(Matthew 6:19-24) The Great Pursuit: Treasure or Christ

“Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

Our country was founded on the idea that we have an uncompromising right to freedom to pursue happiness.

The declaration of Independence says:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Yet, notice what the declaration of independence does not say.

It doesn’t tell us - how to have happiness.

It guarantees us the pursuit of happiness,

but it does not teach us how to have happiness.

And thus,

the American dream - is the freedom to find happiness, as we believe best.

But does every pursuit of happiness equal true happiness?

Think about that!

Does every pursuit of happiness equal true happiness?

Consider for a moment -

What kinds of things do we pursue to pursue happiness?

We pursue -

what inevitably we believe will bring us:

Joy

Pleasure

and comfort

> We pursue Hobbies because hobbies bring us joy, pleasure, and comfort.

Whether we are talking about

fishing or computer gaming,

camping or shopping.

> We pursue travel because it brings us joy, pleasure, and comfort.

We visit the great cities of America.

We visit the national parks of America.

We visit Disneyland, Sea World, and Legoland.

Why … because it makes us happy.

We get joy, pleasure, and comfort out of it.

> We pursue marriage?

Because we believe our spouse can make us happy.

That girl or guy … is someone who makes me happy.

> We pursue children?

Because we get joy and pleasure out of little minnions running around.

> We pursue retirement and savings … because we believe a well planned retirement plan will bring us joy and pleasure.

WE PURSUE MANY THINGS >>> BELIEVING THEY WILL MAKE US HAPPY.

And it is true,

there is some level in which those things can bring us joy, pleasure, and comfort.

But many times … the unexpected turns of life robs those blessing away.

Talk to someone who was …

crippled in a car accident,

lost a loved one,

or had their life savings robbed

… how happy did that pursuit make them.

Today I bring you one more verse in this series … the hardest verses in the Bible.

This morning we look at a text .... in which

Jesus teaches us 3 lessons for how to pursue true lasting happiness.

What really makes us happy?

What brings true joy, pleasure, and comfort?

Matthew 6:19–24 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

This passage happens to be the very words of Jesus.

As part of the Sermon on the Mount … Jesus teaches us to

pursue God more than riches.

You see,

in the days Jesus … the Spiritual elite were the Pharisee’s.

> They were the professional lawyers of the Old Testament Law.

> Considered to not only be experts of the law, but the most devout people of God.

But the sad reality is that they had exchanged true faith … with an outside fasod of religion and religious deeds.

And one of the ways they revealed who they truly worship … was by pursuing the treasures of earth instead of the wonders of Heaven.

And what does Jesus mean by treasure?

We don’t collect Money, Wealth, and treasure simply because we need some paper to write things down on.

> We collect money, wealth, and treasure because it makes us happy.

> We collect money, wealth, and treasure because we believe it will bring us joy, pleasure, and comfort.

This is why Jesus says - MT 6:21:

Matthew 6:21 ESV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

CAVEAT:

It is not the treasure … money and wealth that is the problem.

You can be wealthy … and not make it the pursuit of your life.

What jesus is saying … is that what when we pursue wealth over God …

- what we are really saying is … that we believe wealth will ultimately make us happy.

- what we are really saying is … that we believe wealth will bring us ultimate joy, pleasure, and comfort.

- what we are really saying is … We worship wealth as our God.

That is why Jesus says in this passage -

Matthew 6:21 ESV

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

And so Jesus gives us 3 lessons in this text for how to find true, lasting Happiness.

What really makes us happy?

****************************PRAY****************************

First Lesson,

(1) Heavenly riches are better than earthly riches. (Matthew 6:19-21)

The first instinct of most people, is to enjoy the present.

ILLUSTRATION:

This is why most Americans spend there entire pay check, every month.

Because we are wired to think about the here and now.

78% of Americans live pay check to pay check.

[https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/stop-living-paycheck-to-paycheck]

And it takes a lot of wisdom and planning to think about the future.

Because we are wired to think about the here and now.

Jesus warns us against this.

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

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

Jesus is warning us to not just think about the here and now,

but to consider the future.

