TREASURE. Matthew 13:52.

Do you have any treasures, things that if lost in a fire would break your heart? I find it hard to think of treasures—but that may be because I have never had a house burn down.

But going through my parents’ home reminds me of treasures: irreplaceable albums and heirlooms. What are treasures you can’t replace? Jewelry? Guns? Photos? Paintings?

Jesus talked a lot about treasure.

Today I ran across a verse that made me curious so I read it in other translations—and the meaning became clear:

“Every expert in the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings from storage treasures both new and old” Matthew 13:52.

An expert in the law would be an expert in the OLD TESTAMENT.

And if that same expert were then to become a disciple (student) of the kingdom of heaven, he would begin discovering the amazing grace in the NEW TESTAMENT.

The Old Testament teaches us the joy of living with the discipline of observing the law; the New Testament teaches us the joy of walking in grace.

But many Christians dislike the law so much they can hardly read the Old Testament. Some are so burdened with guilt and the weight of their failures, they hate the law. But Paul says the law is holy and just and good, and that the law was his teacher, leading him to Christ. Romans 7:12, 7. And while many today might ignore the law completely, as though it never existed, Jesus said, “Do not think I came to abolish the law… I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17.

We walk in GRACE. We are forgiven and freed from the grip of sin. But the law remains a storehouse of TREASURE. Never neglect it.

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful. Yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” Hebrews 12:11.

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