Treasured Part 2

What Do You Treasure

What do you treasure?

Matthew 6:19-24

Main Idea: What we are about is shown by what we treasure

INTRO

Axe Throwing

What time you all go to sleep

What did you guys have for breakfast?

Me: What I treasure it what I give attention to:

I have many passions in my life.

Ministry is of course one of them— but what I have noticed over the years is that when I start something I go all in.

Like in college I played disc golf and I swore that I was going to tournament and would be going pro soon!

Or over the last couple of years— I took a slight interest into wood working and just being more of a man!

You know saw dust and tools!

Very manly!

I thought that I would make tables and sell them and what have you.

Never has happened but I have bought plenty of tools in that time.

Now something I have become passionate about is Crossfit.

I have really enjoyed getting into the gym and getting strong and rubbing shoulders with people who are not like me.

I want to be good at it and I may be passionate about it but in order to be the best you have sell out for it.

You have to eat sleep and breath CrossFit and honestly I just don’t have the time.

But I had to learn this lesson.

So we just got done with our CrossFit open right.

It happens for three weeks and then at the end of it Crossfit takes the top 10% and they move on the next round.

Which sounds great!

You do the workout and then you see how you rank against everyone in the world.

Pretty sweet!

So in the world for mens RX— and RX means I did the workout and weights as prescribed.

So out of the whole world here is where I ranked:

out of 154,815 people I was 83,458 place— i was shooting for the 90th% I ended up at 46%

In North America out of 70,618 I ended up 38,055th place— again 46%

In the USA out of 61,927 people I ended up 33,161st place— 46%.

At least least I was consistent.

But I treasure Jesus/my family/ ministry and CrossFit.

And you see what I am passionate about I give my time and energy too.

What I treasure that is what is consistency on my brain.

And I have had to wrestle with this because while I say this is the order of Jesus/my family/ ministry and CrossFit.

at times it can look like CrossFit/family/ Ministry and then Jesus.

Or sometimes it looks like this:

It is my family/ministry/CrossFit/Jesus

It could be Ministry and you would like Jesus would go hand and hand with that but not is typically not the case.

Ministry/CrossFit/Family and then Jesus.

I can tell where these things end up on my list depending on what my time is dedicated too.

And I’m not saying hobbies are bad or even loving your family or your job is bad— But when those things begin to be placed above Jesus we have a problem.

I mean it is a major issue.

But we all do this:

We:

What are different things we treasure?

Sports/relationships/social media/band/activities

It is not a stretch to say that these things are what we treasure.

While those are the stuff we give our attention and dare I say devotion too we also put stock in the material as well.

And I would do as far to say the way we spend money is also a way we show what we value and treasure.

So how do we find a balance.

Because we do have freedom to be passionate about things and to spend money on things we like.

But were is that balance.

And as we look at our passage today it leaves us with this statement of can you love two things.

Or the idea that you can’t serve two masters.

That your heart is designed to be only ruled by one master.

We may not know what we treasure yet but maybe it’s time for us to come to an understanding about ourselves.

We can never fix the problem if we never give the problem a name.

We can’t overcome sin if we don’t call sin what it is.

For some of us we are pursuing the wrong things.

And we are putting other things before God.

So let’s see what God has to say about this.

We are going to be in Matthew 6:19-24

Go ahead and turn there.

And while you turn there I want you to start wrestling with this idea that.

God:

The treasures here are momentary—Your relationship with God is forever.

The stuff that we put so much time and energy into here will not matter once we get to heaven.

And I think that is really easy to say but it is a really hard thing to believe.

Because that means for some of us we are dedicating so much time and energy to something that may not mean anything in a years time.

But before we begin to tackle those things.

Here is where I want to start--

And actually I want to start with a question before we roll into the passage.

Where is your heart currently? (6:19-21)

Where is your heart.

We spoke last night about be distracted.

Are there things that are causing you to be distracted?

Or things that are holding a more important place in your life then they should?

Lets read Matthew 6:19.

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.

As Jesus is talking to the people here it is at the tale end of the sermon on the mount.

Tons of people are gathered to Jesus and he is just laying truth bomb after truth bomb and he get to chapter 6 and he is still doing this but now the attention shifts on what you value.

And this first section is talking about storing up treasures as material items.

Do you all think you are materialistic?

Like you want to have dope shoes, you care what you look like, you have the newest of everything?

Maybe you are not but Jesus was pointing to these people who put a huge effort into stuff.

Material items.

And the materials that cost the most back then was metals and clothes.

And Jesus is telling the people look none of that is going with you.

And moths they are drawn to clothes to consume them and those precious metals will eventually rust.

Or those things are also easily stolen.

You guys ever have something stolen from you?

Mr. Beast

He had a ton of material stuff and then his house got broken into and everything was stolen and he realized that he didn’t need all the stuff anymore.

If you have something somebody wants there is always a risk of someone stealing it.

You know this is true because if you have ever left something behind and you couldn’t find it later the easiest and quickest conclusion is someone stole it.

At our gym the other day— someone posted that they lost A Mario Kart 8 cartage for the switch.

And we knew this person so my wife messaged them and was like dang that stinks— where were they playing with it we can look when we head to class.

And she told us where to look— we couldn’t find and Brittni told he it wasn’t there and her response was someone must have stolen it.

To then a week later she found it one of her kids pants after they had been washed.

And Again it makes me wonder why do we jump to those conclusions to fast— it is because we believe that other people want our stuff because it is valuable.

And we all find ourselves doing this with material items.

But Jesus is not commanding the people to be wise with what they have or even store it better.

No the main point he is getting at is that what you value— or where your treasure is at that is where your heart is.

Matthew 6:21 ESV

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

As in what you pursue that is what you treasure.

