John MacArthur tells of a story he saw in the May 17, 1987 edition of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution. He says a rock hound named Rob Cutshaw owns a little roadside shop outside Andrews, North Carolina. Like many in the trade, he hunts for rocks, then sells them to collectors or jewelry makers. He knows enough about rocks to decide which to pick up and sell, but he's no expert. He leaves the appraising of his rocks to other people. As much as he enjoys the work, it doesn't always pay the bills. He occasionally moonlights, cutting wood to help put bread on the table. While on a dig twenty years ago, Rob found a rock he described as "purdy and big." He tried unsuccessfully to sell the specimen, and according to the Constitution, kept the rock under his bed or in his closet. He guessed the blue chunk could bring as much as $500 dollars, but he would have taken less if something urgent came up like paying his power bill. That's how close Rob came to hawking for a few hundred dollars what turned out to be the largest, most valuable sapphire ever found. The blue rock that Rob had abandoned to the darkness of a closet two decades ago -- now known as "The Star of David" sapphire -- weighs nearly a pound, and could easily sell for $2.75 million.
“Christ in you, the hope of glory,” the apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:27. He dwells within each and every child of God. Just as that chunk of blue rock had within it an invaluable gemstone, we have within each of us a treasure much more precious than diamonds or rubies – more precious than gold or silver – more precious than sapphires or platinum. The Lord Jesus Christ is our treasure. Rev. John Cromarty described Him thus: My friends in Christ, behold the treasure. The treasure is Christ, the way, the truth and the life. The treasure is Christ, the resurrection and the life. The treasure is Christ, the light of the world. The treasure is Christ, our prophet, priest and king. The treasure is Christ, merciful, gracious and who receives sinners.
And this treasure abides in earthen vessels – that’s you – that’s me –that’s us. We who are frail bodies of dust inbreathed with the living breath of God – indwelt with the living glory of God – are the tabernacles in which the precious Son of God has taken His abode. Psalm 103:14 tells us, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” In Isaiah 64:8, God tells us that we are clay in the hand of the potter, “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Jeremiah speaks of the relationship between the potter and the clay in Jeremiah 18, as does the Apostle Paul in Romans 9. Such is the condition of these vessels of clay – these creatures of dust. Job tells man’s condition in Job 7:5 where he says, “My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.” And yet God chose these clods of dust in which to place His treasure.
Man who is weak and powerless can do nothing in himself. I heard one preacher say, “Man is a biz zero with the rim rubbed out.” That’s how much nothing we are. Yet God, in His infinite love and mercy and wisdom and grace chose to hide His treasure in these weak, earthen vessels. He tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “For my strength is made perfect in weakness.” And Paul declares in the next verse, “For when I am weak, then am I strong.” And this treasure – the Lord Jesus Christ – the riches of His grace – the salvation we have in Him – this pearl of great price – this treasure hid in the field – our Saviour and King – the blessed Spirit of God dwells within each one who has accepted His gracious gift. He is the treasure and we the earthen vessels.
Quote – “The heavenly treasure now we have In a vile house of clay! Yet He shall to the utmost save, And keep it to that day.” – Potto
