The Treasure Hunt where the Prize is Christ
This article was first published in French at TPSG.
The Treasure Hidden in a Field
I think what appeals to us about a treasure hunt is that we enjoy the challenge of looking beyond the surface to what is buried beneath. We may have to work hard to discover what is hidden, but the reward is great. I wonder how many of us approach the Word of God with the same frame of mind. Jesus, for one, did as much. In Matthew 13:44, we read, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
While Jesus is speaking of the kingdom of heaven, he is in fact alluding to a proverb that uses the same expression in regards to the pursuit of wisdom: “If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures.” (Proverbs 2:4). How do we attain the knowledge of the Kingdom? Or put otherwise, what is our source of wisdom? Where are we to seek and search? In the Bible! In fact, in Psalm 119:111, the Psalmist declares, “Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.” (New Living Translation).
Putting Christ at the Center of Every Story
While Jesus is speaking of the kingdom of heaven, he is in fact alluding to a proverb that uses the same expression in regards to the pursuit of wisdom: “If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures.” (Proverbs 2:4). How do we attain the knowledge of the Kingdom? Or put otherwise, what is our source of wisdom? Where are we to seek and search? In the Bible! In fact, in Psalm 119:111, the Psalmist declares, “Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.” (New Living Translation).
Putting Christ at the Center of Every Story
Isn’t that a powerful image? As my husband and I teach theological truth to our girls, we want to transmit to them that kind of passion for the treasure that is Scripture. And more specifically, we want to point them to the gospel of Jesus Christ every time we come to the Word together. Because the danger is that our children learn all the Bible stories about Noah and Abraham and David and Elijah, but they fail to understand the Good News. The danger is that they see themselves as the hero of every story and not Jesus Christ. And if that happens, we run the risk of raising religious children, but not true disciples.
So, lately, during family devotions, we’ve been reading and explaining a passage in its historical context. Then we ask, “How does this point us to Christ?” But why, you may wonder, ask specifically about Christ and not just God? Because Christ himself told two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus that all the Scriptures pointed to him (Luke 24:27). Moreover, Jesus taught them that Moses and all the prophets pointed specifically to his suffering and glory. So, whether I am preparing an exposition from Exodus for a women’s retreat or gathering with my family around the living room for Bible time, I am on a relentless mission to find Christ.
Let me give you an example. Right now, we’re reading through Deuteronomy together as a family. After discussing the Israelites’ rebellion against Moses, we asked them our gospel-focused question. Our ten-year old chimed in, “Jesus experienced the same rebellion at the hands of the Pharisees and Sadducees who didn’t receive his message.” Yes! Exactly!
The Gospel is at the Heart of the Christian Life
So, lately, during family devotions, we’ve been reading and explaining a passage in its historical context. Then we ask, “How does this point us to Christ?” But why, you may wonder, ask specifically about Christ and not just God? Because Christ himself told two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus that all the Scriptures pointed to him (Luke 24:27). Moreover, Jesus taught them that Moses and all the prophets pointed specifically to his suffering and glory. So, whether I am preparing an exposition from Exodus for a women’s retreat or gathering with my family around the living room for Bible time, I am on a relentless mission to find Christ.
Let me give you an example. Right now, we’re reading through Deuteronomy together as a family. After discussing the Israelites’ rebellion against Moses, we asked them our gospel-focused question. Our ten-year old chimed in, “Jesus experienced the same rebellion at the hands of the Pharisees and Sadducees who didn’t receive his message.” Yes! Exactly!
The Gospel is at the Heart of the Christian Life
Once we help our girls make a connection like this, we can guide the discussion to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s the lens through which we interpret all of Scripture. And that is essential because it was the central message of apostolic teaching.
The gospel is not merely the door or entry point to the Christian life. It’s the entire house! Yes, it’s the foundation of our faith, but it is also our daily bread. We never outgrow our need for the gospel, because we never outgrow our human frailty and sinfulness. And thus, we never outgrow our need for the grace and forgiveness that first led us to the cross. We must preach the gospel to ourselves every day. And we must teach it to our children every day as well, praying that it will take root in their hearts and lead to faith and repentance.
A Lesson from Charles Spurgeon
The gospel is not merely the door or entry point to the Christian life. It’s the entire house! Yes, it’s the foundation of our faith, but it is also our daily bread. We never outgrow our need for the gospel, because we never outgrow our human frailty and sinfulness. And thus, we never outgrow our need for the grace and forgiveness that first led us to the cross. We must preach the gospel to ourselves every day. And we must teach it to our children every day as well, praying that it will take root in their hearts and lead to faith and repentance.
