CHRISTIAN CHALLENGE SERMON IX: TRUE TREASURE DERIVES FROM INSIGHT INTO TRUE PLEASURE
“My pleasure” is an idiom I sometimes use in response to a “thank you” . . . sort of like a special way of saying “you’re welcome” but reserved for especially gratifying, delightful experiences that rise above the customary courtesy level of just being polite.
Actually to discover true pleasure by thinking and doing things that are spiritually uplifting is biblical and, in many instances, is an extension of who God is, and is an expression of how the Lord would have us live our lives - as long as we understand the kind of pleasure that is spiritual in nature – “good” pleasure:
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke
12:32) “And God made known to us His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9) “For it is God who works in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
Obviously, pleasure derived from thinking and doing that which is spiritual in nature is considered good because of its association with God’s purpose and will. Therefore, attitudes and actions meant to advance His kingdom, thus fulfilling the prayer “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”, give pleasure to God - and also to us.
In other words, how we “do business” (conduct our affairs at home and everywhere else) on both the personal and relational levels is of utmost importance to God our Father because of its eternal rather than temporal significance.
That which, to you and me, brings temporary pleasure is only important to God in terms of its legality and morality, but that which brings lasting pleasure is of significance to Him in terms of eternity.
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up . . . matured . . . chose to cast his lot with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” (Hebrews 11:25)
With all the treasures of Egypt available to him, along with all the pleasures of sin that treasures can afford and give access to, Moses’ spiritual insight into the will of God - for his life and that of his people - prevailed over that natural tendency we all possess to obsess with the material things of life.
But, you know what? Whereas most of us tend to divide life into two broad categories - spiritual and material – our Lord never made that distinction. Instead, He often taught that one’s attitude toward the material is a mark of one’s true spirituality.
A pertinent question I have heard preachers ask is: “What would our Lord conclude from a review of your checkbook?” The real question is: Do your possessions control you, or, are you in control of your possessions now that you have been spiritually transformed?
Thus, the key verse (v. 21) in our Scripture says: “where your treasure is . . .” --- Matthew 6:19-24 . . .
True treasure derives from spiritual insight into true pleasure. Such insight cautions us about obsessions with three kinds of pleasures or possessions – those that wear out like an old suit of clothes . . . those that erode as the years go by . . . those that we lose if we do not choose wisely – for example, monetary and material investments.
True treasure cannot derive from material possessions due to the fleeting nature of such - as Burns wrote in one of his poems: “But pleasures are like poppies spread: you seize the flower; its bloom is shed. Or like the snow falls in the river - a moment of white –
then melts forever.”
Even so, did you know there are some folks who defiantly believe that you can take it with you? In Augusta, there’s a large Chinese community; when the old timers die, they insist that gold and silver coins be placed inside their red casket.
Then there’s the story told about Aunt Emma - married to a tightwad who was also a little weird. When Uncle Ollie was dying, he instructed Emma what to do with the money he had been hiding under his mattress over the years (he did not trust banks).
She was to place all his savings in the casket with him in case he needed it to get into heaven. The day came when he died, so Emma did as she was told; she got the money which totaled $26,000, deposited it into their bank account, wrote a check in that amount, made it payable to her deceased husband, and put the check in his casket. One clever woman!
Jesus basically told us that it is folly to live our lives without laying up our treasures in heaven because what we accumulate on earth is temporary.
Let me share a little do wad ditty that kinda expresses how I have begun to feel about my accumulations, such as they are: “Possessions weigh me down in life; I never feel quite free. I wonder if I own my things, or if my things own me?”
How does one store up treasures in heaven? Suppose we think of it as if we were making deposits in a heavenly bank account (Heaven’s Accountability Treasury):
Wouldn’t we consider worship to be such a deposit? Not only does worship delight God . . . bring good pleasure to our heavenly Father . . . give us a chance to invest in the giving of glory to God, worship moves us closer to God and gives us a proper perspective on what is truly valuable in this life. Consider worship as a deposit.
Wouldn’t we consider Christ-like character to be a heavenly accountability deposit? We delight God and bring good pleasure to Him every time we think and act in accordance with His thinking and teaching – every time we choose love over hate, kindness over rudeness, empathy over insensitivity, truth telling over lying, forgiving over holding a grudge, silence over slander, wisdom over folly, purity over immorality, generosity over stinginess. Consider Christ-like character as a deposit.
Wouldn’t we consider generosity to be a deposit in Heaven’s Accountability Treasury? When we do as Jesus calls us to do - express His love . . . His kindness . . . His compassion to those in need; when we discover the joy of giving whatever we can to make a difference, we are storing up treasures in heaven - where nothing and nobody can corrupt it, devour it, or steal it!
ONE thing we do for others is a great heavenly investment, with an eternal dividend. Now:
Such a concept of heavenly investing occurs only in folks whose focus in this life is determined by whom we serve. So, Jesus used a very interesting metaphor (a “good” eye He called it) to make the pungent point that how we look at life, and how we view the after-life, makes the difference in how we live life. Therefore,
We need a clear focus on who Jesus is, who we are as followers of His, and what we Christians are about in this life. A clear vision of Jesus Christ as our Lord keeps us from being deceived by the world of materialism. A “good eye” views daily Christian living as a heavenly investment opportunity.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2a) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) In conclusion, Christians must ask themselves this question:
Do we desire true treasure derived from spiritual insight into true pleasure? If so, says Jesus, we have to choose whom we will serve … love … be devoted to …
Not that we should never own earthly possessions needed for whatever good reason!
It’s a question of whether we own them or they own us! Are you with me?
What Jesus says here is not a matter of advisability (You should not) . . . not a matter of a legality (You must not or else) . . . What we have here is an impossibility - “You cannot serve both God and materialism.” Let’s be practical for a moment: What are you holding onto that you may need to let go of?
In a poetic prayer, a dear Christian lady captured the essence of our challenge: How to hold onto the things of God versus the things of this world:
“Let us hold lightly the things of this earth, transient treasures, for what are they worth? Moths can corrupt them, rust can decay. All their bright beauty fades in a day. Let us hold lightly temporal things – we who are deathless, we who wear wings. Let us hold fast, Lord, things of the skies, quicken my vision, open my eyes. Show me Thy riches, glory and grace. So let me hold lightly things that are mine, dear Lord, for Thou dost give me all that is thine.” And I would only add this one line: “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever! Amen.”
