Exploring Priceless Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

2. PRICELESS TREASURES COL. 2:1-3 [By Ron Halbrook]

3. 1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. C O L. 2

4. PRICELESS TREASURES Introduction: • Treasures beyond all value! • Paul desires saints to find: • Encouragement • United in love • All riches of understanding • Know the mystery: God’s plan of salvation • Christ: source of all treasures!

5. PRICELESS TREASURES Introduction: 3. Treasures waiting for all who seek! • God • The Soul • The Bible • Blood of Christ • Gospel of Christ • Church of Christ • Godly Home • Brethren • Prayer • Heaven

6. PRICELESS TREASURES I. God A. Col. 2:1-9 God Fully Revealed in Christ • Vv. 1-3 All treasures of God in Christ • Vv. 4-8 Abide in teaching of Christ • Vs. 9 Christ is deity 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

7. PRICELESS TREASURES I. God B.Ps. 73:3, 24-28 Greatest treasure in heaven & earth

8. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. P S A L M 73

9. PRICELESS TREASURES I. God C.Ps. 84:1-4, 10-11 Lowly Levite: Priceless Privilege to Serve God!

10. 1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. P S A L M 84

11. 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. P S A L M 84

12. PRICELESS TREASURES II. The Soul A.Gen. 1:27; 2:7 Man: Spirit & Body Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

13. PRICELESS TREASURES II. The Soul A.Gen. 1:27; 2:7 Man: Spirit & Body Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

14. PRICELESS TREASURES II. The Soul B. Matt. 16:24-27 The Soul’s Great Value • Mandates self-denial • Greater than all earthly things • Conduct determines eternal destiny

15. 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. M A T T. 16

16. PRICELESS TREASURES II. The Soul C. Jn. 3:16 How God Values the Soul 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17. PRICELESS TREASURES III. The Bible A. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Inspired of God, Profitable to Us 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

18. PRICELESS TREASURES III. The Bible B. Ps. 19:7-11 More Valuable Than Gold

19. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. P S A L M 19

20. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. P S A L M 19

21. PRICELESS TREASURES III. The Bible C. Ps. 119 Riches Beyond Compare

22. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. P S A L M 119 127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

23. PRICELESS TREASURES III. The Bible D. 1 Pet. 1:23 – 2:3 Protected by God to Give Us Spiritual Life

24. 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 P E T. 1

25. 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 P E T. 2

26. PRICELESS TREASURES IV. The Blood of Christ A. 1 Pet. 1:18-19 Our Redemption More Costly than Silver & Gold • Ransomed, released from bondage • Sins forgiven, begin new life

27. 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 1 P E T. 1

28. PRICELESS TREASURES IV. The Blood of Christ B. Lk. 4:18-19 Proclaim Good News, Jubilee, Liberty • Ransomed, released from bondage

29. 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. L U K E 4

30. PRICELESS TREASURES IV. The Blood of Christ B. Lk. 4:18-19 Proclaim Good News, Jubilee, Liberty • Lk. 24:46-47 Crucifixion before proclamation

31. 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. L U K E 24

32. PRICELESS TREASURES IV. The Blood of Christ C. Rev. 5:9-12 Praise to Christ for This Priceless Gift!

33. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. R E V. 5

34. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. R E V. 5

35. PRICELESS TREASURES V. The Gospel of Christ A. Rom. 1:16-17 God’s Power to Make Us Right with God

36. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. R O M. 1

37. PRICELESS TREASURES V. The Gospel of Christ B. Eph. 3:6-8 Riches Beyond Compare!

38. 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; E P H. 3

39. PRICELESS TREASURES V. The Gospel of Christ C. Phil. 3:7-11 Greater Gain than Earthly Honors

40. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, P H I L. 3

41. 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. P H I L. 3

42. PRICELESS TREASURES VI. The Church of Christ A. Acts 20:28 Purchased with the Blood of Christ • Called out of sin to Christ • Redeemed by his blood • Protected under his oversight

43. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. A C T S 20

44. PRICELESS TREASURES VI. The Church of Christ B. Matt. 13:44-46 Sacrifice All to Gain this Treasure! • Forgiveness of all sins • Fellowship with God • Eternal life in heaven

45. 44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. M A T T. 13

46. PRICELESS TREASURES VI. The Church of Christ C. Eph. 3:8-10 Riches Beyond Compare • Reflects many facets of God’s wisdom

47. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, E P H. 3

48. PRICELESS TREASURES VI. The Church of Christ D. Eph. 5:23-27 Bride of Christ: Pure, Holy, Faithful

49. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. E P H. 5

50. PRICELESS TREASURES VII. Godly Home A. Eph. 5:23-27 Where Love Reigns: Pure, Holy, Faithful Relationship