Buried Treasure Series

Treasure Principles

Buried Treasure

October 29, 2006

Money is a huge deal in life

Treasure Principles

A man in a bar sees a friend at a table drinking by him self. Approaching the friend he comments, “You look terrible, what’s the problem?”

“My mother died in June,” he said, “and left my $15,000.”

“Wow, I am sorry to hear that,” the friend replied.

“Then in July, my father died leaving my $50,000,” the man said.

“Wow, Double tragedy, I can see why you are really hurting,” the friend mentioned.

“And last month my aunt died and left me $10,000,” the man said in tears.

“I don’t know what to say, three tragedies so close together,” the friend said as he put his arm around the man’s shoulders.

“Then this month,” continued the man, “NOTHING!”

Money is a huge deal in everyone’s life. And God’s Word teaches us a lot on this subject.

In the next three weeks… six principles about Treasure. Today we need to lay the foundation.

Let’s talk about the treasure. When I speak of treasure you probably thought about a chest filled and overflowing with gold doubloons and precious stones of all colors and kinds. And in doing so you have made your first mistake… Treasure is about so much more than money… it’s about life!

Money lasts for an instant and is about right now… real treasure lasts forever and is about all of life. And yet what we do with money is firmly linked to the real treasures of all of life.

I think I first figured this out when I looked at what John the Baptist said when a group of people came to him in the wilderness. They asked about the fruit of repentance

The Fruit of Repentance

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Luke 3:7-8

John was asked about the fruit of repentance

Answer:

Everyone should share clothes and food with the poor

Tax collectors shouldn’t pocket extra money

Soldiers should be content with their wages and not extort money

Each answer is about money – yet it is all related to an attitude of repentance.

Our attitude about money and possessions isn’t just important – it’s central to our spiritual lives.

Zachaeous

“Today salvation has come to this house!”

Let’s look at Matthew 6:19-21.

Treasure Principles

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

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

Matthew 6:19-21

There are three quick observations we can easily see… First…

Don’t be Overawed by Money

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Proverbs 23:5

Man buried sitting behind the wheel of his Cadillac convertible with a big old cigar sticking from between his lips and a huge expensive Stetson on his head. As the car was being lowered into the ground by a crane one of the cemetery workers turned to another standing nearby and said, “Man, That’s living!”

We know this… but we regularly forget it. Any treasure we gain in this world will leave us behind or we will leave it behind. No one holds onto the treasures of this earth. There are no exceptions.

It’s not that it might be lost. It is an absolute certainty! It will always be lost.

Remember the parable of the rich fool?

“This day your life is required.”

Don’t be Overawed by Money

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.

Psalms 49:16-17

Confederate Money

Storing up the wrong kind of treasure isn’t just wrong… it’s stupid!

Store Up the Right Kind of Treasure

“…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things…”

Philippians 3:8

Please notice: Jesus isn’t against us storing up for ourselves treasure! He is all for it.

He just wants us to store up treasure that will last.

In the next three weeks I’m going to be teaching you six treasure principles which come straight from the word of God.

And here is the secret of the Treasure Principles

The Secret of the Treasure Principles:

“You can’t take it with you…

but you can send it on ahead.”

To send it on ahead you must fully grasp the concept of investment and delayed gratification.