Treasure the Treasure

What you’re looking at is an example of an ancient papyrus letter. It’s similar to what the Apostle Paul used when writing his NT letters. Papyrus was the writing material of the ancient world. It was made from the papyrus reed. Missionaries like Paul would’ve carried God’s Word around like this in those days. As you can see this one is well travelled. It’s old.

What you’re looking at is an example of an ancient papyrus letter. It’s similar to what the Apostle Paul used when writing his NT leters. Papyrus was the writing material of the ancient world. It was made from the papyrus reed. So missionaries like Paul would’ve carried God’s Word around like this in those days. As you can see it’s well travelled.

The oldest known complete copy of this part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians can be seen at a museum in Ireland and dates back to between 180-200 AD. Just imagine the price something like this would fetch at an auction. It’s priceless, really. You couldn’t even buy this if you wanted to because the museum wouldn’t give it up.

Papyrus is an ancient form of paper made from the papyrus reed, that was cut, laid out and pressed flat. Then you’d write on it with ink.

Today the oldest known complete copies of Paul’s letter are a part of Papyrus 46 (P46 for short). Being the oldest complete copy of Paul’s letter, you can just imagine how much it’s worth. It’s priceless today. You couldn’t buy it because the museum would never give it up.

Of course, what really makes Paul’s letters priceless, isn’t the papyrus they are written on, or how old they are, but the message that’s inside. That’s really priceless. The psalmist said, () “[The Words] from your mouth are more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” And why that message is such a great treasure the way God is so eager for you to hear it is the subject of the sermon today.

Artifacts like this remind me that the books of the Bible are really travelers through time. God the Holy Spirit oursaw all of this, insuring that his Word remained the eternal blessing that it is for us still today, missing none of its original thoughts and content. The Spirit also oversaw the painstaking efforts at hand copying as well as the inspiration of the scriptures. The oldest known complete copies of Paul’s letters are a part of Papyrus 46 (P46 for short). They are copies that date back to between 180-200 AD. Being the oldest complete copies of Paul’s letters, you can just imagine the price this would fetch at an auction. It’s priceless, really. You couldn’t even buy it if you wanted to because the museum where its kept would never give it up.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;

Of course, what really makes Paul’s letters priceless, isn’t the papyrus they are written on, or how old they are, but the message inside is what is really priceless.

The law from your mouth is more precious to me thanthousands of pieces of silver and gold.

God’s Word is a treasure and on the basis of Paul’s words to the Corinthians today I would encourage you to “Treasure the Treasure” God gives to you in the Bible. 1.) See how eager he is for us to hear it, and 2.) Praise him for the great blessings he brings us through it.

Today the oldest surviving copies of Paul’s letters date back to 180-200 AD. Known as Papyrus 46 (P46 for short), it is oldest complete copy of Paul’s letters. Of course, it’s permanently housed in museums in Ireland and a couple other places.

Praise God that he affords us time to hear to his Word. See how eager how he for us to do that.

Now, if a missionary would’ve drop a papyrus letter like this back in the day it was originally written, it wouldn’t fetch anywhere near the price it would today. That’s because materially speaking, if you got to hold on to one of Paul’s letters when he wrote them, what made them priceless, was not the papyrus itself

urse, they are permanently housed in a museum in Ireland and a couple other places.

P46, dating to about 180–200 A.D., is the earliest known collection of Paul’s letters (of the 208 pages in the original, only 172 survive, 112 in the Chester Beatty Library and 60 in the library of the University of Michigan)

Apparently, the portable codex best suited the needs of early Christian missionaries trying to spread the gospel.

known to scholars as Papyrus 46, is believed to be the oldest known surviving copy of the Letters of St. Paul. Out of the 104 page collection, 30 leaves reside here in Ann Arbor, 56 leaves reside at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin and 18 are lost.

Talk about the treasure of the scriptures literally found in clay jars...Dead Sea scrolls!

