Where Is Your TreaINTRO: IN HIM WE LIVE, IN HIM WE MOVE, IN HIM WE HAVE OUR BEING, IN HIM WE HAVE ALL THINGS!

Matt 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21 marks a transition in THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. In the first half of this chapter, Jesus explains how righteous people practice religion. Verses 1-4 address how righteous people give. Verse 5-15 address how righteous people pray. Verses 16-18 address how righteous people fast. In the later half of this chapter, Jesus moves from warning his disciples about the consequences of hypocrisy to calling his disciples to embrace the values of the kingdom of heaven.

Verses 19-34 make it clear that true righteousness transcends religious activity. To be a citizen of the kingdom is to adopt a countercultural mindset toward material possessions. Righteous people do not, cannot live for the Lord on Sundays and live for money the rest of the week. We show where our devotion rests by seeking the eternal rewards of heaven, rather than the passing riches of this life.

This does not mean that Christians must be poor to be righteous. The Lord does not condemn gaining or having or using material possessions. Money is morally neutral. It is our attitude toward money that is either godly or evil. Having material possessions is not a sin. Being materialistic is.

TRUST NOT IN: I. BE CAREFUL OF WHERE YOUR TREASURES RESIDE

Verse 19 issues a prohibition: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” In the ancient Near East, one’s wardrobe was considered a part of one’s wealth. In 2 Kings 5:22, Gehazi attempted to swindle Namaan out of two changes of clothes. And In Joshua 7:21, Achan sinned by stealing a beautiful cloak from Jericho. Fine clothes were considered great wealth.

But Jesus says do not treasure your clothes, because moth will destroy then. Likewise, precious metals were considered a part of one’s wealth. But Jesus warns not to treasure precious metals, because rust will destroy it. And whatever other valuables you has stashed in your house, don’t treasure them. Thieves will break through the mud walls and steal them.

James 5:3

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Job 31:24-28

“If I have put my trust and confidence in gold,Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,25 If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much, 26 If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone Or the moon going in its splendor, 27 And my heart became secretly enticed [by them],And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],28 This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment,For I would have denied God above

Mark 10:24 (riches or the kingdom)

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

Verse 20 issues a parallel exhortation: “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither most nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Notice that the issue Jesus addresses here is not whether you lay up a treasure. The issue is where your treasure resides. The location of your treasure – earth or heaven – indicates the character of your treasure – worldly or spiritual.

Laying up treasures on earth speaks of worldliness, materialism, and covetousness. Laying up treasure in heaven speaks of trust in God, communion with God, and blessings from God. The point is that in order to have possessions without being possessed by them, you must have a godly value system. You must make sure your priorities are in order. You must adopt a heavenly attitude toward earthly things.

Proverbs 23:4-5 says: “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When yours eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his good income; this also is vanity.” And in Matthew 16:26, Jesus says: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?”

STORING SPIRITUAL TREASURES: BE COMMITTED TO TREASURES THAT REMAIN

Luke 12:13-21 records how Jesus responded to a guy who interrupted his teaching and asked him to settle a financial dispute. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me,” he said. Make my brother split the inheritance with me,” he said. Jesus replied, “What do you thing this is? The People’s Court? Who made me a judge of an arbitrator over you?”

Luke 12:15, Jesus says: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Matthew 6:20 NKJV

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 19:21 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

The scriptures said that this young man after hearing this went away sorrow. He had made an idol of his wealth. He loved it more than God. He had not kept the commandments from his youth up, nor had he kept them at all; and rather than do good with his treasures, and seek his salvation by obeying God, he chose to turn away from the Saviour

Our Example (no one lacked)

Acts 2:45 NKJV

and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

They would sell their land and the things they owned and then divide the money and give it to anyone who needed it.

Acts 4:34 NKJV

Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

1 Timothy 6:19 NKJV

storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Rev 3:18

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

ENDURING TREASURES OF GOD: SUPPLIES OF GOD: SPIRITUAL FOOD:

John 6:27 NKJV

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

GRACES OF GOD:

1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

UNSEEN THINGS OF GOD:

2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV

while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

GODS KINGDOM:

Hebrews 12:27–29 NKJV

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Rev 22:12

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Conclusion:

Matt 6:30-33

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus declares the FACT of life’s loses. In Job 1:21, Job confesses, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” The inevitable reality is that earthly treasures do not last.

This may be the most valuable lesson of the board game, MONOPOLY. At the end of the game, the board is folded, everything is put away, and the lid is placed on top of the box. It’s a little reminder that someday our lives will be over as well. Then it will hardly matter who owned how many railroads and utilities, or who owned boardwalk. Earthly treasures do not last.

Likewise, Jesus declares the FACTORS of life’s losses. Verses 19-20 name three factors that guarantee the loss of material possessions: moth, rust, and thieves.

Moth speaks of nature: tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc.

Rust speaks of time (depreciation, wear-and-tear, out-dated, etc. And thieves speak of people: swindlers, car-jackers, family members, and televangelists.

When the heart is mentioned in scripture metaphorically, it refers to the seat of personhood, the totality of our inward being, who we are underneath the skin – the mind, the will, and the emotions. So when Jesus says that your heart follows your treasure, the point is clear, precise, and stinging.

Your treasure is revealed by what you think about the most. Your treasure is revealed by what you choose to do and do not do. And your treasure is revealed by what you are passionate about.

And note that Jesus makes this statement to his own disciples. They were following Jesus. But their hearts could still be lead astray into an ungodly fixation with things. And it can happen to you.

1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Be careful where your treasure resides.

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