We’re going to talk about the wealth of heaven this evening. Notice the words riches in verse 2 and treasures in verse 3. The riches and treasures of heaven are in the Lord Jesus Christ and are accessed by faith in the written words of God.
Spiritual treasure right now
- Right now, the riches and treasures of heaven are spiritual; things like comfort, love, assurance, understanding, wisdom, sound mind, and knowledge.
- Right now the riches and treasures of heaven are NOT physical. If you trust the words of God and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, your bank account will not automatically get bigger. Your health will not automatically get better. Why? Because at this moment the riches and treasures of heaven are not physical things. I don’t say that to discourage anyone, but the reality of God’s wealth is that I couldn’t point to anything in this present evil world and say if you love the Lord Jesus Christ, God will pay you back with that mansion over there.
- God’s wealth and riches are in Jesus Christ. And God the Father began to distribute the spiritual treasury of heaven to men by the outpouring of His Holy Ghost.
- Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
- John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7 – The Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, would be sent after the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven.
- The Comforter – the Holy Ghost – would be like Santa Claus bringing spiritual gifts to men. Gifts that have been created in the Lord Jesus Christ. Gifts offered freely to anyone who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
- Gift of eternal life
- Gift of righteousness
- Gift of peace
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-2 – dumb idols are things that we’ve put in the place of God, but are inanimate objects that have none of God’s characteristics. Dumb is not stupid, dumb is unable to speak. 1 Corinthians 12:4
- Romans 12:6-8
- These things are the wealth of God’s kingdom right now.
Hidden treasure
- The wealth and riches are hidden in Christ, so that is why it is called a mystery. Notice 1:25-27.
- You and I can’t see Jesus Christ, but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ anyone has access to righteousness, comfort, peace, joy, love, all accessed by faith.
- Jesus Christ told his disciples in John 14, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. He prepares a place, not an idea, not an intangible something? A real place, physical place that He brings with him.
- What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ? It means I’m broken about my sin. I no longer have my hope in this life. It’s not that I ignore everything in this life, but my life is in Jesus Christ and my hope is in His resurrection and his return to the earth that He created.
- Full assurance of this coming kingdom comes from Jesus Christ rising from the dead. Which means he is going to return to the earth. Acts 17:30-32 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
Physical treasure is coming with the return of Jesus Christ
- Soon there is coming a day when the treasures of heaven WILL be physical as well; when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth with his rewards. When he returns to remove the curse from the earth, cast out the god of this world who is the devil, and Jesus Christ rules as King of kings, dividing the earth to the meek as an inheritance to whosoever he will. So the riches of heaven are not just spiritual, they WILL BE physical as well. When Jesus Christ was being tried by Pilate he said, (John 18:36) My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
- The physical blessings that will accompany the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth are an abundance of production from the land. (Amos 9:13) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed… Peace on earth; (Micah 4:3) And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. There will be no such thing as a wild beast, (Isaiah 11:6) The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the city of God, New Jerusalem, streets of gold, walls of jasper, gates of pearl, and buildings made of all manner of precious stones.
Paul says in 2:4 that he’s reminding the Colossians and Laodiceans of the heavenly wealth in Jesus Christ so these treasures aren’t stolen and spoiled by men’s enticing words. The thieves who will steal God’s treasure from the saints are: philosophy, vain deceit, tradition of men, rudiments of the world (2:8), dietary and holiday rules (2:16), voluntary humility, angel worship, minimizing Jesus Christ (2:18-19).
Then notice Paul’s warning that there are those governed by their own lusts who are subject to the god of this world trying to steal and spoil those riches and treasures. Look at verse 8, then 16, and 18.