Remote hidden treasures such as waterfalls are gifts from the Lord and give us a possible glimpse of what beautiful things we have to look forward to seeing when God creates the new heavens and earth.

At 17,000 fragments, the university’s papyrus collection is the largest in North America— and one of the five largest collections in the world, according to university officials.

Or,

Or, talk about the treasure of the scriptures literally found in clay jars...Dead Sea scrolls!

https://answersingenesis.org/wild-brothers/missionary-blog/2017/05/16/hidden-treasure/

Talk about the treasure of the scriptures literally found in clay jars...Dead Sea scrolls!

Or, talk about the treasure of the scriptures literally found in clay jars...Dead Sea scrolls!

See how eager He is to have us hear his Word.

First, consider the great lengths God went to bring his Word to his people. Paul said, (v.5,8-11) “....we preach...Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake…(v.8) we are hard pressed on every side…(v.9) persecuted...struck down…(v.11) given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.”

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake…we are hard pressed on every side… ...persecuted...abandoned; struck down...we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Listen to the lengths he went as God’s servant. (v.5,8-11) “....we preach...Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake…(v.8) we are hard pressed on every side…(v.9) persecuted...struck down…(v.11) given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.”

We are hard pressed on every side,but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

The reason Paul went through all this he said, was because he was “your servant for Jesus’ sake.” That’s why he does what he does, “for Jesus’ sake.” I serve Jesus to make him known to you. And what great things he was willing to go through to do this!

Starting out, I guarantee you Paul had no idea what he was in for. In fact, from Acts 16ff we see that Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind when founded this congregation on his second journey. He didn’t even intend to make it this far at all (to Macedonia where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then head into Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There we know Paul was arrested and severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea. Then is was on to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18), where it says, (vv.6-8) “[The Jews] opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

The Apostle Paul wrote these words from Macedonia during his third journey (53-57 AD). What great lengths Paul went to bring the gospel to the congregations he founded. You get a feel for this in the Book of Acts. Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind when founded this congregation (second journey). He didn’t even intend to make it this far at all (to Macedonia where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then go to Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There we know Paul was arrested and severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea. Then is was on to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18), where it says, (vv.6-8) “[The Jews] opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it.From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

What great lengths Paul went to bring the gospel to the congregations he founded. You get a feel for this in The Book of Acts, chapter 16 and following. Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind at for his second mission journey—he didn’t intend at all to go to the continent of Europe in Macedonia (where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then go to Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There it says Paul was arrested and then severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea, then to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18). There it says, (vv.6-8) “[The Jews] opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

The Apostle Paul wrote these words from Macedonia during his third journey (53-57 AD). What great lengths Paul went to bring the gospel to the congregations he founded. You get a feel for this in the Book of Acts. Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind when founded this congregation (second journey). He didn’t even intend to make it this far at all (to Macedonia where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then go to Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There we know Paul was arrested and severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea. Then is was on to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18), where it says, (vv.6-8) “[The Jews] opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

The oldest copy of the Bible that part of the Bible that we’re studying today can be seen at a museum in Ireland and dates back to between 180-200 AD. Just imagine the price something like this would fetch at an auction. It’s priceless, really. You couldn’t even buy it if you wanted to because the museum wouldn’t give it up.

If you read Acts chapter 16, you will see that Paul had in mind a small itinerary for his second mission journey—stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor (today’s country of Turkey) and make a loop just like the first journey. The Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, it drove him on to Troas, where he could go forward only by renting passage on a boat that took him to Macedonia and the city of Philippi (the gospel entered Europe from Asia).

What great lengths God’s servants went to bring the gospel to people like the Corinthians! Despite the devil’s rage and the hatred of the Jews for the message of Christ crucified, God so ruled over all things that Paul could reach these lost souls with the gospel—how eager he is for people to hear and receive the treasure inside it!

