7. THE INFINITE TREASURE

7. THE INFINITE TREASURE

• We begin by correcting a common misperception: We have often mistaken Christ’s meekness for weakness and misunderstood righteousness to mean passionless.

He could not have been sick and done the work (occupation) that the Word of God said He had. It took strength to do the kinds of things that He did in carpentry. Christ was a man of passion.

Three Portraits of a Passionate Christ

(Because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we will consider each of these points in present rather than past tense.)

Portrait One: Christ is passionate about His people’s praise (Luke 19:28-40). Don’t miss the few unpleasant faces in the portrait (painted in v. 39).

After He had proved Himself to be the Messiah, Christ was proclaiming Himself to be the Messiah. This is a picture of compulsory praise. The applause is for Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone.

Two observations based on the confrontation between Christ and the indignant Pharisees:

• The praises of God can reveal the heart of man.

It is something about the praises of God, when we are out of sorts that will reveal the heart; and also reveal that you are hurting. The heart of us comes forth, and is made evident during praise. The Pharisees found it very confrontational, because they did not have a heart for praise.

• The triumphs of Christ are our greatest cause for praise. However, some of Christ’s most magnificent triumphs are the least recognizable to man.

 Matthew 27:51 – The veil was torn from top to bottom; from heaven to earth – access always begins with God, and the rocks split.

Colossians 2:13-15 – This is the greatest victory that has ever been wrought. All of those gathered around Him were not praising; they were devastated. In the heavenlies, the cross was the greatest triumph ever, in all of time. There was no one among His followers, the ones who loved Him and cherished Him, who cried out in victory and triumph that day. The rocks cried out and split in two out of victory and triumph. We are free because of the triumph of the cross.

Portrait Two: Christ is passionate about His people’s peace (Luke 19:41-44).

It was the emotion of love as He looked over the city.

The original Greek word for wept in this verse is klaio, meaning “to weep, to wail, implying not only the shedding of tears, but also every external expression of grief.” Three observations based on Christ’s lamentation over Jerusalem:

• The cause of Christ’s deepest grief is when He stands before us, holding out exactly what we need, and we refuse it.

Even in the middle of your circumstances, and situations that have no answers, Christ says “Yes, even you.” I have peace for you in the middle of your circumstances

• Our refusal makes us vulnerable to a full-scale attack.

What Jesus prophesied came to pass about 40 years later under the rule of Titus, when the Temple fell. Almost the picture of the chief cornerstone being removed from the Temple, and eventually it collapsed.

We have all been there – when He has offered us something we would not receive, and it has left us open to attack; particularly His peace (Colossians 3:15). Peace is always a matter of the rulership of Christ. We are to be under the authority of Christ, and He will bring us sooner or later, a sense of peace. It will accompany His authority.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Pray about everything. When we do, we are submitting it to the authority of Christ, giving it for Him to take control of, instead of you and me (us). Peace will come because it is peace that accompanies the authority.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – His commands to us are usward to bring us peace, so that he can put us in a posture of blessing. Put it in His hands and peace will come.

Luke 10:21 – The word “joy” is the Greek word “egallio” which means “to leap, skip, dance, with estatic joy.” The exact opposite emotion and passion for the exact opposite reason.

Portrait Three: Christ is passionate about His Father’s house (Luke 19:45-48).

In addition, see John 2:17. “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

The zeal of God’s house consumed Christ in that moment, and He was adamant that it be used for the purposes of God.

The original Greek word for zeal is zelos from zeo, meaning “to be hot or fervent.” The word can also mean “jealous.”

Our God is a jealous (quana, Hebrew) God. He is always jealous for us. He will not have anyone in competition with Him. That is exactly how Christ felt when He walked in and saw what had happened to the Temple. He was jealous for His Father’s presence there.

What the Temple was to God in many ways, the church is to Christ. God is jealous for Christ’s spiritual house (churches) with a holy jealousy for those places to be used for the purposes that Christ died for.

Revelation 1:12-13, 20 – The picture in Revelation is of God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, literally walking through the lampstands. His churches in every single generation are His lampstands; in this dark generation. We have been chosen exactly for this generation of time before the foundation of the world; it is the generation that has been assigned to us. It matters to God what is going on inside of churches that bear His name.

He knows the difference between a praying church and a playing church, a church of the Word and a church of the world, a church that goes through the motions and another that stirs up nothing but emotions, and another of pure devotion. He knows the difference between a church that seeks His fellowship, and one that seeks big membership. He knows every church that is all about Him and every church that is all about man. It matters to Him deeply what He finds down our halls.

Conclusion: We are a people of passion, created in the image of God.

Hebrews 12:18-26 – When God shakes your life, you find out what is eternal. God created us in His image. He created us to want to have passion, but He wants to be your chief passion. Set your affections on Him; he has set His affections on you.

Hebrews 12:29 – What God consumes He sets afire. Withhold nothing from Him, and He will light a fire!