Treasure! The word sound so attractive and for most people seeking after treasure is something exciting and wonderful. And while earthly treasures can provide some satisfaction and happiness, for those who have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus, they pale in comparison. As Christians we are told in (Colossians 3:1-2): “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
While we all desire earthly treasures they can only provide some satisfaction. After awhile our satisfaction fades and we seek after something different. And the reason is simple – we were created for something far more desirable than mere earthly treasures. I love how Paul David Tripp puts it: “We weren’t created to find our satisfaction in the little, earthbound kingdom treasures of the here and now. We were created to seek a better treasure, and in so doing to be eternally grateful and satisfied.”1
And just what is this better treasure that we are told in Colossians to set our hearts and minds on? I believe we find the answer reflected in the Westminster Shorter Catechism which tells us that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. My friends there can be no greater treasure in this life than to do everything we can with our time, talent, and earthly treasures to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Some of the ways we glorify God are to serve Him, obey His will, understand and proclaim His greatness, and always reverence Him with thankfulness and praise. And while these activities often require self-denial of earthly treasures, paradoxically self-denial is the pathway to ultimate satisfaction and enjoyment in God.
Earthly treasures can only bring temporary happiness while glorifying Jesus brings lasting joy both now and for all of eternity. For you see when we do things to glorify Jesus we not only get the joy of the Lord now, but we are accruing heavenly treasures that will be ours forever once we leave this physical body and are called home to be with the Lord.
There simply can be no greater treasure than knowing and living for Jesus. The joy and satisfaction we experience is clearly the better treasure and in the words of Paul David Tripp this treasure is eternally satisfying!
Treasure Worth Bleeding For…
From The cranky Apologist
Mr. Blattman reminds us that “Treasure” sounds exciting because our hearts are wired to chase it. But he cuts the shine off the usual idols: earthly treasure can only scratch the itch for a while before it fades and we go hunting for the next shiny thing.
Scripture answers that restlessness: we’re told to set our hearts and minds on things above, where Christ is, not on the passing stuff here (Colossians 3:1–2). Our “better treasure” is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, pouring our time, talents, and resources into Christ’s honor, not our ego. Self-denial of earthly treasure is not loss, it is the path into deeper joy. Knowing and living for Jesus is the treasure that satisfies now and into eternity.
Now tie that to a noisy room at a Rescue Mission room in Madera, years ago, where a determined outreach pastor named Neveu reminded the men that we are just sinners saved by grace with something to rejoice about: salvation.
Neveu asked the right brutal question: “What do you really want from God?” Some wanted a bed, some a meal, some a miracle, some a way out of their own wreckage.
But Neveu pressed the deeper point: if we have Christ, we already have the one thing that can never be taken away. That’s our real reason to rejoice.
So what do we actually hold as treasure from God?
It’s not the relief of our circumstances.
It’s not the comfort of a steady paycheck or a quiet life.
It’s not even the temporary feeling of “being blessed” when things finally go our way.
Our treasure is this: God has given us Himself in Christ, and then trusted us with His message.
Jesus didn’t save us so we could polish our testimony like a trophy and return to the trough of pleasures the world loves. He gave us salvation, then wrapped it in a command:
“Go…make disciples…teach them…preach the gospel…”
This is service, not a hobby. Christ didn’t say “please,” and He didn’t limit it to weekends or when it’s convenient. The Great Commission is how God spends His treasure. He pours His grace into broken people, then spends those same people on a broken world.
That’s where a lot of us choke. We say we treasure Christ, but we live like we treasure being left alone.
We want enough grace to go to heaven,
but not so much grace that it rearranges our calendar, wallet, or reputation.
Here’s the courtroom image: if being Christian were a crime, are we guilty of a full-on felony of discipleship, or just a spiritual traffic ticket? Half-commitment exposes our real treasure. When safety, comfort, and public approval outrank obedience, we’ve already answered the question, “What do I value most?”
Biblically, treasure is measured not by what we collect, but by what we’re willing to lose for Christ.
The world chases “happiness” in drugs, alcohol, relationships, violence, money, cars, status. That’s just trying to buy divine joy with human junk. Happiness depends on what’s happening. Joy depends on what already happened at Calvary. Earthly treasure needs constant maintenance. Gospel treasure was secured 2,000 years ago in blood, and we can’t add one cent to it.
And here’s the twist that cuts right to the bone:
God’s treasure to us is not just salvation; it is joy in the middle of the mess.
We still face trials, we still get hunted by Satan, we still hit those midnight hours where the walls close in. But Paul and Silas showed us what treasured grace looks like: locked up, beaten, and still praying and singing hymns at midnight.
Joy is what we do with our mouths when our circumstances are awful and our Savior is still worthy.
So let’s stop kidding ourselves.
If our heart only rejoices when life is smooth, then our treasure is comfort.
If our worship dies when the bank account shrinks, then our treasure is money.
If our obedience collapses when we are mocked, then our treasure is our reputations.
But if we can still rejoice because our names are written in heaven, because God has already stepped into our pit, because Christ has already overcome the world… then our real treasure is exactly where Curt pointed: knowing, loving, and glorifying Jesus, and pouring our lives out so others can know Him too.
Treasure from God is not fragile. It does not evaporate in a bad economy. It does not depend on who sits in political power, or where we slept last night, or how many times we’ve blown it. Real treasure is this:
Christ has bled for you.
The Spirit dwells in you.
The Father calls you His.
And in the meantime, He lets you carry His gospel into dark places so someone else can have something to rejoice about too.
If that doesn’t move the needle, it’s not because the treasure is small. It’s because our hearts are still bowing to trinkets.
So ask the hard question:
What do I rejoice in first?
My comforts, or my Christ?
That answer will tell you, with painful clarity, what you actually hold as treasure.
What you can’t bear to lose is your real treasure. A disciple is the one who can lose everything but Christ and still call him/herself rich.