Bibles are common today. In our day and age we’re used to books that come out and are maybe even best-sellers, but then after a few years are no longer on the shelf. You might buy a paper back from the store or an airport, read it once or twice and it gets thrown away. How should we treat what we hold in our hands right here? Remember what this is. Think of the great care and attention needed so that God’s Word was preserved from the time of Paul and down through the centuries to us. Think of the way the Holy Spirit guided the process whereby scribes meticulously copied the scriptures to insure none of it was lost. Then too, think of how God preserved his Word from threats of false doctrine and then those long periods of illiteracy during the Dark Ages. Think of the venomous hatred the Roman Catholic Church had for Martin Luther, and the persecution he endured--and why—he’d say the same thing Paul did—”I am your servant for Jesus’ sake.” Luther once said, “Who cares if a crazy prince or foolish emperor fumes in his rage and threatens me with sword, fire or gallows, so long as my Christ is talking endearingly to my heart, comforting me with the promise that I am blessed, that I am right with God in heaven, and that all the heavenly hosts call me blessed!” Luther, like Paul , did what he did because they shared the same eagerness God had in his heart to reach lost souls with the gospel. Paul worte: (vv.10-11) “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”

Paul preached Christ crucified because it’s only through Christ crucified that we are right with God and have any hope of heaven. And yes, like Christ, Paul too was literally wounded for that message, but everywhere in his letters makes it clear that, “This is NOT at all about ME—this is about Christ—he’s the reason I was willing to be given over to the persecution and death for the gospel—it was for Jesus’ sake—it’s by his wounds that we are healed from all sin and guilt—it’s Jesus who delivers us from sin and eternal death in hell!”

I’d like to do a movie

Dear friends in Christ, this is the gospel, Paul says that has reached you. (v.6) “God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

God has continued to rule over all history so that his church could continue to spread and grow through the ages, so that still today, Sunday by Sunday, the Good News about Jesus is still being preached and read and heard by us today. How eager God is that we have a chance to hear and read and study his Word! Only one thing stood in the way of you hearing and believing in his good news, and that was your cold, stony unbelieving heart. But the same God who ruled over all history and preserved his Word down through the centuries, over came that barrier, too!

Think of the miraculous power that was neccessary to make the sun, moon and stars that we see at night. Then consider how God brought that same power to bear in your life to bring about the conversion of your sinful, unbelieving heart. That’s how eager he was for you to know and believe in his Son Jesus Christ. And that’s what it took to bring you to faith—the power of Almighty God! Only God could do what he did in your baptism, or whenever it was that you came to faith. Only God’s power could undo what Satan had done in your life. Earlier Paul says it’s () “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Earlier Paul says it’s (2 Cor 4:4) “the god of this age who has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

Most importantly, God needed to remove one more barrier to his Word before you could receive his treasure. (v.6) “God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Satan doesn’t want people to have anything to do with God or hear anything he has to say because he wants us to stay in the dark with him. Dear friends, praise God that his message got through to us, despite Satan’s attempts to block it, to change it, to kill it. For in the gospel God unleashes the power of his light, that is, his revelation about the glorious work of his Son in his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Eternal treasure comes to us through this message of the gospel. Treasure that treasure! Read and study his Word often. Share time in it together in your homes.

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Nowadays many families pay good money every month to stream television and movies to their homes, to their phones and ipads. God’s Word is free, and the treasures in it are eternal. How much time and effort do wee put into mining the treasures of God’s Word.

You know, one of the handy features of an iphone, is that you can block a call if you don’t want to hear from someone.

Dear friends, God has continued to rule over all history so that his church could continue to spread and grow through the ages, so that still today, Sunday by Sunday, the Good News about Jesus is still being preached and read and heard by us today. How eager God is that we have a chance to hear and read and study his Word! Let us never despise his Word, but rather treasure that treasure!

But that’s not all God overcame to bring the treasure of his Word to you.

