Where is Our Treasure?

1. Read: Matthew 6:19-21

2. About the Text:

1) Jesus’ thoughts flow out of the 10th commandment.

2) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17).

3) Covetousness can be the unlawful desire to possess other people’s belongings.

4) It may also apply toward the hoarding of one’s own possessions (Luke 12:15).

5) It is an unhealthy personal relationship with material things.

6) Jesus is warning us about this here.

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

1. Is this an absolute prohibition?

1) Jesus and the disciples had a money box according to John 13:29.

2) Disciples are told to store up for contribution in 1 Corinthians 16:2.

3) Not an absolute prohibition against checking accounts, savings accounts, etc.

2. What is Jesus prohibiting?

1) Selfishly hoarding wealth for one’s own use (Luke 12:16-20).

2) Wrongfully valuing money and possessions.

a. Over God and His commands – must love God first (Matthew 22:37).

b. Over other people and their needs – must love neighbor (Matthew 22:39).

3) Identifying with wealth as a lifestyle.

4) “But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

3. How are we to regard money and possessions?

1) They are just tools – a means to an end.

2) They have no intrinsic value in and of themselves.

3) Jesus used money to pay taxes, buy bread, help the poor.

4) We must use money to do good things.

5) “Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

1. God Keeps the Books!

1) God is keeping a ledger in heaven – “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12).

2) “who will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:6-11).

2. What are “treasures in heaven?”

1) Treasures in heaven are those good things that we do that will be counted good on our behalf because of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

2) “Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel’s sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).

3) “And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof” (1 Corinthians 9:23).

4) “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister” (Hebrews 6:10).

3. What is Jesus commanding?

1) Recognize the priority of God.

2) Do good works.

a. Magnifying Christ – “according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

b. Furthering the cause of the gospel – “and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).

c. Helping those who are in need – “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

3) Value other people above things.

a. People have eternal value – “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

b. The value of things is limited to their usefulness.

4) Use money correctly.

a. To fund the good works (Romans 15:26).

b. To take care of one’s family – “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

1. What we put in our heart is what we will become.

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

2) “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

3) “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

2. If we put bad things in, we will get bad things out of it.

1) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23).

2) “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:14-16).

3. If we put good things in, we will get good things out.

1) “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

2) “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2).

1. Jesus teaches us:

1) Do Not Treasure Earthly Treasures

2) Treasure Heavenly Treasures

3) Your Heart will Follow Your Treasure

2. Invitation