Pursuing Treasure

1. Read: Matthew 6:19-24

2. About the Text:

1) I love a good treasure movie; they all have certain things in common.

a. The treasure is buried somewhere.

b. There is a map to get you there.

c. There is always competition for it: the good guy and the bad guy.

2) Jesus speaks about treasure in these verses.

3) He wants us to pursue the true treasure.

4) Let’s think about pursuing treasure.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Earth

1) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

2) Nothing on earth lasts – “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25).

3) Everything will be burned up – “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (2 Peter 3:10-11).

2. Heaven

1) “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20).

2) Heaven is eternal – “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

3) It will never be corrupted – “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

3. The Heart

1) “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

2) Where is our heart? Earth or Heaven?

3) If it is on earth, it will be disappointed.

4) If it is in heaven, it will never be disappointed.

5) God wants your heart set on His place.

6) “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

1. Genuine

1) “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22).

2) We must have our mind set on the right priorities – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

3) We must set our minds on the things that are above – “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).

2. Corrupt

1) “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:23a).

2) If we are not focused on that one most important thing, corruption will come in.

3) “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14).

4) “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8).

3. The Eyes

1) “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23b).

2) Is our mind’s eye set on the right priorities?

3) Do we let this world distract us?

4) God wants your eyes to be on His map.

1. God

1) “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

2) Jesus lets us know what the real competition is!

3) Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Matthew 4:10).

4) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

2. Mammon

1) This is really setting up idols in our heart above God.

2) “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

3) “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5).

3. The Hands

1) “You cannot serve God and mammon.”

2) Who is the leader of our life?

3) Are our hands busy trying to gain worldly possessions?

4) Are our hands busy bringing more souls to Christ?

5) God wants your hands to be serving Him.

1. Pursuing treasure means having a . . .

1) Place – God’s place.

2) Map – God’s priorities.

3) Leader – God’s leadership.

2. Invitation