In Him Are All The Richest Treasurers

                                              IN HIM ARE ALL THE RICHEST TREASURES

Over forty years ago, against my parents' wishes, who wanted me to become an Engineer, I wanted to become a missionary immediately after graduation. Who wants to be a Missionary these days? That decision shocked my parents and led me to join Youth With A Mission. During one of the worship sessions, I heard these verses of a song, "Lord You Are More Precious Than Silver." That song changed the course of my life. I felt as though I had found the richest treasure.

Here is some background information on that song. Lynn DeShazo, who had just graduated from Auburn University, felt that the Lord wanted her to work on praise and worship music, as well as learn about spiritual disciplines. One of those spiritual disciplines was fasting. Working at McDonalds when you are fasting is a challenge in and of itself, but when you are salting crispy Golden French fries, it is nearly impossible!

As the day went on, the temptation grew stronger and stronger. She began to meditate on those fries until she looked around to see if anyone was watching, and then grabbed two fries and gulped them down. Lynn felt so guilty all the way home. She asked for forgiveness because she had not been strong enough to resist temptation. God put two verses of Scripture on her mind.

Colossians 2:3, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Proverbs 8:11, "For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." Linking those two verses and forgetting all about the Golden French fries, she began to worship the Lord. And, soon, this song was born."[1] What do you treasure in life?

If only you knew Jesus Christ, in whom "Are All The Richest Treasures," you too wouldn't want to settle for anything else. In our 'In Him' series today, we will explore what those richest treasures are and how they impact our daily Christian life. Colossians 1:24-2:1-5

I. The Apostle Paul's Mission To the Church

When we think of the Apostle Paul, we see him as an evangelist, missionary, and great defender of the Gospel. But did you ever see him as a pastor? God changed a persecutor of the Church and a highly learned and Jealous Pharisee, Paul, into a servant of the Church. God commissioned him to the believers, the whole council of God's word. It was a pastoral call.

Paul, a Pharisee who had become a pastor, was concerned about the believers in the churches that he planted during his missionary journeys. The Letter to the Colossians is one of the thirteen pastoral letters that Paul wrote to encourage believers. Paul's Mission to the Church was to proclaim the Gospel, admonish and teach believers with all Wisdom so that everyone would fully mature in Christ. As a caring pastor, Paul explained God's mystery to the Colossian believers, which had been kept hidden for ages. What is that mystery, and how does it impact us?

II. The Mystery Is Christ In You, The Hope Of Glory

The word Mystery in English means "something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain." In our contemporary culture, we often associate mystery with mystery novels and other things that are mysterious. For Paul, the word "mystery" was a revelatory term.

It was about God's redemptive plan, which was once hidden from all people. Writing to Ephesians, Paul explains the mystery of God this way. Through the Gospel, the Gentiles become heirs and form one body, sharing together in the promise in Christ. (Eph 3:6.).

In Col 1:26-27, Paul explains, "This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing.

The mystery, in a nutshell, is this: Christ is in you, so therefore, you can look forward to sharing in God's glory." The Message. That is for our future, but what do we have in Christ now?

III. In Him Are All The Richest Treasures

It is a blessing to know that one day, in Christ, we will share God's glory and live eternally with Him in heaven, but how about here and now? What provisions has God left us with to navigate the challenges while we still live in God's beautiful but broken World?

Let's ask Pastor Paul what he has to say about that. "I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:1-3.

While studying for this message, God freshly reminded me of my primary calling as a pastor. Like Paul, my goal is to encourage you all in Hope Church, as well as those I don't meet personally. I do my best to teach, preach, inspire, and pray for you all so that you might grow in your love for God with a fuller understanding of the knowledge of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and knowledge." Let's unpack these two richest treasures in Christ.

1. The Richest Treasure of Knowing Christ.

            The Greek word "gnosis" is translated in English as "knowledge." This knowledge is not intellectual, as it comes from reading and observation, but rather experiential. What Paul is aiming for here is that we may know Christ intellectually by reading or hearing about Him, but do we know Him experientially? Did we have an encounter with Jesus in our lives similar to the one the Apostle Paul had on the Road to Damascus, which changed his entire life?

            A good education may help us secure a well-paying job and live a comfortable life, but knowing Christ is the only way to eternal life. That is the richest treasure we should pursue. Experientially knowing Jesus Christ transforms us and helps us discover our true purpose in life.

