Treasure This

Treasure’s Abounding

Luke 2:19;51

This week has been filled with many activities moving toward closure. As I packed boxes, officiated at a funeral, planned a baby dedication sermon and service I was thinking, reflecting and rejoicing.

Today we do 3 things that call for celebration.

1) Dedicate a baby to Jesus Christ

2) Say farewell to one of our Timothy’s heading

for vocational ministry and

3) Bobbi and I saying farewell to you, the West

Side Church of God.

As I sought for a common denominator for these three events one phrase kept coming to my mind. One that I have given a lot of thought to over the years. A question that I could not find a satisfactory answer too, until today.

In Luke 2:19 we read “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Then in Luke 2:51 we read, “But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Why is that recorded? What are we supposed to do with these words? I did learn that many scholars believe that Mary, mother of Jesus was Luke’s primary source of information at this point. But that does not answer why were these words recorded?

I) TREASURED vs.19 & 51

A) Recognize the value – Luke 15 is known as the chapter of “Lost Parables”. Within these verses you find the Parable of the lost sheep, lost coins and lost son. The whole point of the parables is that people recognized the value of these items and went searching when they were discovered to be lost.

The challenge for us to recognize the treasure of people, events and moments.

Easy to be so busy with life we overlook.

Easy to be so focused on the negatives that we miss the treasures.

B) Receive – Have you ever tried to show someone what a treasure is and they just can’t seem to see it? Someone is unhappy with spouse and you try to point out the lasting qualities of the spouse and he/she just can’t see it? Parent so frustrated with son/daughters study habits that see what a help they are around the house.

Sometimes we are so busy looking at the grass on the other side of the fence that we don’t’ hear God telling us of the treasures on our side of the fence.

C) Record the treasure – Build an altar

We need to build altars but not shrines. Altar is where we record wondrous moments with God. Those times when God delivered spoke or ministered. Shrine is where we worship the item, not the author of the item.

II) PONDERED vs. 19

To think about these things. To think about the treasurers.

A) Remember – Ps. 77:11 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord.”

Don’t you suppose Mary thought back to the angelic visits in her early life? That she drew thought about the words of the shepherds? That is wondered the meaning of Jesus discussing deep spiritual truths with the religious leaders, at the age of 12?

B) Review - What did they mean then? What do they mean today? How did we feel when this happened? What great truth of God did we see through that event?

C) Resource – Go and do likewise. – Our memories of the past are intended to propel us into tomorrow.

Intended to inspire faith to take the big steps of today.

To provide encouragement in our current situation.