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
i. FUTURE CONCERNS WILL ALWAYS COME UP
ii. BOTH THE OT AND THE NT ENCOURAGE US TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES
III. WHAT IS “TREASURE” ANYWAY?
a. THE WORD TREASURE HERE MEANS THINGS LAID UP IN A TREASURY
i. SOMETHING PRECIOUS
ii. SOMETHING DEPOSITED
iii. WEALTH
b. THE WORD GOES BEYOND MONEY OR MATERIAL GOODS
c. IT FOCUSES ON
i. WHAT WE THINK IS BEST
ii. WHAT WE STRIVE EAGERLY TO ATTAIN
iii. WHAT WE DREAD LOSING THE MOST
iv. WHAT WE BELIEVE WE ARE BLESSED IF WE HAVE IT
v. WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL MAKE US MISERABLE AND DISSATISFIED IF WE DON’T HAVE IT.
THIS IS WHAT TREASURE REALLY IS.
d. TREASURE IS NOT JUST FOR THE WEALTHY. ANYONE CAN FIT INTO THE PATTERN OF HAVING SOMETHING THAT BY ITS VERY POSSESSION TRIGGERS A POSITIVE RESPONSE IN US.
e. WE ARE TOLD TO NOT LAY UP TREASURES ON EARTH
i. COULD BE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING
ii. BACK THEN TREASURES WOULD HAVE BEEN
1. CLOTHES
2. GOLD
3. SILVER
4. GEMS
5. WINE
6. LAND
7. OIL
iii. JESUS WAS WARNING ABOUT ACCUMULATING THINGS THAT THEN BECOME THE MOST IMPORTANT THING(S) IN YOUR LIFE
THE CONCERN OF JESUS IS THAT WE GET TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE SATISFACTION WE THINK THESE THINGS WILL BRING US
CAN I JUST STOP FOR A MOMENT AND GIVE YOU ONE THING THAT YOU SHOULD VALUE AND TREASURE – YOUR FAMILY
ILLUSTRATION: WHEN CHRIS SPIELMAN PLAYED FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS, HE WAS EVERYTHING A MIDDLE LINEBACKER SHOULD BE: TOUGH, STRONG, AND SMART, WITH PASSION, TOTAL COMMITMENT, AND LOYALTY TO THE GAME. HE PLAYED THE ENTIRE 1995 SEASON WITH A TORN PECTORAL MUSCLE THAT HE SUSTAINED IN THE SEASON OPENER, BUT THE GAME TOOK A DISTANT SECOND PLACE IN HIS THINKING DURING THE 1998 SEASON. HE CHOSE TO STAY HOME. HE COOKED, TOOK CARE OF HIS KIDS, AND CARED FOR HIS WIFE—BY CHOICE.
STEPHANIE, CHRIS’S WIFE, WAS STRUGGLING THROUGH THE STARK REALITY OF BREAST CANCER. SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY, AND NAUSEA WERE STEPHANIE’S OPPONENTS AND CONSTANT COMPANIONS. DURING HER FIGHT, CHRIS WAS AT HER SIDE. HIS ACTIONS SUPPORTED HIS “FAMILY BEFORE JOB” CREDO. ASKED BY A REPORTER FROM THE ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE IF HE’D CONSIDER A RETURN TO THE BILLS LATE IN THE SEASON, SPIELMAN SAID, “I’D PLAY IN A HEARTBEAT, BUT WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD I BE IF I BACKED OUT ON MY WORD TO HER? I WOULDN’T BE A MAN AT ALL.” FOOTBALL FANS SAW SPIELMAN AS A MAN BECAUSE OF HIS AGGRESSIVE, LEAVE-IT-ALL-ON-THE-FIELD STYLE OF PLAY. BUT WHAT REALLY MADE HIM A MAN? IT WAS HIS PERSONAL SACRIFICE AND UNENDING COMMITMENT AND LOYALTY TO HIS WIFE. CHRIS TREASURED HIS WIFE.
THE BEST WAY TO TREASURE YOUR FAMILY IS MAKE GOD A PRIORITY AND CHURCH A REGULAR DESTINATION!
AND – TIME IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TINGS WE VALUE A LOT. WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH, AND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE HOW WE USE OUR TIME. AS YOU DETERMINE HOW YOU WILL USE YOUR TIME, DON’T FORGET TO MAKE GOD A PART OF YOUR TIME. AFTER ALL, JESUS SAYS IT BEST – SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED NTO YOU!