The apostle Paul, who has high credentials in learning and religious living, has this to say about knowing Christ. Philippians 3:7-10, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him,..I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

The basis of this richest treasure of knowing Christ begins with believing in Christ and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. It will continue to increase as we spend more time getting to know Christ through personal reading of God's Word, Worship, Prayer, and witnessing. This knowledge of Christ will lead us to discover another richest treasure, which is Wisdom.

2. The Richest Treasure of Wisdom In Christ.

            The Greek word Sophia is translated into English as "Wisdom," which refers to the knowledge of how to regulate one's relationship with God. When one is wise unto God, he is prudent with others and knows how to regulate his own life and circumstances. These Richest treasures of Knowledge and Wisdom are hidden in Christ

On this Father's Day, let's listen to a wise father's advice to his son. My son, if you accept my words…turning your ear to Wisdom, and applying your heart to understanding...and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives Wisdom." Pro 2:1-12.

In Pro 8:10-11 we read, "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom, is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with you." What are you running after? The only richest treasures in this World worth pursuing are Wisdom and knowledge in Christ. God gives them to those who believe in his Son, Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://thescottspot.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/more-precious-than-silver-written-in-1982/

The Promised Holy Spirit (John 14:15-27)

                                                 THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT 

It has been our privilege for the past eight years to shepherd God's flock at Hope Church in Sharon, a small town in Massachusetts. What makes Sharon unique is that, besides others, it has two distinct communities: A large Jewish community that follows the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. A small Christian community that follows Jesus the Messiah and His teachings as recorded in the New Testament, which is the continuation of the Old Testament.

The Jewish community observes three major festivals, one of which is the Feast of Weeks, also known as Shavuot, a Hebrew name. The Feast of Weeks is the second of the three "solemn feasts" that all Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem to attend (Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16:16). This important feast begins seven full weeks, or precisely 50 days, after the Feast of Firstfruits. It is also known as "Pentecost" (Acts 2:1), which means "fifty."[1]

From June 1 to 3, 2025, the Jewish community observed "Shavuot, a two-day festival that commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai."[2] What connection do Christians have with the Jewish festival, Shavuot, or the Festival of Weeks?

Jesus was crucified as the "Passover Lamb" and rose from the grave at the Feast of First Fruits. After the resurrection, He spent forty days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven (Acts 1). On the day of Pentecost, or fifty days after His resurrection and ascension to heaven, God sends the Promised Holy Spirit (John 14:15-27). Unfortunately, many sincere Christians are unaware of the significance of Pentecost, let alone celebrate it. On this Pentecost Sunday, we will learn about the Promised Holy Spirit. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the World, and how does He impact the lives of individual believers today?

I. The Most Neglected Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

In general, we Evangelical Christians believe in a Triune God, that is, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We spend a considerable amount of time learning about God the Father and God the Son. But many sincere Christians have little to no interest in learning about God the Holy Spirit, the third Person in the Godhead. Why is this disinterest and neglect?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who wrote a whole book on this crucial doctrine, "God the Holy Spirit," explains the neglect this way: "Generally speaking, the position today is that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is either neglected or it tends to be emphasized and exaggerated in a false manner. Because people are so afraid of the spurious, the false, the excesses and freak manifestations of the Holy Spirit, so they neglect the doctrine of the Holy Spirit altogether."[3]

We are comfortable addressing God as our heavenly Father and Jesus as God's Son, but how do we address the Holy Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit have a personality? Is the Holy Spirit Divine? Let's explore these questions from the Bible and the book "God the Holy Spirit." Martyn Lloyd Jones notes, "I have heard most orthodox people referring to the Holy Spirit and His work as 'it' and 'its' influence and so on as if the Holy Spirit were nothing but an influence or a power."

He provides a few reasons behind that thinking: First, his work appears impersonal to us because it involves mystical and secret work. Second, the very name itself. What does Spirit mean? It means breath, wind, or power. That makes one think of Him as just an influence rather than a person. The third reason is the very symbols used in speaking of Him: the dove, oil, water, fire, and so on. The fourth reason is how the KJV wrongly translated the work of the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit"(Rom 8:16), "the Spirit itself maketh intercession"(Rom 8:26).[4] The NIV translates as the "Spirit himself." Hence the confusion!

