Treasures in Heaven (Part 2)

Introduction: When is the last time you’ve exercised true faith? If someone were ask for a recent example of when you set aside the safety of logic for the risk of obedience to Christ, could you give them one?

If faith had to be proven by the amount of times one had chosen to step-out into the risk of the unknown for the sake of Christ, would you be known as a person of faith?

Background: Today we are looking at the continuation of last weeks sermon “Treasures in Heaven”. We compared storing up treasure on earth to the naivety of a child wanting to save his Ice cream for later. Whatever wealth you amass you cannot save for later. One day you will pass on from this life....you can’t save it for later. God calls us to use what he has given us to make an impact for the Kingdom while we can.

Bible Study tip - Contextual indicators: We see that Jesus begins this next series of statements with the word “therefore”. Never start your Bible study on a passage that begins with the word “therefore”.

This word always indicates that previous information is needed to completely understand the next thought. It connects two or more ideas together.

connection: Here Jesus is connecting the idea of not storing up treasures on earth with worry, concern, and anxiety. It seems that Jesus assumes that the audience listening would struggle with the idea of not striving to store up worldly goods. People in Jesus day really weren’t that much different than we are today.

I imaging that there are some of us are struggling through the same question they had in Jesus day. If I give God control of my pursuits, especially that of my finances could this lead to me not having enough.

Isn’t it awesome how God knows the nature of man. Let’s look together at this teaching.

I. The Command: Don't worry about your life.

Matthew 6:25 CSB

25 “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Here we see that Jesus uses a ser of parallel ideas to illustrate this point

A. sustenance - The Birds

Matthew 6:26 CSB

26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?

B. Clothing - The Wildflowers

Matthew 6:28–30 CSB

28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?

III. The illogical response

Matthew 6:27 CSB

27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?

Matthew 6:30 CSB

30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?

IV. The Promise Vs. 33-34

A. God Knows what you need

Matthew 6:31–32 CSB

31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

The reference to the gentiles was not meant to be insulting to the gentiles. Instead this was largely a reality of the day. By in large there were no gentile nations seeking after the things of God nor did many even have much knowledge of Yahweh, the one true God. So in essence Jesus is making a comparison based on this reality. He is sharing the idea that being more concerned with earthly needs and earthly wealth looks a whole lot more like a person with no knowledge of God than a person with it.

We call this term today “practical atheism”.

“Practical Atheism” is the idea that one believes in a god, yet lives as if that god does not exist.

In other words, the knowledge of God has not impacted his everyday living. This type of person believes yet ignores the practical application of his knowledge

Now, at the beginning of the service. I asked you the following questions:

1. When is the last time you’ve exercised true faith?

2. If someone were ask for a recent example of when you set aside the safety of logic for the risk of obedience to Christ, could you give them one?

3. If faith had to be proven by the amount of times one had chosen to step-out into the risk of the unknown for the sake of Christ, would you be known as a person of faith?

Over the years I have observed so many people in the church that avoid all risk. It is almost like they believe that the Lord would never call them to abandon what they know is safe for the risk of the unknown path.

Imagine with me today if Noah and Abraham had said no.

If Moses had said no, Joshua, caleb, Elijah, Elisha or King David. What about the 12 disciples, Paul, Luke, Timothy. The whole of the Bible shows that following Christ involves no guarantee of safety, comfort, or earthly reward. Yet, we see in these narratives the very promise lived out.

B. If Seek Him, He will provide, and He will reward.

Matthew 6:33 CSB

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Seeking the kingdom is more than just being moral,praying, and attending church. That’s just the beginning. It involves reckless abandon of ones one self-preservation for the sake of the Cross together.Don’t seek anything above the kingdom and you will watch him provide. Then we come to this last verse in chapter 6

Matthew 6:34 CSB

34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This is an idiom for stay on task today. Follow him today and he will guide your tomorrow. Why worry his promise is true!