Buried Treasure?

A few years ago, there was a contest to find one of those "Fabergé" eggs that was worth [at the time]

about $100,000. It had been hidden somewhere on the planet and all the clues were found within a book that resembled a children's story book. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember hearing if someone had actually found it, but the hype for the book and the worldwide search was extensive, at the time of the contest kickoff. For several months afterwards, I would hear reports about where people thought it was, and stories about the lengths people were going to in their efforts to solve the mystery of its location through deciphering the book's clues. I even ran across the book several years after the contest began and I was still intrigued by it, and I admit I spent several hours trying to do my own deciphering.

 

Some people apparently have the same idea about the plan for salvation, as it is found within the words of the Bible, believing the way of salvation is some mysterious and indecipherable jumble of words only theologians, religious scholars, or divinely-called  men can comprehend. But, such is not true, for the apostle Paul said the "mystery" of God's plan for man's salvation is no longer a mystery. When he wrote to the Ephesian brethren, he reminded them the plan was "in other generations…not made known to the sons of men" but had "now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in [by] the Spirit." (Eph. 3:5)  He also reminded them that the plan was no longer a mystery, for he said, when they read the thingshe had written to them about it, "you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." (vv. 3, 4) That plan has now been revealed through the apostles, and when we read about it today we can understand it, too.

 

The gospel message of salvation is, indeed, a valuable thing, too. Within this message is the way to escape a condition we could not, of ourselves, escape, and a means to forgiveness where there had been none previously. So valuable is it that obedience to it [or not] will determine the eternal destination of all men. Paul plainly told us that those who "do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ" will face the vengeance of God (2 Thess. 1:8).  So valuable is this message of salvation that Jesus said the very words He has spoken will judge us in the last day (John 12:48)  If we do not obey the gospel, all the treasure in the world will profit us nothing (Matt. 16:26).It is everything.

 

If you are already a child of God [a Christian], you should know this by now.You should have already recognized the great value of these soul-saving words (cf. Acts 11:14) and you should have already recognized the great necessity for all His disciples to do their part in "spreading the wealth" by sharing this message with those who are not yet His. As disciples, it is our responsibility to take "the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering"

(Rom. 2:4), the "riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us"

(Eph. 1:7), and "the unsearchable riches of Christ"

(Eph. 3:8) to those who are spiritually destitute and have yet to enjoy the wealth of God's glorious salvation. It is our duty to take the treasures of God's salvation to the lost souls in this world.

 

But, sadly, many of us are more like the one-talent man, who received his talent from the Master and then

"went and dug in the ground, and hid" the treasure that had been entrusted to him while the Master

was away (Matt. 25:18). Instead of working like the other two who produced more treasure for their Master, the only labor he put forth was in running to go dig a hole in the ground so he could bury the treasure!

[Do you ever wonder why he didn't just use the same amount of energy and go and do something productive?] Why is it that we are often more like the one-talent man when it comes to the treasure the Lord has entrusted with is — the glorious gospel message of salvation?

 

Failure To Realize Its True Value. For those who are already recipients of the glorious grace and mercy of the Lord, who has saved us, this is simply inexcusable. There is absolutely no acceptable reason for not understanding the value of God's word and its place in the whole scheme of eternity. Maybe it is because we are distracted by the material wealth of this world, but even that is inexcusable. The psalmist said, "The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver."  (Psa. 119:72) Many more times, he writes that it is more precious than "much fine gold" (19:10) and, "I rejoice at Your word  as one who finds great treasure (119:162) Let us also recognize the immeasurable value of God's Word.

 

Misunderstanding Our Responsibility. (Matt. 25;25) Part of the one-talent mans problem was that he obviously did not comprehend what the Master wanted him to do with what was given him. Remembering that the talent given to him was the Master's, he thought the "safe" thing to do was to hide it until the Master returned and he could return just what was given to him.  But the Master expected more. If the man was unable to do the work himself, the Master expected him to at least deposit it with the bankers and get a return on his money (v. 27).

 

How many of us use this as our excuse for not taking the treasure of God's word to others? How many of us go along through life with the perception that if we just return what we have been given to the Master in the end that He will be satisfied?  How many of us think that if we save ourselves, that alone is pleasing to the Lord? Does He not expect more of us than that?  If we are personally unable to do the work ourselves, why not support those who are doing the work, or use the teaching material of others in an effort to get a return on what the Lord has given us?

 

Laziness. (v. 26) Sad to say, this is sometimes the only reason we do not do our part in taking the treasure of the gospel of salvation to those who are still lost. I have heard many of my brethren say they "don't know what to say," or blame their inaction on the unwillingness for others to listen, or a host of other excuses, when it is sometimes just pure laziness that prevents the wealth from being spread. It is certainly a lot easier to do nothing, but it is also just as certain that we will have to answer for our inaction. Laziness was not acceptable to the Master in this story, and it is certain that the Lord will not accept it as a valid reason in the final judgment either. We are called to be workers for the Lord (2 Tim. 2:15), but laziness should cause many to blush for shame. The wise writer said, "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing." (Prov. 20:4)

 

If I may add: A lazy man will not spread the gospel when hearts are hard;  He will beg in the Judgment and receive nothing.

 

Fear. (v. 25) Fear also prevents many from taking the wealth of salvation to the lost. Maybe it is fear of rejection, fear of  ridicule, or just fear of not knowing how to answer every question that may arise, but fear is often a major factor in our lack of effort. Fear is often based on the unknown, and more often than not, the unknown is unknown because we have never gone out and done the work we should that would help us to know what to expect. And until we get out and do the work, we will never know what will happen. It is likely, though, that physical harm is not a rational fear. [I have yet to hear that someone's life has been seriously threatened in this country because they taught the gospel.] If we are afraid, it is then that we should remember our helper  (Heb. 13:6).So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

 

Friends and brethren, we have been given a solemn charge by our Master to do this important work. Souls depend on what we do and say. One day, the Master will return and call us in to give an accounting. What will we have to show?

 

—— Steven Harper

Truth — is as old as God —

His Twin identity

And will endure as long as He

A Co-Eternity —— Emily Dickinson