Treasure

Barbara Walters called her one of the 10 Most Fascinating People of 1995. She’s been on David Letterman’s show and invited to appear with Oprah Winfrey. She’s been interviewed by every major network. She’s received awards from Harvard, UNESCO, and the President of the United States. Yet Oseola McCarty quit school at 12 and worked as a laundress all her life. At the age of 90 she gave her life savings, $150,000 to the University of South Mississippi for scholarships. Ted Turner said her gift was greater than his billion dollar gift to the U.N. When she gave the money she had never even been on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi! When we give we are laying up treasure in Heaven, even though we have never been there.

-Robert Shannon, Preaching May/June 1998

View more sermon illustrations for inspiration for your next message.

David Jeremiah notes that, “One of the better known treasure hunts in modern times has been the quest to find the rumored wealth known as the “Beale treasure.” The hunt began when an eccentric man, who left the East for the gold and silver mines of the West, returned home, supposedly hid a vast amount of wealth, then disappeared forever. All he left behind were several messages written in a mysterious code.

One of those messages when deciphered told of the treasure and its approximate location. Since the Beale documents first came to light, thousands of man-hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent attempting to break the codes and find the legendary treasure.

“The Bible tells us that earthly treasures have no eternal value. It is easy to get caught up in the things of this world, but there is no eternal benefit to storing up goods here. Evaluate your heart today. Where is your treasure?

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-4 NIV
(from Turning Point Daily Devotional 7/10/03)

View more sermon illustrations for inspiration for your next message.