God has continued to rule over all history so that his church could continue to spread and grow through the ages, so that still today, Sunday by Sunday, the Good News about Jesus is still being preached and read and heard by us today. How eager God is that we have a chance to hear and read and study his Word! Only one thing stood in the way of you hearing and believing in his good news, and that was your cold, stony unbelieving heart. But the same God who ruled over all history and preserved his Word down through the centuries, over came that barrier, too!

How eager God is that

(v.6) “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Amen.

One thing remained

Of course, what really makes Paul’s letters priceless, isn’t the papyrus they‘re written on, or how old they are, but the message that’s priceless. The psalmist said, () “[The Words] from your mouth are more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” And the reason is Christ, who redeemed you and I from sin and death, not with silver or gold, but with his holy precious blood. God’s Word is a treasure and on the basis of Paul’s words to the Corinthians today I would encourage you to “Treasure the Treasure” God gives to you in his Word. 1.) See how eager God is for us to hear it, and 2.) Praise him for the blessings he brings us through it.

God’s Word is a treasure and on the basis of Paul’s words to the Corinthians today I would encourage you to “Treasure the Treasure” God gives to you in the Bible. 1.) See how eager he is for us to hear it, and 2.) Praise him for the great blessings he brings us through it.

First, consider the great lengths God goes to bring his Word to his people. Paul said, (v.5,8-11) “....we preach...Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake…(v.8) we are hard pressed on every side…(v.9) persecuted...struck down…(v.11) given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.”

Paul founded the Corinthians church on his second missionary journey. Starting out, I guarantee you Paul had no idea what he was in for. In fact, from Acts 16ff we see that Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind when founded this congregation on his second journey. He didn’t even intend to make it this far at all (to Macedonia where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then head into Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There we know Paul was arrested and severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea. Then it was on to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18), where, despite more persecution by the Jews we’re told that, () “many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

“your servant for Jesus’ sake.” That’s why he does what he does, “for Jesus’ sake.” I serve Jesus to make him known to you. And what great things he was willing to go through to do this!

Paul founded this congregation on his second missionary journey, and says to them that, tells them he did what he did and he went through what he went through, because he was “your servant for Jesus’ sake.” That’s why he does what he does, “for Jesus’ sake.” I serve Jesus to make him known to you. And what great things he was willing to go through to do this!

Starting out, I guarantee you Paul had no idea what he was in for. In fact, from Acts 16ff we see that Paul had a rather small itinerary in mind when founded this congregation on his second journey. He didn’t even intend to make it this far at all (to Macedonia where Corinth was)—he was going to stay on familiar turf in Asia Minor and just make a loop around like the first journey, re-visiting the churches he previously founded, and then head into Asia Minor. But the Spirit of the Lord wouldn’t let him turn either to the right or left. Instead, the Spirit drove him on to Troas (where he received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over and help us,”). That required Paul to rent a vessel in which he could set sail to Macedonia and the city of Philippi. There we know Paul was arrested and severely flogged and jailed. With the angel’s help he miraculously escaped from prison (after baptizing the jailor and his family). From there it was on to Thessalonica where the Jews caused a riot. Paul escaped under cover of night from there to Berea. Then it was on to Athens, and finally, to Corinth (Acts Ch.18), where it says, (vv.6-8) “[The Jews] opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

What great lengths God’s servants went to bring the gospel to people like the Corinthians! Despite the devil’s rage and the hatred of the Jews for the message of Christ crucified, God so ruled over all things that Paul could reach these lost souls with the gospel—how eager he is for people to hear and receive the treasure inside it!

