Luke’s Gospel: Treasures

When we claim the Lord as our treasure, He claims us as His! Life is more than the quest for temporal things—it is an investment in eternal treasures.

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Jesus spoke of “a treasure in the heavens that does not fail.” How can we find this treasure?
A multitude beyond number pressed upon Jesus and the Twelve. This crowd contained the Lord’s treasure—those who heard His Word and chose to follow Him. His address is to them and, by extension to us. Reading His words, we see our value to Him. God extends love to all people but to those who love Him back, He promises a great life. We are His treasure and He is ours.

The Leaven of the Pharisees
This crowd contained enemies, friends, and those who had yet to decide whose side they were on. Jesus denounced the Pharisees among them, by pinpointing their basic sin—hypocrisy. It grew like cancer in their hearts corrupting everything they did. They were pretenders when the Kingdom of God demanded people of holiness.

Jesus instructs those He treasures.
Jesus told His followers how to live a true life of faith.
• The first thing is to be real. Tell the truth without sugarcoating it. Live the life we preach in secret and in public. Secret things will not remain secret. Things whispered in the ear will be shouted from the housetops.
• Fear God, not men! God’s commitment to us is shown in unfailing love.
• Confess Christ before men.
• Honor the Holy Spirit. He will supply the words when we are hauled before the courts of men.
• Beware of covetousness. If our treasures are those of heaven, heaven will keep them safe. Covetousness is a besetting sin costing us everything.
• Avoid the deceitfulness of riches. It can alter our vision of life causing us to treasure temporary things and ignore eternal things. The parable of the rich man who tore down his barns to build bigger ones illustrates this in detail. Taking his ease, he lost it all.

The True Treasures of Heaven
Jesus concluded the parable with these remarkable statements: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” and “… do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.”

When we claim the Lord as our treasure, He claims us as His! Life is more than the quest for temporal things—it is an investment in eternal treasures. We must not live lives plagued with worry but enjoy lives propelled by faith. God considers us more valuable than all of creation, beginning with birds of the air and extending all the way to lilies of the field.

Seek first the Kingdom
How do we treasure the things of God? By seeking first His Kingdom! Every day we have the choice to follow the Lord or to go on our way. Our own way may seem right but it leads to destruction. The Lord’s way is the Path of Life that leads to life now and in the endless future. Today, remember His words: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Scriptures:
Luke: 12:1-34
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the greatest treasure! Today I will seek first Your Kingdom, knowing that as I do that You will meet all my needs. Your Words are like apples of gold on plates of silver; I will treasure Your truth and store it deep in my heart. My heart is amazed at the testimony of Your teaching, that I am more valuable to you than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. How can it be that I am Your treasure? And yet that is the truth I celebrate today! Amen and Amen.

Song:
More Precious than Silver
Words and Music: Lynn DeShazo
Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds
And nothing I desire compares with You.

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About the Author

Full of passion for Jesus Christ, Stephen Phifer is a third-generation minister with more than three decades of experience as a pastoral artist, worship leader, and conductor.