I Will Be Leaving Mine

Evening Service for 9/20/2009

Matthew 6:19-24

Introduction:

A woman met a friend of her father’s who had not seen him for many years. The woman’s father was a devout Christian, so she found great joy in telling his old acquaintance about her dad’s trust in the Lord, and the way he faced suffering, trials, and even the prospect of death.

The friend, however, had lived a different kind of life. Having given himself over completely to earning money and hoarding every cent he could, he had become very wealthy. But he didn’t have the same glad anticipation of the future as his friend did. He explained it to the daughter in this way: “Your father can be more optimistic about heaven than I for a very simple reason. He is going to his treasure. I’ll be leaving mine!”

WBTU:

A. In writing to Timothy, Paul described the danger of seeking to be rich. (1 Tim 6:9 NIV) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:10 NIV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

B. Jesus also described the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said it was difficult, but not impossible. (Mat 19:23 NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

(Mat 19:24 NIV) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."(Mat 19:25 NIV) When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

(Mat 19:26 NIV) Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

C. In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus teaches us how it is possible

D. Vs. 24 talks about mammon. The NIV says Money but notice it is a capital M. Easton’s Bible Dictionary says that mammon is a word meaning wealth or riches. However, it goes beyond just that. It really means the god of riches, or money.

E. We must be careful that wealth, riches, possessions does not become our god.

Thesis: To prevent mammon from becoming our “god”, let’s examine the teachings of Jesus found here.

For instances:

I. Lay up treasure in heaven (Vs. 19-21)

A. Why in heaven, and not on earth.

1. On earth: Moth and rust and thieves

2. In heaven: no moth or rust and no thieves.

B. Where your treasure is, there your “heart” (affections, hope, dreams) will be also…

1. If our treasure is on earth, our hearts will experience much disappointment.

a. Things decay or are destroyed.

b. Things are stolen

c. Get what we want but then we want more. Never satisfied. (Eccl 5:10 NIV) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

2. If our treasure is in heaven, our hearts will not suffer great disappointments. (1 Pet 1:3 NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Pet 1:4 NIV) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, (1 Pet 1:5 NIV) who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

C. With treasures laid up in heaven, whatever happens on earth will not devastate us. (Heb 10:34 NIV) You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

D. What do you put your security in? A house, a retirement plan, a job, family

E. The reason that a lot of people do not have a feeling of security is because they are depending on earthly things for their security. Nothing on earth is free from danger; nothing on earth is free from risk of loss; nothing on earth is always reliable; nothing on earth is strong or stable enough to ensure complete safety. If Job had put his complete confidence and security in his possessions and in his family, he would not have been able to go on. He had security that went beyond these things.

D. A. If Jesus were to an analyze your life, what would he say your “treasure” is?

E. How can we lay up treasures in heaven?