Let's Talk About Treasure Series

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

LET’S TALK ABOUT TREASURE

MATTHEW 6:19–21 “DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. 20BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. 21FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.

INTRODUCTION: WELL, HERE WE ARE BACK IN OUR SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT FOR A COUPLE WEEK. WITH MARCH, WE WILL AGAIN TAKE A BREAK AND TURNOUR ATTENTION TOWARDS EASTER AND THE EVENTS WHICH UNFOLDED CONCERNING THE DEATH BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, EASTER IS A PASSIONATE HOLIDAY. IT SHOULD STIR OUR EMOTION AND THOUGHTS. IT IS THE HOLIDAY WHICH ALLOWS US TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORY WE HAVE IN CHRIST. IN MY OPINION, EASTER ECLIPSES EVEN CHRISTMAS IN IMPORTANCE FOR TH FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.

YET, WE ARE NOT THERE YET, AND AS SUCH, WE NEED TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO MATTHEW 6:19-21WHERE WE SEE JESUS TEACHING A VALUABLE LESSON IN PRIORITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE CONTEXT OF RICHES.

I. THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE OF PRIORITY – WITH OUR TREASURE

a. WE CAN SEE IN SCRIPTURE WHERE FOLKS DID NOT GET THIS RIGHT

i. YOU HAVE THE SIN OF ACHAN.

1. YOU REMEMBER – JOSHUA HAD A GREAT VICTORY AT JERICHO AND ALL OF THE SPOILS OF THAT VICTORY WERE TO BE DEDICATED TO GOD.

2. BUT ACHAN SAW A FEW THINGS: A GARMENT, PIECES OF SILVER AND A GOLD INGOT. HE COVETED THEM, TOOK THEM INTO HIS TENT

3. IT WAS A SMALL THING.

4. THE REALITY – IT WAS DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD

5. ISRAEL LOST THEIR NEXT BATTLE

6. THE SIN OF ACHAN WAS DISCOVERED AND HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE KILLED

ii. YOU HAVE SOLOMON

1. THE KING OF GREAT WISDOM

2. BECAME OVERCOME BY WEALTH AND WOMEN

3. THE RESULT WAS A SPIRITUAL LIFE IN RUIN

iii. YOU HAVE ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA

1. THEY LIED TO THE LORD ABOUT MONEY

2. PRETENDED TO GIVE ALL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME KEPT SOME

3. THEY WERE STRUCK DEAD

IS IT ANY WONDER THAT PAUL WOULD WRITE IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY THIS WARNING – “THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.”

ILLUSTRATION: TENNESSEE TITANS’ CENTER, KEVIN LONG, WHO PLAYED UNDER COACH BOBBY BOWDEN AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAID HIS COLLEGE COACH INSPIRED THE TEAM WITH PARABLES. KEVIN RECOUNTED A FAVORITE STORY: [BOWDEN] WAS PLAYING COLLEGE BASEBALL, AND HE HAD NEVER HIT A HOME RUN. FINALLY, HE HIT ONE DOWN THE RIGHT-FIELD LINE, INTO THE CORNER. HE ROUNDED FIRST AND LOOKED TO THE THIRD-BASE COACH. HE TURNED AT SECOND, WAS HALFWAY TO THIRD AND THE COACH WAS STILL WAVING HIM ON TO HOME PLATE WHERE HE ARRIVED SAFELY. HE HAD HIS FIRST HOME RUN. HE WAS SO EXCITED AND EVERYBODY WAS SLAPPING HIM WITH HIGH FIVES. THEN THE PITCHER TOOK THE BALL, THREW IT TO THE FIRST BASEMAN, AND THE UMPIRE CALLED HIM OUT. COACH BOWDEN SAID, “IF YOU DON’T TAKE CARE OF FIRST BASE, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO. IF YOU DON’T HONOR THE LORD FIRST, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU DO.”

b. THE PRIORITY OF OUR TREASURE IS A FIRST BASE ISSUE

i. SO MUCH RISES AND FALLS ON THIS

ii. JUST LIKE THE BASEBALL PLAYER, IF YOU MISS THE FIRST PLACE BAG, TOUCHING ALL THE REST MEAN NOTHING

1. A LOT OF EFFORT TO ONLY BE DISQUALIFIED

2. IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

a. BUILDING YOUR HOUSE ON THE ROCK

b. BUILDING YOU HOUSE ON THE SAND

TAKE-AWAY POINT HERE IS THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR TREASURE (WHICH WE WILL DEFINE A LITTLE LATER) IS A FIRST BASE ISSUE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT – “TOUCH THE BAG”, OR EVERYTHING ELSE WILL HAVE NO IMPACT

II. WHAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT (WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TREASURE)

a. THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION OF WEALTH OR THOSE WHO ARE WEALTHY HERE, OR IN ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE WORD OF GOD

i. IN FACT WE SEE SEVERAL WEALTHY PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. ABRAHAM WOULD BE A PRIME EXAMPLE

2. THE SONS AND GRANDSONS OF ABRAHAM WERE WEALTHY

3. JOB WAS WEALTHY. IN FACT AFTER IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, JOB WAS TWICE AS WEALTHY AFTER HIS TRIALS THAN HE WAS BEFORE HIS TRIALS!

ii. WEALTH THAT IS GAINED HONESTLY AND USED WISELY IS COMMENDED IN THE WORD OF GOD

iii. WE ARE ALSO NOT PROHIBITED FROM EARNING A LIVING AND PROVIDING FOR OUR FAMILIES

1. WE SHOULD BE DILIGENT IN WORK – DON’T WORK; DON’T EAT.

2. WE SHOULD BE DILIGENT IN OUR BUSINESS PRACTICES

b. JESUS IS NOT CONDEMNING SAVING FOR NEEDS