Treasures Series

Sermon on the Mount

Pt 8

Treasures

Matthew 6:19-21

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [NKJV]

OPENING REMARKS

1. Treasure

A. The Bill Bennett Morning in America radio talk show.

During the course of this show last Thursday he was speaking to Ann Romney (Mitt Romney’s wife). A one point Bill Bennett ask her how her sons were. Her comment, “They are my treasure.”

Now what I think she meant by this (as any parent would also mean concerning their own children) is that her children were an absolute joy to her and Mitt’s life and in their eyes they are truly a treasure to behold.

When I heard Ann Romney say this statement. Two verses came to mind.

First -

Matthew 10:37

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

NOTE: In its context this [verse] is saying, A person’s family is to be the strongest and most precious relationship among human beings. A person is to love his family as much as he loves any others on earth. However, there is one relationship that is to supersede [this] relationship with his family: that is the relationship to Jesus Christ. [A believer] is to love Christ supremely, counting Him more worthy than all, even … his own family. [POSB: Matthew 1, Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996, p. 249]

Second -

Matthew 6:21 (Text)

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

NOTE: Of course, briefly, this implies that what we value the most – there we will find our heart’s desires.

B. Thoughts

So where are your thoughts today?

What do you think about?

Are your thoughts on worldly things or on God?

Where is your heart focused? On earth? On heaven? – The text tells us where our heart’s desire is at – so too will be our treasures.

TEXT [NASB]

I. Earthly Treasures

19

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

1. Store – word carries the meaning of stacking up horizontally, as one does coins (stock-piling, hoarding) for no other use than to make show of one’s value than for usefulness.

NOTE: A treasure is that which has value and is worth something to someone. Remember the old adage: One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

2. Men obtain things and give value to them:

a. Stones (diamonds)

b. Shiny Dust (gold)

c. Paper and Metal (money)

d. Land (property)

e. Material (goods)

NOTE: These are obtained by work, inheritance, goodwill, or theft.

3. Earthly goods:

Clothes, cars, jewelry, toys, houses, buildings, furnishings bring pleasure, fame, and power. Possessions, property, money – or anything that dominates a person’s life and holds it fast to the earth.

a. These are the things that men desire and covet.

i. They are seen and can be handled.

ii. They are sought by people and desired by others.

iii. They are present, ever before us, and can be possessed immediately (right now).

4. These things which are perishable.

a. Where moth and rust destroy and

b. Where thieves break in or steal;

NOTE: Everything ages, deteriorates, decays, and/or dies. Everything that man makes eventually has to be made again. Nothing made by man on this earth lasts forever. Our junk-yards and garbage heaps give a lasting testimony to this fact.

5. God gives | God takes away – enjoy His blessings but do not hope in them.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

Earthy Goods

Jesus is not advocating a life of poverty in order to follow Him – what He is telling His disciples that earthly goods are only temporal | passing away just as easily as they came about.

II. Heavenly Treasures

20

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

Store – see above.

Heaven – the place of inhabitants in God’s dwelling place

1. Where neither moth nor rust destroys and

2. Where thieves do not break in or steal.

NOTE: Things which are not perishable.