Treasure in your Sacks
Introduction
TREASURE IN YOUR SACKS
Scripture Reading Genesis 43:19-24
A) Joseph’s brothers had gone to Egypt to buy food to live on because of the famine .......
* They did not know their brother at this time, so they bought the food with the money they had!
* Unknown to them, Joseph had ordered their money to be returned secretly to them.
* Joseph’s helper had put the money in their sacks!
B) Stopped for the night to rest, they discovered the money, and fear gripped their hearts!
* For they thought surely that they would be charged as thieves!
* Now they come back to their brother for more food and try to explain the money in their sacks!
* You cannot explain God! * Job 11:7 "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?"
* Ecc.8:17 "Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it."
C) Now we come to v.23! * Joseph’s servant said, "There is treasure in your sacks!"
* And he tells them Who put it there! * They were being blessed and didn’t see it!
* I wonder if the same thing might be happening to you and me! * We are blessed!!!
* We have some treasure in our sacks as well!
* Let’s look at what treasure we have in our sacks today!
(1) PULL BIBLE OUT OF THE SACK - WHAT A TREASURE!
* The Bible is a treasure because it is from God Himself - It is God-breathed!
A) Jer.23:29 says that God’s Word is like a hammer!
PULL THE HAMMER OUT OF THE SACK
* A hammer is used for building ... For repair ... Nailing down things ...
B) James 1:23-24 says that God’s Word is like a mirror!
PULL THE MIRROR OUT OF THE SACK
*Who do you see? * That’s why folk don’t read the Bible, it shows them who they are!
VERY OFTEN WE DO NOT LIKE WHAT WE SEE!
* It tells the truth about the things that are wrong in our lives!
C) Heb.4:12 says that God’s Word is like a sword!
PULL THE SWORD OUT OF THE SACK
* A sword is a weapon ... The Word of God is a weapon for us!
* It gives us ammunition to fight the temptations of the devil!
* A sword cuts and divides and so does the Word of God!
D) Ps.119:105 says that God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path!
PULL THE FLASHLIGHT OUT OF THE SACK
* The Word will show me where I’m standing and lead me where I’m going!
* When the storms of life are raging, the Word of God is like a lighthouse!
* To neglect it’s warnings is to suffer shipwreck!
E) Since the Bible is so magnificent, why are our Bibles dusty?
* Why do we cherish them as mantle pieces rather than opening the book and devouring it’s content? * Why do we watch more television than we read God’s Word?
* I’ll tell you why ... We have forgotten what a treasure this book is!
* Think about the people in countries who don’t have Bibles!
* They are willing to give most anything to have just a page of this sacred text!
* Think of what the saints of old have sacrificed rather than deny this Book!
F) I’ll tell you, this Book is a valuable treasure!
* We don’t have to "figure things out" on our own, God has given us written instructions!
* He has given us promises to depend on, a glimpse of the future that we can focus on!
* In the trials of life we are not left without guidance!
* We just need to read the directions and do what it says!
G) When was the last time you picked your Bible up & viewed it as a treasured possession?
* Now, I don’t mean that it’s treasured because it is leather or was expensive or given to you by someone who loves you! * I mean .......
* When was the last time you saw your Bible as a treasure because it gave you the Words of God
* What a treasure it is ... The Word of God!
CLOSED CHEST
But you have to open it for it to become treasure
OPEN CHEST
(2) PULL "GRACE" FROM THE SACK - WHAT A TREASURE!
* One of the most spectacular gifts God has given to us is the grace that comes through Christ!
* Eph.2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is ......."
A) Some have the tendency to view salvation as something they have to earn!
* But salvation is not based on what we do, it is anchored in God’s gift to us!
* It is by grace that we are saved and not because of what we do!
* We are saved by grace through faith, but even faith is not something that we have produced!
* It is something that God produces in us!
B) Not justice, but grace ... Not hell, but heaven ... Not a ruined life, but saved!
* The grace of God is a precious treasure! * It is sufficient for what we need!
* I just could not make it without God’s marvelous grace!
(3) PULL THE CROSS FROM THE SACK - WHAT A TREASURE!
* Gal.6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
* Paul had a singular subject ... Regardless of where he preached or to whom he preached, he
preached the message of the cross!
A) Paul’s message was a bloody message! * Religionists today call it a butcher-house message!
* I remind you that "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission."
* The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin!
* When I see the blood, I will pass over you! * So, it is blood or hell!
* With 3 nails and 2 pieces of wood, Jesus built a bridge over hell!
* The cross is my salvation ... I am bought with a cross!
(4) PULL DYNAMITE FROM THE SACK - THE HOLY SPIRIT - WHAT A TREASURE!
* Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon ......."
* Jesus did not promise His disciples that they would receive power if they met certain conditions,
or if they could meet the requirements in prayer and meditation!
* He plainly declared, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
A) Dynamite is used to blow things up ... Blow up mountains and obstacles .......
* Matt.17:20 "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
* Then ... Sometimes the Lord has to blow some things away from our lives!
(5) PULL THE CHURCH FROM THE SACK - WHAT A TREASURE!
* Some of you don’t think your church is a treasure .......
* Your attendance ... Your financial support ... Your volunteering services ...
(6) PULL PICTURE OF FAMILY FROM THE SACK - WHAT A TREASURE!
* This is one of the most precious things you have today ... your family!
* Fight for your kids ... Fight for your family!
CLOSE
A) I hope you see that the treasures that the brothers of Joseph received were both,
* Undeserved and unexpected ... They were gifts of grace!
* You and I both know that we don’t deserve and could never demand that God give us anything!
* Yet, He offers us precious treasures just because He loves us!
B) It may be that you feel that God may indeed give treasures to others,
* But He would never do so for you! * You feel that after what you’ve done, He could never love
you! * Friend, how is your situation different from the brothers of Joseph?
* Have you read the Book? * If you have, you know that God specializes in taking lives that were
in shambles and making them into something incredible!
C) God is willing to do that for you ... He is willing to provide a feast in your honor!
* He is willing to give you the treasures that the world cannot purchase!
* And in order to receive these things, you must only open your hands in simple faith!
* Why not do that today? * It’s time to open your eyes and appreciate the incredible privilege
that has been given us in Jesus Christ!
D) It is time to stop looking for problems and start enjoying the blessings!
* It’s time to stop complaining and start worshipping!
* For you have treasures in your sacks!