That message, that treasure has come to us also. We take it for granted today because Bibles are so common. In our day and age we’re used to books that come out and are maybe even best-sellers, but then after a few years are no longer on the shelf. You might buy a paper back from the store or an airport, read it once or twice and it gets thrown away. But never take for granted the fact that we have this treasure in our hands today. It’s a miracle, really, that we have it in the written form we have it today. Think of the great care and attention God put into preserving his Word down through the centuries. Think of the way the Holy Spirit guided scribes as they meticulously copied the scriptures to insure none of it was lost. Then too, think of how God preserved his Word from threats of false doctrine and then those long periods of illiteracy during the Dark Ages. Think of the venomous hatred the Roman Catholic Church had for Martin Luther, and the persecution he endured. Like Paul Luther was willing to go to any lengths as God’s Word—he was that eager for people to have the gospel he was willing to die for it. “Who cares if a crazy prince or foolish emperor fumes in his rage,” Luther said, ”and threatens me with sword, fire or gallows, so long as my Christ is talking endearingly to my heart, comforting me with the promise that I am blessed, that I am right with God in heaven, and that all the heavenly hosts call me blessed!” Luther, like Paul , did what he did because they shared the same eagerness God had in his heart to reach lost souls with the gospel. Paul wrote: (vv.10-11) “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”

Paul preached Christ crucified because it’s only through Christ crucified that we are right with God and have any hope of heaven. , Paul was literally wounded for that message, but everywhere in his letters makes it clear that, “This is NOT at all about ME—this is about Christ—he’s the reason I was willing to be given over to the persecution and death for the gospel—it was for Jesus’ sake—it’s by his wounds that we are healed from all sin and guilt—it’s Jesus who delivers us from sin and eternal death in hell!”

Dear friends in Christ, this is the gospel, Paul says that has reached you. (v.6) “God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Think of the miraculous power God brought to bear in order to make the sun, moon and stars that we see at night. Then imagine him using that same almighty power in your baptism to bring about the conversion of your sinful, unbelieving heart. How eager God was that you would trust in his Son Jesus Christ. Not only ruling over all things to preserve his Word, but also to bring it to you personally. Only God’s power could unleash you from the grip Satan had on you. Earlier he said, () “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." Satan doesn’t want people to have anything to do with God or his Word. He wants people to stay in the darkness of unbelief.

Dear friends, praise God, not only that he preserved his Word, but that he brought the treasure of his gospel right to our hearts. Eternal treasure comes to us through the message of the gospel. Treasure that treasure! Read and study his Word often. Share time in it together in your homes. Some of us pay good money every month to stream television and movies to our homes, to our phones and ipads, but what of any eternal value is there in that? Where does any of that get us, especially when so much of it is junk! God’s Word is free; God’s Word is an eternal treasure.

Satan doesn’t want people to have anything to do with God or his Word. He wants people to stay in the dark with him. Dear friends, praise God that his message got through to us, despite Satan’s attempts to block it, to change it, to kill it. For in the gospel God unleashes the power of his light, that is, his revelation about the glorious work of his Son in his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Eternal treasure comes to us through this message of the gospel. Treasure that treasure! Read and study his Word often. Share time in it together in your homes.

Nowadays many families pay good money every month to stream television and movies to their homes, to their phones and ipads. God’s Word is free, and the treasures in it are eternal. How much time and effort do we put into mining the treasures of God’s Word.

You know, one of the handy features of an iphone, is that you can block a call if you don’t want to hear from someone. On these new phones you can just push a button and block them, and it prevents them from being able to call you, or text you or FaceTime you, or anything.

You don’t want to do that with God and his Word. Don’t stop him from bringing the treasure of his Word into your life. We've seen how eager God is that we hear and receive it today—how he rules over all history, preserving his Word so that still today, Sunday by Sunday, we can hear the Good News about Jesus. How eager God is that we not only have his Word but hear and learn it. Praise him for the eternal blessings it brings to us—forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, strength of heart to believe him when doubts and troubles assail us. [quote here] And all this is ours through the treasure of his Word--Let us never despise it--but rather let us treasure this treasure!

Amen.

Treasure the Treasure

Praise God that he affords us time for hearing his Word.

See how eager He is to have us hear his Word.