Jesus makes this great comparison … about how safe earthly wealth is.

Or about how unsafe earthly wealth is.

Jesus reminds us that wealth in this world has two great enemies.

The first - is the elements.

Nothing lasts long in this world.

Because pests and decay destroy everything.

Just consider … how many things do you have from your childhood.

Not many.

Maybe a teddy bear, or a hair clip.

But most things brake.

Or decayed.

Or ripped.

Where is that Christmas present you were so excited about on your 10th birthday?

Do you even remember it?

The Second great enemy- thieves.

We live in a day where our life savings are secure in monitored FDIC insured accounts

… so do we really have to worry about thieves stealing our life savings?

- And yet it is estimated 47% of Americans experienced identity theft in 2020 accounting for 712.4 Billion in losses.

- 4.8 Billion people filed identity theft claims in 2020.

[https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-identity-theft-and-cybercrime]

The losses are not simply bank accounts and 401k’s wiped out, but false credit cards and loans given out.

Debt we didn’t choose, but was falsely made.

And that is not counting traditional theft.

I have known more than one person who has come home … only to find their house has been robbed.

Their valuables gone and their house wrecked.

As modern as our society is … Decay and theft continue to pose serious threats to our treasure.

Never mind the fact that you can’t take it with you.

This week a Pastor friend of mying posted on Facebook this funny point.

“Your Hurst will not come with a u-haul. ”

You get the irony.

So this all begs the question?

Why do we all think that wealth and money can bring us ultimate happiness?

And yet Jesus also reminds us … is that we have another investment option.

To store up our riches in heaven.

A place were our treasure will never perish,

and no thieves can break in.

The New Testament repeatedly teaches us that as Christians, we invest in heaven every time we live for Christ.

1 Timothy 6:18–19 (ESV)

They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

CAVEAT:

I cannot stress enough, these riches are only for believers in Christ.

Without Christ … we are inevitably doomed to hell.

And good works cannot buy us a place in heaven.

But for Christians, we each get to invest in the bank of heaven … every time we live for Christ.

I will often challenge my kids … about whether they are putting money in the bank of heaven or not.

The implication of this is obvious …

Our earthly riches are temporary and prone to loss.

Nothing in this world can guarantee the safety of our treasure.

And so first lesson of true happiness -

The riches of heaven - which are eternal … are better than riches that will decay or be stolen here on earth.

The first lesson of true happiness is,

Heavenly riches are better than earthly riches.

Do you prefer heavenly riches or earthly riches?

The Second Lesson,

(2) Your desires reflect who you are. (Matthew 6:22-23)

This next section is often misused, or miss applied.

We focus about what Jesus says about our eyes, but forget it is connected to Jesus teaching about wealth.

Jesus says.

Matthew 6:22–23 ESV

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Jesus uses our eyes to help us understand our pursuit of wealth.

Consider this,

what do you spend the most time looking at?

Is it people?

Is it the TV screen?

Is it sunsets?

Is it recipes?

Is it the Bible?

Or is it sin?

Our eyes ultimately reflect what we pursue in our lives.

This is why Jesus says … the eye is the lamp of the body.

What we watch the most reflects who we are.

But vision and pursuit are also a reflection of another human emotion … desire.

Think about this … what you watch the most reveals what you desire the most.

Sport fanatics can’t help but look at the latest score.

Gamers can’t help but look at the tv screen.

Detailed oriented people can’t help but look at their checklist.

ILLUSTRATION

I love ice cream, bbq sauces, and hot sauces.

What do you think I go out of my way to look at every time I go to the grocery store.

In fact, the other day I was in a rush to pick something … and happen to walk down the ice cream aisle.

I couldn’t help but look at the different kinds of ice cream.

I literally can’t walk past the aisle without looking.

What we look at with our eyes reflect the desires of our heart.

So why does Jesus talk to us about our eyes?

- Because he wants you to consider what you pursue in life.

- What we treasure we will constantly look at.

An important lesson in pursuing happiness is to recognizing what we are watching with our eyes …

Because they become snapshots of what really desire.

> If we truly desire the things of God,

than we will pursue with our eyes the things of God.

