Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
A small child was given a special gift one day by his dad. After opening up the present, the boy found a small collection of different items that his dad had been saving up for many years. He had been hoping for a game, or perhaps a new bicycle, but instead he received a box of old things that really didn’t serve much purpose to him. His dad looked him in the eye and told him to take great care of what he had been given, because they were the most precious things that he had. Years passed by as they sat up on the shelf in his closet gathering dust. Finally one day as he was preparing to head off to college, he cleaned out his entire room. The small little box that he had been keeping for so long was finally thrown into the garbage, which his younger brother took out of the trash when he wasn’t looking. It was only a few years later that the things inside were finally appraised at over $3 million dollars.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
We can give the teachings of our faith to others, but not everybody is going to treat the glorious gift of God in the same manner. Some of them will neglect the precious things that they have been given because they hold no real value in their heart. But hidden deep in the Gospel of Christ are riches that are without comparison. Although to some people they aren’t worth very much, to those who truly love the Lord, they are another man’s treasure.
1 Timothy 4 ¹⁴ Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵ Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ¹⁶ Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
When you neglect something, it means giving insufficient care to that which requires your care. For example, after graduation, a child might receive a brand new car, but it only lasts for a few years because they never bother to take care of it. A dad might give his son a great position in his company, but rather than showing up for work, he completely neglects the great opportunity that he has been given. Not everything holds the same value to each person. To Moses, the Spiritual things of God were worth more than all of the treasures in Egypt, while on the other hand, Esau gave them all up for a morsel of meat
Hebrews 12 ¹⁶ Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Judas was chosen as an Apostle, but threw it all away by betraying Christ for money.
Matthew 26 ¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
The teachings of Christ Jesus are the greatest possession that we could ever obtain, because when we faithfully abide in them, they lead to eternal life and our own salvation. These are things that all of the wealth in this world can never purchase.
Mark 8 ³⁶ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? ³⁷ Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
We can give the precious gift of Spiritual knowledge unto others, but there will be some who will neglect the things that they have been taught. Rather than submitting to biblical instruction, and becoming lovingly obedient to God’s will, they will turn away from the truth, and just like Esau they will find no place of repentance with God.
Hebrews 6 ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. ⁷ For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: ⁸ But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Wilful sin is done purposefully and intentionally and in full knowledge of God’s will. People who do such things don’t love Christ at all. Even though our precious Lord suffered and died on the cross for them, He will pour out His extreme wrath upon them because of their rebellion and willful disobedience.
Hebrews 10 ²⁶ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. ²⁸ He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
²⁹ Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
Hebrews 2 ¹ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. ² For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; ³ How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Some are going to neglect their faith by not respecting the incredible gift that we have been given. It’s the opportunity to become transformed from a sinner into a saint. Our obedience to the will of God shows Him how much we love Him, but to some people, the knowledge of Christ and the riches of His grace will not hold any real value to them. Just like Esau, they will cast away their faith through their own disobedience.
But although the teachings of our faith are worthless to them, to the elect of God, the things of Christ are….
……Another Man’s Treasure
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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