What On Earth Are You
Doing For Heaven’s Sake?
September 14, 2009 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We must be heavenly minded with our feet planted on planet earth.
Focus Passage: Matthew 6:19-21
Introduction:
A rock hound named Rob Cutshaw owns a little roadside shop outside Andrews, North Carolina. Like many in the trade, he hunts for rocks, then sells them to collectors or jewelry makers. He knows enough about rocks to decide which to pick up and sell, but he's no expert. He leaves the appraising of his rocks to other people. As much as he enjoys the work, it doesn't always pay the bills. He occasionally moonlights, cutting wood to help put bread on the table. While on a dig twenty years ago, Rob found a rock he described as "purdy and big." He tried unsuccessfully to sell the specimen, and according to the Constitution, kept the rock under his bed or in his closet. He guessed the blue chunk could bring as much as $500 dollars, but he would have taken less if something urgent came up like paying his power bill. That's how close Rob came to hawking for a few hundred dollars what turned out to be the largest, most valuable sapphire ever found. The blue rock that Rob had abandoned to the darkness of a closet two decades ago -- now known as "The Star of David" sapphire -- weighs nearly a pound, and could easily sell for $2.75 million.
Hurricane Ike. $8 billion to $18 billion in damage. Galveston 10 ft of sea water during surge. 4.5 million people without power. Things were destroyed, lost, or washed out to sea.
I. Earthly treasure - Pro 23:4-5 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
a. Possessions – Abidjan robbery
b. Status – one wrong step or word
II. Heavenly treasure – there are two things that are said to last forever; the souls of men and the Word of God
a. Converts - 1Ti 2:3-4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
b. Good Works - 1Pe 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1Co 3:12-15 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
III. Heart’s attraction
a. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”. Jim Elliott
b. Heart’s not in it. Watch TV 4-6 hrs/day. Fish 6 hrs/week. Garden 10 hrs/week. But only Pray 3 minutes/day. Read Bible for SS or when pastor reads it. Spend $30 on a meal, $50 on shoes, $700 on a new TV but only give $5 or $10 to church? We aren’t tithing, we’re tipping!
Invitation: The body of David Livingstone was buried in England where he was born, but his heart was buried in the Africa he loved. At the foot of a tall tree in a small African village the natives dug a hole and placed in it the heart of this man who they loved and respected. If your heart were to be buried in the place you loved most during life, where would it be? In your pocketbook? In an appropriate space down at the office? Where is your heart?