ALL THIS BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT POINT, WHICH IS, …
IV. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU STORE YOUR TREASURE
a. WE CAN STORE OUR TREASURE WHERE IT DECAYS
i. “RUST” MEANS TO BE DEVOURED OR EATEN
b. TWO “TREASURES” OF JESUS’ DAY
i. CLOTHING. SOMETIMES THE WEALTHY WOULD HAVE GOLD THREAD SOWN INTO THEIR CLOTHES AS A SIGN OF WEALTH
1. MOST CLOTHES WERE MADE OUT OF WOOL
2. WOOL WAS A TASTY TREAT FOR MOTHS, ESPECIALLY WOOL THAT HAD BEEN SOILED WITH THE SALT FROM SWEAT.
ii. GRAIN WAS ALSO CONSIDERED A TREASURE – JUST REMEMBER THE PARABLES OF JESUS
1. THIS TREASURE COULD BE RUINED BY ROT OR VERMON
iii. TREASURE COULD BE STOLEN BY THIEVES
1. THE WORD. “CORRUPT” MEANS TO SNATCH OUT OF SIGHT OR VIEW; TO CAUSE TO VANISH.
2. A WOULD BE THIEF COULD STEAL A TREASURE BY SIMPLY DIGGIN THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE HOUSE AS THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE MADE OF MUD – AND POOF, TREASURE IS GONE
c. IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING THAT EVEN THE BEST OF TREASURE DOWN HERE LOOSES ITS LUSTER AFTER A WHILE. IT NO LONGER PROVIDES SATISFACTION. THEN WITH THAT GROWING EMPTINESS, ALL WE CAN DO IS GO OUT AND GET NEW TREASURE!
ILLUSTRATION:
AN OLD MISER CALLED HIS DOCTOR, LAWYER, AND MINISTER TO HIS DEATHBED. “THEY SAY YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU,” THE DYING MAN SAID. “BUT I’M GOING TO TRY. I HAVE THREE ENVELOPES WITH $30,000 CASH IN EACH ONE. I WANT EACH OF YOU TO TAKE AN ENVELOPE, AND AS THEY LOWER MY CASKET, THROW IN THE ENVELOPES!”
EACH MAN TOSSED IN HIS ENVELOPE AS REQUESTED, BUT ON THE WAY HOME THE MINISTER CONFESSED, “I NEEDED THE MONEY FOR THE CHURCH, SO I TOOK OUT $10,000 AND THREW ONLY $20,000 INTO THE GRAVE.” THE DOCTOR SAID, “I, TOO, MUST CONFESS. I’M BUILDING A CLINIC. SO I TOOK $20,000 AND THREW IN ONLY $10,000.” THE LAWYER SAID, “GENTLEMEN, I’M ASHAMED OF YOU. I THREW IN A PERSONAL CHECK FOR THE FULL AMOUNT.”
SOMEONE HAS ONCE SAID THAT IT IS EASY TO MAKE A BUCK, BUT MUCH HARDER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
JESUS WANTS US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH OUR TREASURE BY STORING IT UP IN HEAVEN
V. PUT OUR TREASURE WHERE IT HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT AND DOES NOT DIMINISH
a. LAY UP YOUR TREASURE IN HEAVEN
b. USE YOUR TREASURE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
c. IT MEANS TAKING GOD SERIOUSLY BY PUTTING HIM FIRST
d. SO, HOW CAN I LAY UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN? FIRST IT STARTS WITH AN ATTITUDE CHANGE
i. WE SHOULD NOT BE CONTENT WITH A MEAGER AMOUNT OF TREASURE IN HEAVEN
1. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:1 FINALLY, BROTHERS, WE INSTRUCTED YOU HOW TO LIVE IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD, AS IN FACT YOU ARE LIVING. NOW WE ASK YOU AND URGE YOU IN THE LORD JESUS TO DO THIS MORE AND MORE.
ii. WE SHOULD SEE THE SPIRITUAL VALUE IN THE THINGS WE DO FOR GOD
1. GIVING TO THE LORD IS A SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT. I WILL NEVER TELL YOU TO DIG DEEP AND GIVE TIL IT HURTS. WHAT I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS TO GIVE TILL IT HELPS.
a. IT HAS AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
2. PRAYING IS A SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT
a. HOW MANY STORIES HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HOW DILIGENTLY PEOPLE PRAYED FOR THE SALVATION OF SOMEONE ELSE.
b. THEN ASK YOURSELF HOW MUCH OF YOUR PRECIOUS TIME IS SPENT IN PRAYER TO GOD
3. FAITHFULNESS TO GOD IS A SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT
a. KEEP YOUR COMMITMENTS
b. USE THE GIFTS GOD GAVE YOU
c. LOOK FOR PLACES TO INVEST YOUR TIME
HERE IS THE FINAL THING JESUS BRINGS OUT IN OUR PASSAGE
VI. OUR HEART WILL SHADOW OUR TREASURE
a. OUR HEART WILL BE WHERE OUR THOUGHTS GO
b. OUR HEART WILL BE WHERE WE FRET THE MOST
c. OUR HEART WILL BE WITH WHAT WE CANNOT BE HAPPY WITHOUT.
LET’S MAKE THOSE THINGS GOD FOCUSED
MAY OUR THOUGHTS GO TO GOD
MAY OUR LIVES BE CONTENT BECAUSE OF HIM
MAY WE FIND OUR GREATEST HAPPINESS IN HIM!
