The Worth of an Artifact
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Archeologists in the Holy land and the surrounding area are finding amazing artifacts that enrich our understanding of the bible and the ancient world.
manuscripts or scrolls, pottery or only a piece, and coins all help tell the story of the early lives of mankind. It is amazing to see the scrolls that were preserved from invaders, or in the homes how oil and grain were contained, traded, and treasured.
the Bible records alabaster as a container for an ointment equal to 300 measures of wheat or 900 measures of barley.
The Dead Sea Scrolls tour the world on display to sold out venues. With a university amount of scholars studying and researching the scrolls.
I was talking with an old Army buddy who told me his ancestry is traced back to descendant of Viking royalty and that his ancestors raided gold and silver to buy STEEL. because that is what had worth in that society.
For Rome, at its height, the majority of the roman fleet wasn’t warships, it was grain transport. The bulk of the Roman navel fleet were called “corbitae” from corbis meaning basket.
Archeologists have found coins from many thousands of years ago and have been able to identify the rulers or the translate of writings on many. Whats on them gives scientists an idea of reigns of leadership, dynastic influences, and what was thought of as valuable at that time. Power and Commerce; coins are a great source of information
One of my favorite coins is the Roman Pence coin I own that was struck in or for Ephesus. On it is a honey bee. Honey was a very important commodity in the port town of Ephesus. Honey is not only sweet, but was used in medicine. Mead that contains spices is called metheglin which was popular at the temple of Artemis.
So what does God find valuable? This is church or you’re reading this from my sermon. So the spiritual is today’s focus. Gold is pavement, and silver has been used as nails for barns already. Precious stones are building materials, and livestock is as common to God as an utterance.
All power is under His Omnipotence. For those who thought POWER is the most Valuable,
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Please remember the numbers are there only to aide the reader in finding passages and that the original writing was a letter. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned by Paul, to the church at Ephesus, ultimately to us today. The scribe may consider this a chain letter, with the final recipient being the current reader. (See Paul’s letter to the Colossians)
Actions and obedience in this scripture reference would seem to describe what God looks at as value. it is written that we should forgive because Christ in us has forgiven and we were first forgiven for His sake.
Jesus is the “only begotten Son” yet God places the sinful world first. Not for our righteousness, for it is as filthy rags, but for the righteousness of His son abiding within us. And because of Christ in us, it is our new nature to be loving, forgiving, and tenderhearted.
In the 4th century AD scores of artifacts were coming from Israel, but none so precious as those attributed to Jesus of Nazareth. Special envoys were dispatched from Rome to acquire relics associated with Jesus and the apostles.
A study of Holy Relics is both comical and incredible. For instance; there is a dispute whether 3 or 4 nails were used to nail Jesus to the cross. And one source claims there are at least 30 nail relics that have veneration by the Roman Catholic church. Relics are to this day ceremoniously displayed for certain rituals and dates. there are some truly bizarre relics from bodies or parts of , to horse armor and wood pieces attributed to the cross. Enough pieces to build a boat. And 3 spearheads said to have pierced Christ’s side
It goes to show how important relics are to Christians. Worth has been placed on items of Jesus since the cross. the Roman soldiers gambled for Jesus’ robe.
Yet God would show no interest in artifacts. and He knows which are genuine and which are not. There just is no worth to God. I would to state that they are of a disappointment to God, looking at the created and missing the creator. But thats my opinion. Some may find a connection to relics. and if thats you, please know I mean no disrespect, I have a pence from antiquity. but its not for my worship, as relics are used. It holds no purpose other than a curio.
Ive heard our purpose as man is to give God praise. yet redemption is for relationship. Gods first purpose for man was to tend His garden. We would spend time together, but God would also depart from Adam and Eve.
God gave us dominion over the earth and communed here, is purpose worth?
The cost of our redemption was great but we payed zero. it is a free gift to anyone who calls on the name of the Lord for salvation. I kinda understand why people still attribute worth to the Jesus relics, they represent the greatest gift ever given. They are a tangible to an intangible. Like wearing a cross or a Melchizedek knot.
How do we wrap all this up then to make sense?
Obviously mankind is a center focus of God. Angels even wonder about the import God shows to mankind. He gave His Son for relationship with us. God is Love, and we are to love God in return. and here is the Key to this message. Jesus paid for our relationship with Himself and abides within us.
