Divine Authority and Eternal Treasure: The Sovereignty of God and the Mission of Christ
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Regarding his eternal nature, the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
The Priority of Heavenly Treasures
Concerning the pursuit of wealth, the draft provides specific instructions: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The following table highlights the differences between these two types of treasures:
| Treasure Location | Corruptibility | Security |
|---|---|---|
| Earth | Moth and rust destroy | Thieves break in and steal |
| Heaven | Moth and rust do not corrupt | Thieves do not break in and steal |
The Supreme Authority of the Lord
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it — the Lord is his name: "Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
Furthermore, God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Great Commission and the End of the Age
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Based on this authority, he gave the following charge:
- Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.
- Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
- Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. It is important to remember that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Living with Divine Help
The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees. I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives, knowing that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.