Real Treasure - 07-11-2010

Jesus taught and showed by example that the things of this world mean nothing to him.
From the lineage of both his mother and his supposed father, Jesus was a first-born of the house of David; an inherent King of Israel. As such his subjects would have rejoiced and threw a great celebration at his birth. Instead, he was born into obscurity, and laid in a feeding trough. Born into poverty and unknown to the world, and yet the heavens could not hold back, and their rejoicing spilled over into our world with a "multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
His kingdom DID celebrate Him, of which celebration we were a part.
In his temptation in the wilderness, he was offered many things to which he did not yield: food (temptation to turn stone into bread), power and wealth (temptation to rule worldly kingdoms), and popularity (temptation to be borne by angels of the pinnacle of the temple). He refused them all, recognizing them as counterfeits.
In his ministry, he often preached of the subtleties of the kingdom of heaven, (His kingdom). "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed...", "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed...", "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven...", "the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field...", "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls...", "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea", "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder...". In all of these, he shows that the true kingdom is greater than the counterfeits of this world.
When Jesus came to Capernaum, the people  offered him kingship in exchange for manna. He said "I am the living bread"..."Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life." Confused, the people said, "this is a hard saying, who can hear it?". and "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him."  In this test, he taught them that "the flesh profiteth nothing", preferring the rewards of the kingdom of heaven over the worldly prestige, which was openly offered him.
When the rich man asked "...What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?", Jesus answered "...sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, ... follow me.", When the rich man could not, He said: "how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"... "many that are first shall be last; and the last first."
In the sermon on the mount he said: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."..."Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."..."seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
"The love of money is the root of all evil." Paul says. But note that money in and of itself is not evil, but when lust for it occupies any of our waking thoughts, we have already wasted a part of the time allotted to us.
Also beware pride, popularity and prestige, as they can be as corrupting as money.
Now, instead, of seeking these things, we must focus on the better part, honesty, integrity, wisdom, frugality, humility; and as the Lord sees fit, all of these things will be given unto us because we will be worthy and wise stewards of those things over which he entrusts us: "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." When we truly desire the things of God over the things of the world, the things of the world will be given to us, (including not only riches, but prominence and influence)... as they will no longer be a stumbling block to us to have them, and in some cases it may be that the Lord would rather give stewardship to those who will use them wisely.
Perhaps the most telling part of Jesus' focus on things far greater, is his interaction with Pilate:
"Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
"Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
"Pilate answered, ... Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world...
"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered, ... To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

Truth is things as they were, as they are, and as they really will be. And the truth is that when the counterfeits shall vanish away, we will find that the only thing left is the Love of God.
"...Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." This is the REAL treasure.