The Treasure of Jesus

We might feel very familiar with the Christmas story and the reason we repeat it every year is because there is real treasure in Jesus and the gift he was that first Christmas

We might feel very familiar with the Christmas story and the reason we repeat it every year is because there is real treasure in Jesus and the gift he was that first Christmas

In our reading this morning the angels said to the shepherds ‘I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah.’

We’re going on a treasure hunt this morning under the pews are seven little treasure chests. You might have already found one, but if you’ve got one I’d like you to hold onto it and they’re all numbered from one to 7 and we’re gonna unpack that treasure this morning because Jesus came as a treasure and he gives us treasure and we can explore the treasure that he’s gives us this morning through our treasure chests.

Jesus is good news – he’s treasure and gives us treasure too.

So we need treasure chest number one.  Can you open it read out the message inside and tell us the treasure that is within it. That’s what each person needs to do when we get to that as I want you to show us the treasure and then read out the message that’s inside.

The first treasure is the Jesus came to give us his love, each one of us is so precious to God the father that he is willing to send his son Jesus to earth and Jesus came with a message from our heavenly father: “I love you”. Just like the love hearts have messages of love – through the treasure of Jesus we can know that we are greatly loved.

The second treasure is an eraser, a rubber. And the word forgiveness. Jesus didn’t simply come to tell us how much we are loved. He also showed us. Remember that verse in Luke: ‘today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you.’ a saviour is someone who comes to save. Why do we need a saviour? We need a saviour because we’ve rebelled against God which the Bible calls sin and as a result of the rebellion and the wrong things that we’ve done we cannot know our heavenly father and we’re eternally separated from him. Jesus came to earth so we could be reunited with our father. He paid the price for us since when he died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later. In that act, Jesus erases our rebellion if we choose to put our trust in him, it’s like he takes a big rubber and rubs out all the wrong things that we’ve done and we are forgiven.

Not only are we loved and forgiven, but there’s a third treasure, being forgiven allows that personal relationship with God – we have peace with him and a dove is a symbol of that peace. Remember, the angel said to the shepherds “glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those in whom his favour rests”. Knowing Jesus can bring a real personal peace. That’s why knowing Jesus is the best gift, that’s why there’s so much treasure in knowing him.

But there’s more. Treasure 4 says eternal life. In John 17:3 Jesus said “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. Eternal life is about having a relationship with God, not simply in this life, but for all eternity, we need no longer fear death, for the Bible promises us that one day we will be raised from the dead into Gods eternal kingdom. The sunflower seeds remind us of the promise of eternal life. They might look dead. Sometimes people eat these directly, but when buried in the ground, one day they’ll be raised in new life and produce beautiful plants, and that’s the promise of the treasure of Jesus.

We remember the Christmas story every year, because of the great treasure that Jesus brings for the whole world. The treasure of Gods love the treasure of Gods forgiveness, the treasure of peace with God and the treasure of eternal life. And we still have three more.

The fifth treasure, represented by bubbles you can blow shows us Jesus came to bring joy when we know that we loved and forgiven by God and are walking with him through life. We can know a deep joy inside our hearts that even exists in the toughest of times, it’s joy that bubbles up out of us like these bubbles, you can’t stop them from doing the bubbly thing and Jesus can bring that same deep joy, it can’t be taken from us even in those difficult times and it can be hard to explain, but it’s definitely something that I’ve experienced and know a true joy from knowing who I am in Jesus and that he loves me

One of the reasons, the joy can’t be taken from us in our next treasure. The sixth treasure that Jesus has come to give us is his powerful presence. Jesus has promised to be with his followers always and he promised his followers that he would give them his spirit, and that will come and live inside them. You could say that the Holy Spirit is a bit like a powerful battery pack for the believer. He gives us all that we need to live the life that God called us to live, and he reassures us through the hard times that God has not abandoned us and is at work in our lives.

The seventh treasure that Jesus is coming to give us is hope. One day. Jesus has promised to return to earth when he comes, he’ll reign over us, he is King, which the crown reminds us of in Gods kingdom. There is joy and peace, love and kindness, as when Jesus returns, there will be no more pain or death, no more suffering and evil.

All those years ago, Jesus came as a treasure, and all these years since he gives us all of these treasures, love, forgiveness, eternal life, peace, Godly joy, his presence and hope.

All we have to do to receive this treasure is turn our hearts towards Jesus, believing in him, choosing to turn away from our self-centred lives, and to welcome him into our lives. 

Let’s just pause for a few moments as we realise how amazing it is that Jesus came that first Christmas to offer us all these wonderful treasures. And let this verse really sink into our lives. ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.’