Fresh Speaking
(Nancy's notes from Lord's Day, Apr. 11, 2010)
Matt. 13:44-46
"The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking fine pearls; and finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."
The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure.
The kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant.
2 Cor. 4:6-7
"Because the God who said, out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us."
Have you ever had the experience of looking back at things you have gone through and saying "Lord that was You!"? We have gone through alot this past year. Beginning at the Jubilee meeting where the brothers shared about the blood of Christ, then In Genesis where God was walking in the garden with man. God wanted fellowship, a relationship with man.Along the path, man fell and sin came in. God provided coats of skin implying death. This is so the relationship could continue. Then the prophecy of the New Covenant. "I will put My laws into their hearts." "I will put My Spirit within them." The forgiveness of sin is for the New Covenant.
Then in Matthew this One, Jesus Christ, comes on the scene. "Take this cup - New Covenant in My blood, shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. This is the beginning of the New Testament.
But at the end of the New Testament something has been produced; finished work of God's goal. The Lord took us on this path, showing us more and more each week. This is the blood - He is the Lamb of God to establish a New Covenant. In this New Covenant He is the reality. Look at the picture. Now He comes. He is the reality! Death, resurrection, ascension, now today He is the life giving Spirit and He is now in our spirit. The Lord took us on a little walk here. He has imparted Himself as reality.
Then in 1 John - "that you could have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." We are in this reality. The fellowship with God and in God. Praise the Lord for what He has done!
In Rev. we see the 7 epistles. The Lord is showing us "Here is how it works. Here is where I am today. Here is the process." Each epistle - steps in this path, that our eyes would be opened. "Here are the experiences you are going through." He has been opening to us His heart. A pearl of great value. "Let Me show the fine details of how I will produce it!" He will get there.
Two parables in Matt. Man found and hid the treasure-Jesus- sold all he had and bought it. He bought that pearl. We hear treasure and think one treasure - but we see two treasures here. He found the treasure. He is the propitiation - the forgiveness for our sin. He bought the whole field. Hidden in that field is the treasure. His treasure is hidden in John. His treasure is hidden in Willoughby. Still hidden.
2nd parable - The pearl went through a process. A grain of sand - us! The Lord was wounded and then the secretion of life began to work, to produce the pearl.
2 Cor. - we have this treasure in earthen vessels. What is this treasure? v. 6 "The God who said, out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts." The shining God is this treasure. The shining God Himself is in our hearts. God shined in our heart. He will produce this treasure by becoming our treasure. He will gain His treasure by becoming our treasure. What does that mean? He is our treasure.
We all agree that Christ is the treasure, but do we take time to treasure that treasure? We hear such good things, but do we truly treasure this treasure? THE TREASURING OF THE TREASURE IS HOW THE PEARL IS PRODUCED! We have the treasure of the universe within us! How much do we handle or treasure this treasure? In the morning, when we first come to the Lord to pray for the day, we are not so loving toward the Lord. "Lord, where are you?" Yet as we begin to pray and fellowship with Him, something happens in our heart. Eventually, we say, "Lord You are the best! I love You! I give myself to You!" This is to handle the treasure. Our heart is softened and He becomes our treasure. We begin to see that He has something in His heart. He has a goal and desire. Pretty soon we match that desire. As we treasure this One, we have a jealousy for this time with Him. Then we have a desire to match Him, to desire what He desires. "Lord, don't let me be distracted. Keep my thoughts on You!"