Hidden Treasures: Part 6

Church History: From The Parables Of The Hidden Treasures We Learn These Things:Matthew 13:44-52
1. Those who are to instruct others need to be well instructed themselves. If the priest's lips must keep knowledge, his head must first have knowledge.
2. The instruction of a gospel minister must be in the kingdom of heaven that is it about which his business lies. A man may be a great philosopher and politician, and yet if not instructed to the kingdom of heaven, he will make a bad minister.
He compares them to a good householder, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old; fruits of last year's growth and this year's gathering, abundance and variety, for the entertainment of his friends, Song of Solomon 7:13.
Note:
1. What should a minister's furniture be, a treasure of things new and old. Those who have so many and various occasions, have need to stock themselves well in their gathering days with truths new and old, out of the Old Testament and out of the new; with ancient and modern improvements, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished, 2Timothy 3:16, 17. Old experiences, and new observations, all have their use; and we must not be content with old discoveries, but must be adding new. Live and learn.

2. What use he should make of this furniture; he should bring forth: laying up is in order to laying out, for the benefit of others. You are to lay up, but not for yourselves. Many are full, but they have no vent (Job 32:19); have a talent, but they bury it; such are unprofitable servants; Christ himself received that he might give; so must we, and we shall have more. In bringing forth, things new and old do best together; old truths, but new methods and expressions, especially new affections.