives us the victory in love.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th Century preacher, asked a question and answered it himself. His question: “Why should we love God?”
His answer: “Because He is God.”
Jesus knew the commandment was worthy to – – –
Dominate our emotions
Direct our attitudes.
Determine our actions.
Get it? Got it. Good!
We, like they, in light of the resurrection should love the Lord our God with all of our personal resources.
This humorous account depicts our victory in Jesus. An electrician was called upon to make minor repairs in wiring that required him to go into the church attic over the pulpit. His wife accompanied him and decided to sit in the auditorium and wait for him. A group of visitors quietly entered the place of worship. Seeing the lady sitting alone they assumed she was worshiping. Her husband had been unduly long in the attic. The silent visitors were shocked when she turned her eyes heavenward and called out, “Sam, are you up there?” After a moment’s pause she continued, “Did you make it alright?”
After the resurrection the disciples knew Jesus was “Up there,” He had “made it alright.” As a result things were not all right down here, but they were alright. So are we.
Impulsive Peter heard those words of Jesus and was transformed by them. Peter later wrote revealing the change in his life.
“..love one another fervently with a pure heart.” (I Peter 1:22).
People hadn’t suddenly changed and become lovable, but Peter had changed and become loving. Agape love is a conscious and deliberate act of the will.
It means to seek God for His own sake,
to have pleasure in Him, and
to strive impulsively to please Him.
Heart, Soul, Mind
Matthew 22: 36 – 40
A group of skeptics asked Jesus a question hoping to impel Him on the horns of a dilemma.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Gotcha!
They had 631 commandments, 248 positive and 365 negative.
Schools of thought developed around most of the major ones and groups advocating their favorite as the greatest. It appeared that if Christ said any one of the laws was the greatest, advocates of all others would turn on Him.
Jesus reached back into the Scripture and quoted: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) That doesn’t leave out anything. There is no reserve in love.
Three facets of our nature are to be involved in loving the Lord.
First, is our heart, “kardia” is the word used. It is a reference to our entire inner nature. It is a term for our personality. Whole-hearted love is the meaning.
It is a reference to being enthusiastic about our love for the Lord. The measure of loving the Lord is to love Him without measure.
The next is our soul (psyche), a reference to the seat of our will. It means to willfully determine to love the Lord. It is a reference to being enthusiastic about our love for the Lord. The measure of loving the Lord is to love Him without measure. Agape love is a conscious and deliberate act of the will.
It means to seek God for His own sake,
to have pleasure in Him, and
to strive impulsively after Him.
Finally, is the mind (dianoia) which relates to our intellect. Love for the Lord is to be knowledgeable. That is what made the difference in the lives of the disciples. Albert Sweitzer was asked, “What is wrong with man today?” He replied, “He simply does not think.”
A classic example of a loving response to hate and brute force is seen in Coventry, England. On the night of November 14, 1940, nearly 500 German bombers attacked the English city of Coventry. Over 600 tons of explosives and thousands of incendiary bombs were dropped. 700,000 homes were destroyed and 400 people killed.
Amid the rubble stood the remains of the formerly beloved beautiful 14th Century Coventry Cathedral.
In love, the people of the city have now built a beautiful modern cathedral beside the ruins of the old one. The old walls of the ancient gothic cathedral that still stand are architecturally connected to the new modern structure. There is a large charred wooden cross that stands on the soot blackened stone where the altar once was located. The cross is made of charred beams of the old cathedral. On a table is another smaller cross. It was formed by two twisted spikes used by medieval craftsmen to construct the roof. The spikes had fallen forming a cross.
Since that night an inscription has been carved in the wall reading: “Father, forgive….” That is what it means to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th Century preacher, asked a question and answered it Himself. His question: “Why should we love God?”
His answer: “Because He is God.”
Servants All
Jesus sprinkled His wonderful teachings with clues as to how to have joy, happiness, and fulfillment. Would you like this triumvirate in your life? Virtually everyone does. A theme He advocated is encouraged over 500 times in the Bible. The noun servant and the verb serve are so mentioned.
Only when “what can I do for you” replaces “what’s in it for me” is a servant temperament possible. If you want to test yourself as to whether you have a servant temperament observe how you react the next time someone treats you like their servant. Often the response is “Who do you think I am, your servant?”