II. The Person and the Divinity of the Holy Spirit

            Let us examine the scriptures to establish the Person and divinity of the Holy Spirit. In our 'In Him' series, the personal pronoun 'Him' referred to Jesus Christ. Jesus uses the masculine personal pronoun "He" several times, referring to the Holy Spirit in John 14-16. If Jesus addressed the Holy Spirit as 'He' and 'Him,' we too can refer to the Holy Spirit as 'He' and 'Him,' not as a force, power, or influence. A few scriptures that support the Person of the Holy Spirit.

            The Holy Spirit is identified with the Father and the Son in such a way as to indicate personality. Look at the Baptismal Formula: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."Matthew 28:19.

He identifies with us as a person. In a letter to the Gentile believers, the Apostles said, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements." Acts 15:28. He has a sovereign will. I Cor 12:11, He distributes the spiritual gifts as He wills. He can be grieved, so we are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30). He expresses love as we read about the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:22).

He can be lied to, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira in the early Church. Peter rebuked Ananias, saying, "How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit." After that, he made a profound statement, saying, "You have not just lied to human beings but to God."Bringing out the divine nature of the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:3-4.

Here are some scriptures about the divinity of the Holy Spirit. He is the creator, as stated in Genesis 1:2. Job notes that the Spirit of God made him—Job 33:4. He is eternal, as He was referred to as the eternal Spirit. Heb 9:14. He has the same attributes of God. He is omnipresent, as stated in Psalm 139:7. He is omnipotent, as seen in Luke 1:35. He is omniscient, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11. These scriptures reveal the Person and Divinity of the Holy Spirit.

III. The Work of the Holy Spirit In The Life Of A Believer

 There are many promises of God in the Bible, and all of them are "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ. II Cor 2:20. In 900 BC, God promised through His prophet Joel that in the last days, He would pour out His Spirit on all people (Joel 2:28-29). Eight hundred years later, Jesus promised his disciples that he would ask the Father, and he would give them another Advocate to help and be with them forever—the Spirit of Truth. He would also live with and in them. John 14:15-17.

As promised, God sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost to a group of 120 disciples first and then to 3,000 Jewish people from all over the World gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Weeks. He convicted them of their sins, leading them to repentance and baptizing them in the water. As a result of the Holy Spirit's conviction, a Church was born.

Here are a few ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives. First, the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins and leads them unto repentance as He did in Acts 2:37-39. Second, when we believe in God through our faith in Jesus, we will be marked with God's promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the final day of redemption. Eph 1:14

Third, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the bodies of believers, making us His temples. I Cor 6:9. For that reason, we honor God with our bodies, avoiding sexual immorality and all other vices that destroy our bodies, the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and remind us of everything that Christ has said. The best way to learn about Jesus is to sit humbly with an open Bible, a pad to write, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us about Christ. In addition to these, He counsels us, comforts us in our hurts, and helps us in our prayer life. If you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit residing in you. Throughout my life, I have learned to rely on Jesus through the Help of the Holy Spirit. If you let Him, the Promised Holy Spirit can also guide and lead you to Christ.

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/Feast-of-Weeks.html

[2] https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/609663/jewish/What-Is-Shavuot.htm#:~:text=15-,Shavuot%202025,of%20the%206th%20of%20Sivan.

[3] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “God The Holy Spirit.” Page 5

[4] Ibid., 8,9

In HIM: All Things Hold Together

                                       IN HIM: All Things Hold Together 

When we follow the domestic and global news, one cannot help but feel as if our world as we know it is falling apart at the seams. We would like to know if there is anyone who could repair the world's broken systems and hold them together so that we can live in relative peace and security. It has been challenging for Christians everywhere, especially those living in a pluralistic and secular society, to hold on to our Faith in God, particularly in Jesus and His redemptive work.

These challenges are not new; Christians of past generations have faced them as well. How did they handle those heretical views about Christ? We will ask the Colossian Christians, in particular, as they faced the heresy of denying Christ’s divinity, which threatened their Church in Colossae. They must have been blessed to have had the Apostle Paul on their side, who combated this damning heresy with a strong defense of Christ's divinity. In our 'In Him' series, we will explore how All Things Hold Together In Christ. Colossians 1:15-23.