And while it may have started out as material things I believe that Jesus moves from material to speaking about our actions.

Maybe a better way to ask this question is what are you pursuing right now?

Is your heart all in for the Lord or is focusing on something else?

Because Jesus here is challenging the people to shift their focus heavenward— To be kingdom minded.

So that is the first question I want to ask and I once you answer that question you can begin to find your vision or your purpose.

Having a vision or a purpose it vital.

Without clear vision we lose our way (6:22-23)

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 moves from talking about the heart as the central part of our body— meaning our soul and he begin to describe the eyes.

The idea that Jesus is getting at is do you know what your heart should desire or what you should be pursuing?

The eye is what filters light and darkness through out your whole body.

And if your eyes are healthy you will be full of light.

But if you eyes are bad all you will see is darkness.

If you heart is pursuing things that are wrong or bad— then you are dabbling in the darkness.

And if that is the case then you are lacking a wholly dedication to God.

The light representing coming to the Lord and understand that you have purpose and value.

And that purpose and value is found iun Christ.

And falling in love with his plan and his purpose for you.

But heres the deal many of you have come to this weekend with a spilt heart.

A spilt heart is a useless heart (6:24)

Here is what I mean by that.

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.

No one can serve two masters.

And while I understand that Jesus is speaking to money and God— I believe that we would be missing the point here if we only thought the other master of our life was money.

This is very true you can’t serve God and serve money as well.

But you also can’t serve God and serve Porn.

You can’t serve God and serve sports/school/band

You can’t serve God and serve relationships

You can’t serve God and serve possession.

You can’t serve God and serve yourself.

That is the whole Idea that Jesus is getting at.

If your heart is not on Him then you are serving another master.

God doesn’t play second fiddle to anyone.

He isn’t going to do it.

He never will.

And for too long and too ofter we put God after everything and anything.

In one of my studies it states this:

We try so hard to create heaven on earth and to throw in Christianity when convenient as another small addition to the so-called good life. Jesus proclaims that unless we are willing to serve him wholeheartedly in every area of life, but particularly with our material resources, we cannot claim to be serving him at all.

To put it another way:

I was at a leadership conference last weekend and one of the speaker said something that just stuck me to my core.

It was in reference to Mark 8:33

Mark 8:33 ESV

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Peter had his mind on earthly things and Jesus has a wider but understanding.

and this is what the speaker said about this passage.

“If you are not for the advancement of the Gospel then you are from the pits of hell.”

Let me repeat that:

“If you are not for the advancement of the Gospel then you are from the pits of hell.”

If you said yes to Jesus and you expect to sit on the sidelines then you are from the pits of hell.

If you think that your faith is not meant to be lived out as a light to the darkness— you are from the pits of hell.

That is your sole goal in life is the advancement of the Gospel.

If you do not treasure what God treasures you are an enemy of the throne.

And I’m not saying this to scare anyone but this the reality that many of us need to wrestle with.

God is saying look— I don’t take second place to anyone but we keep putting him there with this crazy notion that He is 100% totally okay with that and He not.

Not one bit.

So if we are not to store up treasures here on earth then how do we store up treasures in heaven?

You:

What does a life look like that is storing up treasures for Heaven?

Here are a couple of indications.

First things first:

We Need a new heart (Col 3:2)

Colossians 3:2 ESV

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

When you become a new believer in Christ you have a new heart and new life.

You were once dead but now you are alive!

We Take risks that honor God (Mark 12:41-44)

Mark 12:41–44 ESV

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Following Jesus is going to cost you.

And at times you may have to take a risk that honors what God is calling you to do!

It is crazy but God may call you to be a missionary in a hostile country.

Or He may just be calling you to walk across the street or the lunch room to share the Gospel with someone.

Both are risky and scary but following after God involved risk.

We Seek the kingdom of God first (Matt 6:33)

Matthew 6:33 ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Seek God first before we turn to advice of the world are we turning to God first?

Because when we go to others first we are literally saying to God— hey God I know you are all knowing and all powerful but Kimmy here is like really smart and she knows me.

You realize that is ridiculous but don’t we do that.

Instead the next time something comes up go to God first.

Still seek out wisdom but before you do that go to the keeper of all wisdom the Lord.

and Lastly

We trust the promises of God and are not anxious (Matthew 6)

Matthew 6:25–26 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Trust that the Lord is going to bless you.

Trust that the Lord will provide for you.

Do you believe that God will provide your every need.

It may not look like how you would do it but God will still provide for you.

I think we can get so eager that we do it ourselves and we miss out of the blessing that God was going to give us.

We took things into our own hands and because of that we missed out on the His blessing.

Trust the promises of the Lord.

Keep trusting them.

You don’t need a spilt heart.

You need a full heart for the Lord.

We:

What would it look like if you stopped having a spilt heart and gave God all of our heart?

I think we would see a lot of things begin to take a backseat.

And it would be for the best.

We would see believers coming together to lift high the name of Jesus without worrying about what people’s intentions are.

We would know that everyone was here to Follow God!

That they are 100% sold out.

Look you don’t have to have serve God you can keep doing life how you want to but what if you gave it a chance.

To make a difference for the kingdom?

To say Jesus I’m all in— Here I am.

Last night we talked about how God treasures you— he sees you and he values you.

What what about you do you value and treasure Him?

That is up for you to decide who or what your treasure is going to be.

Young People in the Bible

David killed Golath

The disciples were your age

You can make an impact today!

Let’s Pray

Questions

1. What was your big take away from this morning?

2. What are the things that you treasure?

3. Where is your heart currently?

4. What is the biggest distraction in your life from living out what God wants to do in your life?

5. What would it look like if you stopped having a spilt heart and gave God all of our heart?