> If we truly desire earthly riches,

than our eyes reveal what we really desire and pursue.

Your desires reflect who you are.

I ask you,

What do your eyes reveal about you?

And the final Lesson, for how to find true happiness.

(3) Your pursuits reflect who you truly worship. (Matthew 6:24)

The Pharisee’s were by reputation ...

the spiritual giants of their day.

But what should humble us, and challenge us …

is that Jesus called them Hypocrites.

That is really strong language.

Those are what I would call … fighting words.

If I called you a hypocrite … you would be angry with me.

And Jesus called them hypocrites.

Why?

One reason.

Because outwardly they worshiped God,

but inwardly they worshipped money.

Jesus gives his main point in Matthew 6:24:

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

The Pharisee’s were trying to worship God and money.

The Pharisee’s were trying to pursue God and money.

You could say,

they believed that worshipping God was the path to true lasting Happiness.

But they also wanted riches …

revealing what they really believed would give them true, lasting happiness.

Earthly Treasure.

And you and me face the same difficulty.

In case you think material prosperity has no effect on your Spiritual condition … Matthew 6:24 teaches otherwise.

And I would challenge us … that true worship of Christ means I can’t chase God and riches.

> I can only chase one.

> Either God or riches,

but not both.

ILLUSTRATION:

My kids and I have been reading a children's biography of David Livingston’s life.

- He was an English missionary to Africa in the 1840s.

- His ministry was in giving the Gospel to areas in Africa who had never seen a westerner.

In the book, they describe missionaries who wanted to go to Africa to share the Gospel, but wanted to take the comforts of England with them.

They were unwilling to go beyond the comforts of life.

And they often criticized David Livingston for going where there were no comforts.

David Livingston called these missionaries - “Veranda Missionaries”.

And I ask you today … Are you Veranda Christian?

You will serve Jesus … so long as it doesn’t cost to much.

You will serve Jesus … as long as you can have all of your stuff.

You will serve Jesus .... as long as you can have what brings you joy, pleasure, and comfort.

One of the great dangers that Christians face … is that they will become to tied to the material things of this world.

That their desire for joy, pleasure, and comfort … would leave them empty and apathetic to the things of God.

Do your pursuits show you love God or riches?

CONCLUSION

This morning,

Jesus gives us a powerful lesson about the Dangers of wealth, prosperity, and riches.

He teaches us that:

(1) Heavenly riches are better than earthly riches. (Matthew 6:19-21)

(2) Your desires reflect who you are. (Matthew 6:22-23)

(3) Your pursuits reflect who you truly worship. (Matthew 6:24)

And if you are honest … you fail this exam.

You do worship at times the riches of this world,

rather than the riches of Christ.

CAVEAT:

But let me soften that blow -

You are supposed to fail at this exam.

Jesus teachings was designed so that the most devout religious leaders of his day would fail at this exam.

The entire Sermon on the mount series is meant to convince us that we need Christ.

If you feel like you are failure at truly worshipping God - Good because Jesus taught these lessons so you could understand why you need the cross.

While the most direct application of this text is our tremendous need for Christ,

I also believe this passage teaches us an important lesson about

what we pursue in life.

And what truly brings is happiness.

It is not stuff, but Christ.

Being a disciple of Christ is the most satisfying pursuit we can have.

I challenge us -

Christ must be the greatest pursuit of our lives.

All the joy of this world will leave you empty and wanting something else.

All the pleasure of this world will leave you empty and wanting something else.

All the comfort of this world will leave you empty and wanting something else.

There is no treasure in this world that can truly satisfy you.

But Christ, and Christ Alone, can satisfy us.

We must realize the great treasures are not here, where they be corrupted and stolen,

but in eternity with Christ.

Americans pursue many things.

But I ask …

Are you pursuing something that will actually make you happy?

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Reflective questions:

(a) What do you desire most? How does this reflect what you believe makes you happy?

(b) Why is God and the riches of Christ a better pursuit of happiness? How does the pursuit of earthly riches rob us of true, lasting happiness?

(c) How do we develop eternal, heavenly desires? How do we learn to worship God rather than wealth?