A Lesson from Charles Spurgeon
The 18th century British pastor Charles Spurgeon highlights this need well:
“I believe that those sermons which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of the hearers. Let your sermons be full of Christ, from beginning to end crammed full of the gospel. As for myself, brethren, I cannot preach anything else but Christ and His cross, for I know nothing else, and long ago, like the apostle Paul, I determined not to know anything else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. People have often asked me, “What is the secret of your success?” I always answer that I have no other secret but this, that I have preached the gospel,—not about the gospel, but the gospel,—the full, free, glorious gospel of the living Christ who is the incarnation of the good news. Preach Jesus Christ, brethren, always and everywhere; and every time you preach be sure to have much of Jesus Christ in the sermon. You remember the story of the old minister who heard a sermon by a young man, and when he was asked by the preacher what he thought of it he was rather slow to answer, but at last he said, “If I must tell you, I did not like it at all; there was no Christ in your sermon.” “No,” answered the young man, “because I did not see that Christ was in the text.” “Oh!” said the old minister, “but do you not know that from every little town and village and tiny hamlet in England there is a road leading to London? Whenever I get hold of a text, I say to myself, ‘There is a road from here to Jesus Christ, and I mean to keep on His track till I get to Him.'” “Well,” said the young man, “but suppose you are preaching from a text that says nothing about Christ?” “Then I will go over hedge and ditch but what I will get at Him.” So must we do, brethren; we must have Christ in all our discourses, whatever else is in or not in them. There ought to be enough of the gospel in every sermon to save a soul. Take care that it is so when you are called to preach before Her Majesty the Queen, and if you have to preach to charwomen or chairmen, still always take care that there is the real gospel in every sermon.” (CH Spurgeon, The Soul Winner)
A Principle that's Not Just for Preachers
I’ve often heard this quote cited in the context of preaching. That’s only natural. It’s the context in which this most beloved of preachers spoke it. But I am convinced it applies equally to us in our own walks with Christ. In our own meditation and study of Scripture. In our own teaching and discipleship relationships. And in the formation of our children. Because if we apply Spurgeon’s bold assertion in our homes, then those family devotions which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of our children. So, let’s practice this discipline in our personal devotions. Let’s model it in our reflections on Scripture with our little ones. Let’s lead our children on a treasure hunt where the prize is Christ.
“I believe that those sermons which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of the hearers. Let your sermons be full of Christ, from beginning to end crammed full of the gospel. As for myself, brethren, I cannot preach anything else but Christ and His cross, for I know nothing else, and long ago, like the apostle Paul, I determined not to know anything else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. People have often asked me, “What is the secret of your success?” I always answer that I have no other secret but this, that I have preached the gospel,—not about the gospel, but the gospel,—the full, free, glorious gospel of the living Christ who is the incarnation of the good news. Preach Jesus Christ, brethren, always and everywhere; and every time you preach be sure to have much of Jesus Christ in the sermon. You remember the story of the old minister who heard a sermon by a young man, and when he was asked by the preacher what he thought of it he was rather slow to answer, but at last he said, “If I must tell you, I did not like it at all; there was no Christ in your sermon.” “No,” answered the young man, “because I did not see that Christ was in the text.” “Oh!” said the old minister, “but do you not know that from every little town and village and tiny hamlet in England there is a road leading to London? Whenever I get hold of a text, I say to myself, ‘There is a road from here to Jesus Christ, and I mean to keep on His track till I get to Him.'” “Well,” said the young man, “but suppose you are preaching from a text that says nothing about Christ?” “Then I will go over hedge and ditch but what I will get at Him.” So must we do, brethren; we must have Christ in all our discourses, whatever else is in or not in them. There ought to be enough of the gospel in every sermon to save a soul. Take care that it is so when you are called to preach before Her Majesty the Queen, and if you have to preach to charwomen or chairmen, still always take care that there is the real gospel in every sermon.” (CH Spurgeon, The Soul Winner)
A Principle that's Not Just for Preachers
I’ve often heard this quote cited in the context of preaching. That’s only natural. It’s the context in which this most beloved of preachers spoke it. But I am convinced it applies equally to us in our own walks with Christ. In our own meditation and study of Scripture. In our own teaching and discipleship relationships. And in the formation of our children. Because if we apply Spurgeon’s bold assertion in our homes, then those family devotions which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of our children. So, let’s practice this discipline in our personal devotions. Let’s model it in our reflections on Scripture with our little ones. Let’s lead our children on a treasure hunt where the prize is Christ.
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