Excerpt from the class “Christ is Everything to His Followers.” Also used in pastoral care, counseling, and prison ministry.
In Christ all the treasures are stored (Colossians 2:3).
Texas Tom was a billionaire who’s easily depressed. When he’s down, he doesn’t go to his pastor or a counselor. He goes to his banker and complains: “Nothing’s any good.” And the banker knows exactly what to do. He brings a security guard and takes his customer into the bank vault. He shows Tom bags of money on the floor and stacks of bills on the shelves. He lets Tom touch it, count it, and smell it for as long as he wants. Then the banker reminds Tom that his accounts contain more than all that’s in the vault that day!
Then the Texas Rancher’s frown turns upside down, his eyes gleam, and he says: “Everything’s fine now!” He doesn’t need to take any money with him. He’s cheered by simply remembering his resources. His change of perspective brings him comfort, joy, and peace of mind.
Whatever our need or situation, God the Holy Spirit plays “banker” in the Bible. He shows us Christ’s treasures throughout the Scriptures that make all of Jesus’ followers spiritually wealthy. No matter how much or how little we have in material prosperity, the Holy Spirit says: Look in the vault. Look at the whole Bible and see what you have in Christ and rejoice in Him.
Give thanks because God’s given us Jesus Christ, His Son!
Let the weak say, “I am strong.”
Let the poor say, “I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us.”
(Lyrics by Henry Smith, who was blind, 1978)
We need frequent and repeated trips into the vault of God’s Scripture, because things often go wrong for Christians. Jesus’ followers really experience troubles. Elisabeth Elliot says: Suffering is not having what we want. Or having what we don’t want. We want a job, a spouse, a child, a friend, good health and we don’t have it. Or we have an unhappy family, a bad job, poor health, loneliness and we don’t want that. Christian believers are disappointed when plans fall through. Often little mishaps upset us unduly. We can’t count on wealth, like Texas Tom did, because even if we’re wealthy, we will lose our fortunes one day. We can’t count on good health or loved ones to be with us forever. Job said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”1
We can’t count on anything in this world to last. This world and its desires pass away.2 When Christ comes again, the earth and everything in it will be destroyed by fire.3 So we must learn to hope in the Lord Jesus and be happy in Him and cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us.4
Let’s be like the Texas rancher and go into the vault of Scripture. Let’s take stock of the treasure we have in Jesus, and do it often, every day, several times each day. Let’s encourage ourselves and others with all that we have in Christ, until He returns for us as He has promised. We can count on Him!
Notes: 1 Job 1:21. 2 1 John 2:17. 3 2 Peter 3:7,10,12. 4 1 Peter 5:7.