The Treasure Of The Kingdom

THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 21, 1836, AND WAS A DECISIVE VICTORY FOR THE TEXAN FORCES LED BY SAM HOUSTON AGAINST THE MEXICAN ARMY UNDER SANTA ANNA. THIS WAS NOT ONLY A GREAT VICTORY, BUT A WAY TO AVENGE THE DEATHS AT THE RECENT FALL OF “THE ALAMO” IN SAN ANTONIO.

SO, WHAT HAS THIS TO DO WITH A BIBLICAL MESSAGE FOR US? IT PROVIDES US A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU AREN’T, AS VERSE 35, SAYS, “DRESSED FOR ACTION AND HAVE YOUR LAMPS LIT.”

WHAT I FIND SO FASCINATING ABOUT THE TEXAN’S VICTORY WAS HOW IT CAME SO EASY. HISTORY TELLS US THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE MEXICAN FORCES WERE RESTING, NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND UNENGAGED IN DEFENSIVE MEASURES WHEN THE TEXICAN FORCES LAUNCHED THEIR SURPRISE ATTACK.

HOUSTON AND HIS FORCES ATTACKED BECAUSE THEY FOUND MANY SOLDIERS TAKING AN AFTERNOON SIESTA. THEY WERE ASLEEP. THEY WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD! THEY WEREN’T READY AND PAID A SIGNIFICANT PRICE! MEXICO WAS DEFEATED AND TEXAS BECAME A REPUBLIC AND SAM HOUSTON BECAME THEIR FIRST PRESIDENT.

THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT ALL BELIEVERS MUST STAY ON THE ALERT AND BE SOBER MINDED AS OUR ENEMY IS “PROWLING LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.”

WE MUST LIVE WISE AND PREPARED. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:6-8, “SO BE ON YOUR GUARD, NOT ASLEEP LIKE THE OTHERS. STAY ALERT AND BE CLEARHEADED. NIGHT IS THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE SLEEP AND DRINKERS GET DRUNK. BUT LET US WHO LIVE IN THE LIGHT BE CLEARHEADED, PROTECTED BY THE ARMOR OF FAITH AND LOVE, AND WEARING AS OUR HELMET THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR SALVATION.”

WE SEE THIS WARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN OUR PASSAGE FROM LUKE TO STAND GUARD FOR OUR TRUE TREASURES IN HEAVEN. WE ARE TO, AS VERSE 35, TOLD US BEFORE “…DRESSED FOR ACTION AND HAVE YOUR LAMPS LIT.”

WE KNOW JESUS COULD RETURN AT ANY MOMENT, SO WE ARE LIVING PREPARED, MINDFUL, ALERT, AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS. WE DO NOT PROCRASTINATE, DELAY, OR PUT OFF UNTIL LATER WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE TODAY.

WE FIND THE TIME! WE LEARN WHERE TO GET THE RESOURCES! WE GLADY GIVE OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE AND ALSO CAPABLE OF DOING. EVEN WHEN IT IS BEYOND US OR IT’S SIMPLY NOT OUR TIME, WE TRY TO FIND OTHER SOURCES WHO MAY WANT TO GET INVOLVED TO HELP. WE REMEMBER THAT WE ARE STEWARDS OF ALL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US TO SHARE, GIVE, SERVE, AND HELP.

WHEN WE LIVE IN EXPECTATION OF JESUS RETURNING AND PUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE RIGHT PRIORITY, WE CAN FIND THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF RISKING IT ALL FOR OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. WHEN WE ALLOW THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO IGNITE A MOVEMENT WITHIN US, WE CAN DO WHAT SEEMS TO BE HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE.

WE CAN LOVE THE UNLOVABLE. WE CAN RISE ABOVE OFFENSE AND FORGIVE THE UNFORGIVEABLE. WE CAN SERVE THOSE WHO HAVE NO WAY OF DOING ANYTHING FOR US. WE CAN PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE US AND BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US.

CAN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES TO BECOME WILLING TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DO SUCH A WORK AND WILL WE OBEY? CAN WE OPEN OUR HEARTS, GENEROUSLY, TO SEE MORE CLEARLY, THAT ALL OF OUR POSSESSIONS AND ALL OUR TIME, TALENTS, AND ABILITIES CAN BE (AND SHOULD BE) USED FOR GOD’S PURPOSES?

LUKE 6:38, “GIVE, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. A GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER, WILL BE POURED INTO YOUR LAP. FOR WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU.”

SIRACH 29:10-11, “LOSE YOUR SILVER FOR THE SAKE OF A BROTHER OR A FRIEND, AND DO NOT LET IT RUST UNDER A STONE AND BE LOST. LAY UP YOUR TREASURE ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE MOST HIGH, AND IT WILL PROFIT YOU MORE THAN GOLD.”

THIS IS WHY JESUS SAID, IN VERSE 34, “WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.” JESUS TELLS US THAT WHATEVER OCCUPIES OUR THOUGHTS AND CONSUMES OUR TIME IS WHERE OUR TREASURE TRULY LIES. WHAT WE LOVE MOST IS WHAT WE TREASURE!

THE HEART WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW CLOSELY BEHIND AND AFTER THE TREASURE. A PERSON WHO VALUES SELF AS TREASURE WILL HOARD ALL POSSESSIONS AND BE IN LOVE WITH “ME, MYSELF, AND I.”

ONE WHOES TREASURE IS THE KINGDOM, WILL VALUE AND LOVE THE THINGS OF GOD, AND OTHERS, TO HELP THEM IN ANY AND EVERY WAY THEY ARE ABLE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.

WHEN WE SAY “HEART” IT REFERS TO THE MIND, EMOTIONS, AND WILL. WHAT A PERSON TREASURES MOST WILL CONTROL THAT PERSON. OUR FIRST LOYALTY SHOULD BE TO ETERNAL MATTERS. THE PERSON WHOSE TREASURE IS IN HEAVEN CAN FREELY USE WHATEVER TREASURES GOD HAS GIVEN THEM IN THIS WORLD. WE SEE NOTHING AS LOSS, BUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE AS AN INVESTMENT.