The not-yet-visible treasure may be closer than you think

Treasure Hunters
Relentlessly Seeking Signs of God's Grace



How's it going with your gratitude journal?  Last week we were challenged to consider that 

There are beautiful blessings ... even in the ugly messes of life.  

The act of thanksgiving (eucharisteo) can be a prelude to a miracle.

Consider God's word from Matthew 14:19-20 (NIV)...

¹⁹ Jesus directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.


Here's this week's "Lesson from Treasure Hunters" based on a treasure-hunting movie:

Lessons from Treasure Hunters

National Treasure (2004) 

The Not-Yet-Visible Treasure is Closer Than You Think

Part 1: Keep seeking the not-yet-visible treasure (no matter how others respond)

Ben Franklin Gates and his colleague Riley Poole meet Dr. Abigail Chase, telling her about their quest for treasure.  She thinks they’re crazy (treasure? invisible map?), but they keep searching.

Part 2: The treasure may be closer than you think - don't give up hope of finding it.

Ben, Riley, Dr. Chase, and Ben’s father come to what seems like the end of the line—no treasure to be found.  But what they don’t realize at the time is that the treasure they’ve been seeking is closer than they think, just on the other side of the wall that surrounds them.


Scripture Connection
Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

Thanks for Their Gifts
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength....And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

The Secret of Contentment, empowered by Christ, will keep you from giving up hope during the times when the treasures of God's grace seem far away...yet that grace is always closer than we realize.


Our Journey..................................................................................................

During this season of Lent leading up to Easter, our congregation is engaging in a unique group learning experience.  We're soaking up the video teaching of Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are (Zondervan, 2010).

The adventure is to live the New Testament Greek word for "thanksgiving," EUCHARISTEO.  Within this word is the Greek word for "grace," CHARIS...which is related to another key biblical word CHARA, which means "joy."  The equation we're testing out is this: grace + thanksgiving = joy

The daily practice of maintaining a gratitude journal helps us to 

1. Notice the gifts and signs of God's grace in our lives (God's blessings)
2. Be thankful for them, valuing them enough to record them and give thanks to God in prayer
3. Experience the joy that results from doing the first two steps

Don't Settle or Give Up...Keep Seeking the True Treasure

Treasure Hunters
Relentlessly Seeking Signs of God's Grace


How's it going with counting your blessings?

Encouragement from Ann Voskamp in last week's video presentation was in two simple words:

SLOW DOWN

Sometimes we're moving too fast through life to notice the good gifts God has given us.  Eucharisteo (thanksgiving) invites us to slow down and appreciate each moment.

Consider God's word from Psalm 46:10-11 (NIV)
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Slowing down, we have the time to recognize that the gifts of God's grace are valuable treasure.  We need to be intentional in seeking out these treasures in the midst of our lives, because we're likely to overlook them for one reason or another.  Here's this week's "Lesson from Treasure Hunters" based on a treasure-hunting movie:

Lessons from Treasure Hunters
The Goonies (1985)

Give Up…or Keep Seeking?
How not to settle for less than the real thing

Lesson 1: Don't Give Up the Adventure...Keep On Seeking the Treasure
On their underground adventure beneath Astoria, Oregon, seeking the treasure of the famous pirate One-Eyed Willy, the band of kids known as the Goonies encounter what at first looks like the treasure they’ve been seeking. It turns out to be coins piled up at the bottom of a local wishing well.



When a few kids are tempted to give up on the adventure and be pulled up out of the well, Mikey gives an inspirational speech convincing them to continue the treasure-hunting adventure...which turns out to be a very rewarding decision.  Note: Mikey is played by a young Sean Astin, who has made a career of inspirational movie speeches in classics such as Rudy (title character) and Lord of the Rings (Sam).



Lesson 2: Don't Settle for Less Than the Real Treasure
At the bottom of the wishing well the Goonies find false treasure.  Okay, pennies, nickels, and dimes have value, but these coins are not the epic & abundant treasure they're looking for.  How often do we settle for the world's view of treasure that keeps us from seeking the higher treasure of God's gracious intent for our lives?  As you count God's blessings and pray prayers of thanksgiving from your gratitude journal, train your eyes to see new dimensions of treasure along the lines of the key words in Philippians 4:8 (NIV) ...

