So much of our life is driven by our desire to belong, to find a community where we know we are accepted as we are, but which also gives us room tog row and change. Another truly precious and beautiful treasure found in Christ.

We too often think of rejoicing in trials as an extra burden, a spiritual duty which just makes trials even harder as we pretend to be happy about things that are painful.  But when we think this way we've really missed the boat.  The fact that we can rejoice in trials is a great gift, a truly precious treasure which is just not available to those without the Christian Worldview.  Although scripture does encourage us to rejoice in trials, it does so from the standpoint of celebrating the reasons why this is even possible, not from the standpoint of chastising us for feeling pain in painful times. 

Humility has fallen out of favor in our culture and the implications are fairly large, but what a burden is lifted when we remind the value of Humility in Christ. 

Paul says we not longer regard anyone from a worldly point of view.  What does this mean?  How is it a treasure?  What are the implications for our interactions?

This is another of many in this series where we can realize that something we previously aw as a burden is genuinely a treasure and it makes all the difference.

We all want to be better people, but how do we go about becoming better people? Resolutions?  Discipline?  Willpower? or could it be something else?  Could it be this is actually a treasure of the fanatic, and if so, what does that really mean?

It's a great treasure to have a North Star, an authority outside ourselves to help us navigate the storms of changing culture and circumstances. 

Treasure number one was a Purpose of Delight.  That is an incredible answer to an incredible soul need.  Tonight we explore treasure number two, which, if possible, is an even more deeply felt need, an identity of substance.  

Scripture tells us that every human being was created with one purpose from which all meaning comes.  And guess what, it's not to work for God.  It's something unbelievably good, so unbelievable good that the enemy has a head start in convicting us it can't possibly be what life is about.  A few well meaning Christians, even preachers, may even support the idea that what the Christian is called to is good, but not delightful, but what if God's plan is actually better than you've ever hoped?