In a “Peanuts” cartoon Charlie Brown asked Lucy, “Why are we here?” The answer, “To serve other people.” Probing further Charlie enquired, “Then, why are other people here?” Like Charlie we are inclined to be more interested in the responsibility of others than our own.
Mother Teresa said, “I belong to Jesus, He must have the right to use me without consulting me.” That is the spirit of this text: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). Being His gives Him the right to use us.
A servant is not greater than his master. Professed followers of Jesus need to remember He came not to be served but to serve.
Some of life’s most meaningful moments are those spent serving others. It is then gratification is experienced.
Albert Schweitzer, a brilliant man with four PhD’s, said, “The only ones among us who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” You want to be happy? Schweitzer offers the key to it: service.
That is the only reason we are here on earth. Failing to realize our purpose and by not fulfilling it people are left unfulfilled and unhappy.
After Benjamin Franklin received a letter thanking him for his service, he responded: “As to the kindness you mentioned, I wish I could have been of more service to you than I have been, but if I had, the only thanks that I should desire are that you would always be ready to serve any other person that may need your assistance … As for my own part, when I am employed in the service of others I do not look upon myself as conferring favors but paying debts.”
This theme was spoken of by Jesus who said, “’Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these, My brothers, you have done it to Me.” (Matthew 25: 40) Such a concept is a marvelous motivator.
Servants are inclined to serve without recognition. The pastor who called in members of the press to see a staged setting of him washing a person’s feet missed out on the humility part of servanthood.
No thanks is wanted or deserved for serving. Gratification for having served is the payoff. Service is self-fulfilling. To prove it, do something nice for a person who has no chance of payment. Monitor your feelings. You will realize it really is more blessed to give than to receive.
Pray this prayer offered by George Washington: “Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven in pity and compassion upon me thy servant, who humbly prostrate myself before thee.”
Uprooting the Root of Bitterness
Ephesians 4: 30 – 32
Jesus wants to help you overcome the most common sin among Christians today. Bitterness is considered by many to be the most common sin among Christians. Are you presently harboring any bitterness?
In the New Testament the word comes from the word “pikria.” It refers to a person who has become cynical, caustic, sarcastic, hostile, or resentful. It manifests itself by the person becoming negative, unhappy, and critical.
We become bitter when we feel God, circumstances, or someone has wronged us, and we can’t do anything about it. We get angry and refuse to forgive. Bitter people build a mental dossier on the failings of others. This outlook causes the bitter person to look for little things about which to make snide, cutting comments, sarcastic remarks, and unkind statements.
Often bitterness is felt toward God. When it is, most frequently it is expressed indirectly. Maybe as a child something traumatic happened that you prayed would not happen. Anger toward God arose. Over a period of time bitterness sprouted. It is hard to get your hands on God and exercise vengeance against Him. Therefore, the church becomes the target. Maybe it is even God Himself and the reaction of bitterness is expressed in a denial of His existence.
Every person has hurtful or negative experiences. It is up to the individual as to how to react. Bitterness is an improper reaction.
Forgive the person you consider to have offended you as Jesus told Peter and us to do it 70 X 7 times. That means, don’t quit forgiving.
When the poet Edwin Markham reached the age of retirement, he was stunned to learn that his banking friend had betrayed him and lost all of his life’s savings. At retirement he was penniless. The torch of bitterness burned where the candle of joy had formerly gleamed. His inspiration ceased and his pen became unproductive. One day this highly productive poet was sitting doodling, drawing circles when the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit impacted him. He said the Holy Spirit did not speak to him in an audible voice, but clearly convinced him, “Marcum, if you do not deal with this thing, it is going to ruin you. You cannot afford the price you are paying. You must forgive that man.” He prayed, “Lord, I will, and I do freely forgive.”
With the root of bitterness uprooted His creativity returned and the man who wrote the memorable poems “Lincoln” and “The Man With the Hoe” produced what he considered his best poem:
“He drew a circle and shut me out–
Heretic, rebel, a thing of flout;
But love and I had a will to win:
We drew a circle and took him in!”
There are two different and dissimilar Greek words in the text, both of which are translated “forgiveness.” One refers to releasing of charges against a person and exempting that one from punishment. The other speaks of aggressive action to regain the heart of the adversary. It means to show grace to a person. To give them unmerited favor. By the grace of God it can be done. Do it and gain victory.