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The Corner
Dear Friends, I would like to ask you a question: What is the greatest treasure of all time? I remember as a child reading stories about King Tut of Egypt, Solomon’s lost mines and buried pirate treasure. My imagination ran wild with what I would do if I came across such a fortune. I wasn’t any different than all the other people in the world who appreciate a good story involving gold bullion, silver coins, diamonds, jewelry and ancient relics. A few years ago, there was a movie about a fantastic treasure that had been collected by different pharaohs, emperors, kings and rulers for thousands of years as nations warred and conquered other nations. This magnificent treasure had grown over time with each conquest and contained thousands of artifacts from different civilizations; anybody in possession of this priceless treasure would be the richest person on earth. The premise for the movie is that the treasure disappeared and those who hid it left a series of clues and maps that the protagonist needed to decipher in order to find it. Even as an adult, I have to admit that the idea of such a vast cache is intriguing. Human beings are naturally attracted to the idea of wealth because it escapes most of us here on earth. Many people dream of what they would do if they had a never ending money supply, so that they could burn it or give it away and never run out. There’s nothing wrong with riches, but it’s bad when it consumes you. (1 Timothy 6:10a) This intense desire for prosperity has led many individuals to create fake treasures or stories in which people pay thousands of dollars to be told secrets. People have a desire to know hidden mysteries; that is why Scientology with its “secrets” is so fascinating, because it claims to have the answer on how to have a better life here on earth. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology proved that people are gullible and easily mislead. If something is wacky and cost money too, well, then people are interested. The greatest treasure of all time is found in the Gospel message. It’s so simple that it is often overlooked or just dismissed outright. Imagine the Creator forming the universe, creating angels, then men and later coming to earth to save mankind from their own sins. Jesus came to the earth in the form of a man to be a witness of the truth of the Father’s love toward mankind by sacrificing Himself. If only Pilate had understood the full weight of his question when he asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38) Standing face to face with the Creator, Pilate didn’t realize that the greatest treasure of all time was directly in front of him. The salvation Jesus provided on the cross is immeasurable to any treasure we might have here on earth. That makes the simple message of the Gospel priceless because life on earth is fragile and short compared to eternity. Pilate was more interested in furthering his own kingdom and didn’t think about what would happen when he died. This is why the uncomplicated statement by Jesus is so profound. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) People are searching for something that is missing in their lives. This intense desire is built into us by our Creator to the intent that we should find our way back to Him at some point before we leave this earth. Before you take your flight to heaven, be sure to tell as many people about the greatest treasure of all time. The ultimate goal is to redeem a lost soul, that’s why Jesus came and died on the cross. I want to challenge you to share the Gospel with those around because you never know how God will use a person. The apostle Paul seemed unreachable but God was able to save and use him mightily. Just don’t ever give up on a person! May God richly bless you today,
Charles Thorell |