Let us address two complex concepts in Col 1:15, "The Son is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." First, Jesus Christ is presented as the image of the invisible God. The Greek word "eikon," translated as "image," refers to that which resembles an object and represents it. Eikon always assumes a prototype, not merely what it resembles, but from which it is drawn. For instance, the reflection of the sun in the water is called by Plato Eikon.

 Paul's teaching here is that there was not a mere coincidental resemblance between Jesus Christ and his Father, but they were eternally related to one another. The One was the reflection of the Other, who was real and not merely the figment of our imagination. This is even though God is invisible. That which is invisible, nevertheless, can be and is real. John 1:18, "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." In other words, seeing Jesus is equivalent to seeing God.

The second Word, 'firstborn,' is used twice in Col. 1:15 and 18. What it means here is that Christ holds the same relation to all creation as God the Father, and He is above all creation. It does not mean that He is part of the creation made by God, but that the relation of the whole creation to Him was determined by the fact that He is the cause of the creation of all things, and without Him, there could be no creation. Let's see how this concept is clarified in verse sixteen.

I. The Supremacy Of Jesus Christ

            Have you ever wondered how everything began—the universe with its vast number of galaxies and stars within them, the beautiful Earth with all its wonders and intricacies, and, above all, human life that lives and enjoys these lovely things? When you ask such a question, we will hear several arguments from scientists, evolutionists, biologists, philosophers, and religious leaders. As a shepherd, I approach the question of how it all began from the Scriptures.

Colossians 1:16, "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." To find out who this Him was, we will read John 1:1-5,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the Light of all mankind. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

 

 

John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." The Word that once was with God and was God in the beginning, at the right time, was incarnated in the world in human form. We call Him Jesus Christ, our Lord. He was the one who created all that we see and don't see: plants, animals, oceanic life, the cosmic wonders, and humans.

The Apostle Paul debunked the heretical teaching that Christ was not God but a created being by affirming that all things have been created through Jesus and for Jesus. He went one step further by including thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, which are various categories of angelic beings that were also created by Jesus and for Jesus.

In his letter to the Ephesians Church, Paul prays that the believers would be enlightened. And they might experience "the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:20-23.

Through both these letters, Paul silenced the heretics and skeptics by placing Jesus in the highest place over everything. Thereby, he established once and for all that Jesus is the only supreme God. No one would be a match for Him, for He has all the power and authority.

If everything has been created by Jesus and for Jesus, how about you and I? We, too, have been fearfully and wonderfully created by God, and we are made for Him. The Psalmist sums up the response of creation and all its creatures to their Creator. Psalm 148:1-14.

"Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command, they were created, and he established them forever. He issued a decree that will never pass away. Kings of the Earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on Earth, young men and women, older men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;  his splendor is above the Earth and the heavens." Let's examine another bold proclamation by Paul.

II In Him: All Things Hold Together

Colossians 1:17-18, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the Church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." These scriptures indicate that Jesus, the Supreme God, is not only the Creator of everything but also the sustainer of everything. 

When we feel overwhelmed, thinking that the whole world, including our personal world, is falling apart, let us take heart. Jesus, the one who spoke and everything came into existence, knows how to hold things together until He comes back and establishes His eternal Kingdom.

Jesus is the head of the Church, His body on the Earth. We are members of his body. When Jesus is the center of our lives, we are together. When we move away, we will fall apart. Jesus is committed to making us holy and presenting us to the Father without any blemish.

That is the good news. We have heard it and responded to it by placing our trust in Him.

            At times, we may not understand why we go through difficult times, but during such times, let's trust Him to know that He will hold all things together in our lives. I have been a Christian for over forty years. All these years, Jesus has never failed me; I have failed Him several times. But as he promised, when we are faithless, He remains faithful to us.

How does this truth in Him, that all things hold together, impact our daily living? Believers in Christ can hold onto this truth and remain calm and trusting while facing the turbulence and storms of life, knowing that Jesus holds all things concerning our lives together.

When the world all around us is spinning out of control, God's peace will rule our hearts because we belong to the Prince of Peace and His everlasting Kingdom. How is your life today? Is it falling apart at the edges? Are you afraid of your future and the future of your children? Run to Jesus, who holds all things together in the present and all the days of our lives.