October 26, 2004
Lost Treasure
Read: Mark 10:17-27
Sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. —Mark 10:21
Bible In One Year: Jeremiah 9-11; 1 Timothy 6
Don takes walks on the city's railroad tracks and searches under freeway overpasses. He's not looking for lost treasure; he's looking for homeless people. Don met Jake, who lives in a makeshift underground shack and is mentally ill. He stops by to see Jake occasionally, making sure he's warm and has food. He tells Jake about Jesus because he wants him to find "treasure in heaven."
Jesus talked about this treasure with a rich young man who asked Him how to inherit eternal life. Jesus said, "Sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me" (Mark 10:21).
Jesus wasn't teaching that we must give up our wealth to be acceptable to Him. We can never earn eternal life by our works. He was showing this man his spiritual bankruptcy. His heart was set on wealth, not Jesus.
That rich young man and our homeless friend have more in common than we might think. In the eyes of God, both are spiritually bankrupt. We all are, unless we have Jesus.
No good deed can earn eternal life—not helping the homeless or giving away all our money. Jesus wants us to give Him our heart. Then we'll have real treasure—treasure in heaven—and we'll seek to help others. —Anne Cetas
Giver of gifts divine;
I will not hold time, talents, or gold—
For everything shall be Thine. —Grimes
Salvation is given, not earned.