The church has failed to preach this one worth, and it shows in society. It this key message;
Jesus in us and this creates a Duty to conform ourselves and change ourselves.
Parents have no duty to the church
Children have no duty for family
The church not preforming its duty to the world
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
“he that doeth the will of God”
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Knowing God is itself an activity; obeying him is a form of devotion.
N. T. Wright
Ephesians 4:31–5:2 (KJV 1900)
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
To LET, To BE, To Walk
What does God uncover when he excavates in your heart? Is it dust or preciousness? What would God look into, would it be your bank account, the lands you possess, where you sit in church? Or do you think God will be looking at your heart to uncover your true self. You have a duty to God.
we fill our lives with so much that has no worth.
1 Timothy 6: 17-19 (LEB)
The Lexham English Bible Chapter 6
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all things richly for enjoyment, 18 to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, sharing freely, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, in order that they may take hold of what is truly life
I remember a story, those were what we shared before there were MEMS; there was a man who thought himself rich, but the poor guy, all he had was money
Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV®) 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
But this isn’t a giving message although its difficult to not notice the connections between what is really of worth and the heart of the one who troubles at the principle of tithing.
When we honor a Hero be it a first responder, soldier/sailor/airman/or marine what is the common response from the honoree? “I was only doing my duty” What causes the Coast Guard to continually move into the danger? Duty.
To Let, to Be, to Walk
remember earlier the reference to Adam and Eve? God left them in the garden to do their DUTY; to tend the garden under the conditions of the owner. Adam was to dress and keep the garden God planted. During which God would have communion with them.
Here in Ephesus we are given heart actions that result in tongue actions; bitterness breeds wrath (which are heart issues), fueling in anger encompassing the body fired by the heart. And from the heart sprouts clamour that increases to evil speaking against God and man. throwing that all in the same pot of Malice which is baseness contrary to righteousness.
The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, and to the Philippians The Admonitions Not to Wrong Our Neighbor
The five terms form a climax. First, “bitterness,” embitterment, is felt in the heart. The next step is “exasperation,” which is still in the heart although hard to be restrained. The third step is “anger” which blazes forth. The fourth, “yelling,” is a violent outburst of words. The fifth is a cursing in words of “blasphemy” against the opponent.
And Righteousness is manifest through being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. Followers of God as little children, walking in love.
14 Let the words of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
I translate reasonable service as Duty.
The doctrines; justification, holiness, and abiding are the Duty of any who have asked Jesus to be Lord.
LET- BE- WALK
Let= all unrighteousness be put away because Christ abides within
Be=ye holy for Christ is Holy
Walk= circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. And Abide in Christ as the branch abides in the vine.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Walk in the duty given you. No one is born knowing everything needed to live in righteousness, on the contrary. Who teaches a child to lie, or selfishly want the one toy of many because another child is playing with it. Our nature is to be contrary to God. BUT with God within us we have a new nature, we get to learn the doctrine of the Word and to do the will of God.
There is of course benefit to doing the will of God, but it shouldn’t be for the what but for the why, For God has forgiven us for Christ. The same Christ that abides in you will assist you in Abiding in the vine, doing the will of God.
Your Duty to do the will of God. By deigning the dark to live in the light. Doing good when you wont gain from it, when no one will see, when its inconvenient. To do right because it is right. To reach out to the ones who are not able to gain you in any way, or for you to give up something precious in total obscurity. when adversity happens, to stand in the will of God, not by taking the easy route. All the heroes of Hebrews 11 endured and overcame by faith. And faith in God.
It may seem daunting, Forgive when you've been so wronged, be tenderhearted when life has beaten you down at every opportunity. Kind to the meanest polecat who ever breathed. Yes, to be the light of Christ and to walk in love. But you have been given a new heart, you are called to your life, God has equipped you for every good work, and you are being supplied life and light from the One True Vine.
Its not a suggestion, it a given duty from the creator God because of His Son, Jesus the Christ.
Let go of the things needing change so you can Be the child of God He has predestined you to be, to Walk worthy of your calling , FOR the lost of the world need a hero to show them a better way.
So when God weighs your heart and your fruit, He sees your love for Him.