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."


Our Journey.................................................
During this season of Lent leading up to Easter, our congregation is engaging in a unique group learning experience.  We're soaking up the video teaching of Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are (Zondervan, 2010).

The adventure is to live the New Testament Greek word for "thanksgiving," EUCHARISTEO.  Within this word is the Greek word for "grace," CHARIS...which is related to another key biblical word CHARA, which means "joy."  The equation we're testing out is this: grace + thanksgiving = joy

The daily practice of maintaining a gratitude journal helps us to

1. Notice the gifts and signs of God's grace in our lives (God's blessings)
2. Be thankful for them, valuing them enough to record them and give thanks to God in prayer
3. Experience the joy that results from doing the first two steps

Invitation to An Adventure

Treasure Hunters
Relentlessly Seeking Signs of God's Grace

During this season of Lent leading up to Easter, our congregation is engaging in a unique group learning experience.  We're soaking up the video teaching of Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are (Zondervan, 2010).

In her presentation Ann shares how the simple practice of keeping a gratitude journal has been transformative in her life.  She traces its liberating power back to scripture, and the New Testament Greek word for "thanksgiving," EUCHARISTEO.  Within this word is the Greek word for "grace," CHARIS...which is related to another key biblical word CHARA, which means "joy." 

It's not too much of a stretch to come up with a formula that captures the essence of this powerful word:

grace + thanksgiving = joy

The daily practice of maintaining a gratitude journal helps us to

1. Notice the gifts and signs of God's grace in our lives (God's blessings)
2. Be thankful for them, valuing them enough to record them and give thanks to God in prayer
3. Experience the joy that results from doing the first two steps

I'm adding a dimension to our study that looks at this process as an exercise in treasure hunting.  The gifts of God's grace are the treasure, and we need to seek them out in the midst of our lives - for we often overlook them for one reason or another.  Each of the next four weeks we'll learn a "Lesson from Treasure Hunters" gathered from a treasure-hunting movie.  Here's the first one:

Lesson from Treasure Hunters #1
An Invitation to an Adventure
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Watch the following clip.  At the beginning of the series of three Hobbit movies, Gandalf invites Bilbo Baggins on a treasure-hunting adventure. 




It turns out that initially Bilbo has no interest in going on an adventure.  He would like life to stay just the way it is, thank you.  After all, adventures bring change to the patterns we've adopted for our lives, or as Bilbo puts it, they "make you late for dinner."  Although he closed the door on Gandalf's initial invitation, he ends up going...and his life is changed forever.

Are you ready for an adventure?  You will see amazing things along the way as you daily record signs of God's grace in your life.  But, then again, it is inconvenient to have to get a journal (or an app) and remember to write those blessings down.  Perhaps this is more than we bargained for.  But remember the treasure-hunter's motto: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Extra Help from the Hobbit -
If you've seen the movie or read the book, you may recall what Bilbo's role was on the team of dwarves he was drafted into.  That's right, he was their BURGLAR.  He was on the team to slip past defenses unnoticed to grab the treasure.  Now, it turns out that the treasure the burglar would burgle was actually the rightful property of the dwarves that had been claimed by their fierce adversary, a fire-breathing dragon named Smaug.  Think about it: how has our adversary - a fire-breathing dragon of a different name - kept us from claiming the blessings God has poured into our lives abundantly?  Evil is happy as long as we remain blind to God's gracious provision in our lives.  So, if it helps, when you're seeking out the treasure of God's grace, consider yourself a burglar like Bilbo Baggins, rightfully claiming what the dragon doesn't want you to have.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Kurt


*Next week...The Goonies strengthen us against settling for false treasure

____________

 

Key biblical word

In New Testament Greek: εὐχαριστέω (eucharisteo, you-car-ees-tay’-oh), meaning thanksgiving

εὐχαριστέω (eucharisteo)	Thanksgiving
χάρις (charis)	Grace – unmerited favor or kindness (a biblical concept expressing the essence of salvation in Christ)
χαρά (chara)	Joy
χάρισμα (charisma)	Spiritual gift