Good morning, opening up your copy of God's Word to Matthew 5, or 6.
So here at Christ's Family, we believe very strongly in preaching through God's Word verse by verse.
! And so if you're landing here for the first time or you haven't been back in a while,
you are providentially following on the next passage that we're going to.
And so it isn't like we just targeted people today and decided to talk about wealth, money, and possessions.
It actually just falls in line with where we are preaching through the Sermon on the Mount.
And a very well-known sermon, I mean the title of it, the Sermon on the Mount,
doesn't mean that's the only sermon that Jesus preached.
It's just one of the most well-known discourses.
And he preached it in Galilee.
Galilee was a small, well, relatively small, comparatively speaking,
300,000, 200,000 people maybe in small villages and towns.
And the crowds gathered around him.
But interesting enough, it says that he taught his disciples,
and people began kind of, you know, listening in.
And he opened his mouth and he taught them, it says in chapter 4.
So standing on this high plain, probably overlooking the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum,
Jesus begins teaching his disciples about what it looks like to belong to the kingdom of God
and what the citizens of the kingdom of God and how they live
and the godly life that is meant to be exhibited in everyday living in everything that we do.
So the Sermon on the Mount is a very helpful, practical sermon,
but also one that really hits us in hard places.
And Jesus is constantly comparing the false outward righteousness
that many saw in the religious leaders of the day
to the true inward righteousness that God desires and that God only can bring about.
And so today we land in verse 19 of all this.
And it's a very sensitive passage.
I'm planning some people to block the door so no one leaves.
It's like one of those, please don't bring this stuff up.
It really is sensitive.
It's really hard.
And I get it.
I think I would be in the first in line to try to run out of the building at this point.
But I'm kind of stuck here.
It would be really weird if I just ran out.
So before I begin, though, I want to just throw this out there,
that a few things, so that you don't attack me later.
I don't have all this figured out.
I've been asking God.
I, this past week, I've been wrestling, I've been praying, I've been measuring, discussing
just what it is about money and possessions, especially that we Americans have,
that as soon as it's brought up, we just go like that, like immediately.
It makes us uncomfortable.
So I've been asking God, why?
Why is that happening in my own heart?
Just wrestling over and over with this.
And so my goal is to stand behind Jesus this morning, to let his words go out and let his
words have its desired effect on you.
So back in the old medieval days, if you had fruit or nasty vegetables and you wanted to
throw them at somebody you didn't like, I'm hiding behind him today.
So I might, you know, say something, then just kind of go in such a way.
So here we go.
Verse 19.
This is the words of our Lord.
He says,
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the 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.
The eye is the lamp of the body.
So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?
No one can serve two masters.
For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and
despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
Let's pray together.
Lord, I pray that you would just help me in this time to communicate truth, to communicate
grace.
Lord, I pray that if anybody has any issue today, it will be with you and your word and not with
with me, that we would humbly work through this passage together.
That you would teach us its meaning.
Lord, your word is authoritative.
Your word is inspired.
It is God-breathed.
And we know, Lord, that you do not utter nonsense.
That every word is meant to be applied to our hearts, to our lives.
It is, Lord, as we leave even here today, that we would, as the old Puritans used to say,
speak of them in your families and pray and discuss them and ask that the Lord would help
you not blaspheme his word by forgetting it.
So, Lord, I just ask that.
I ask that you would just work in our hearts that this would be worked out in real, tangible
ways.
That each family, each individual would seek you to see what this looks like in their life.
Yes, Lord, we place it all in your hands to do a work among us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
So, three points kind of coming out of this.
Only three.
Don't tell me there's more.
That's it.
The first, number one, very simply put, there are two kinds of treasures.
We see it in verses 19 and verse 20.
There's only two kinds.
There is treasures on earth and treasures in heaven.
But first, let's just speak briefly about what is a treasure.
Treasure.
It's not, maybe not what a lot of us may think, but a treasure simply is whatever you love,
whatever you cherish, whatever you value the most in life.
It's, in turn, what you might worship.
Our old English word for worship is also connected to the idea of what we consider to be of the
greatest worth, and that's shown by how we treat that particular thing.
The old word originally was called worth-ship.
And I guess at some point we got tired of such a long word, so we boiled it down to worship.
But it is what we value, what we love, what we cherish, what we guard, what we seek is what,
in very fact, gets us out of bed in the morning, what drives us on.
And every one of us has a treasure.
And notice that Christ is not saying to not have a treasure.
He's just saying, make sure that you are very wise in your choice of treasure.
So, as we unpack this, let's go a little further.
There's two kinds.
The first kind that's mentioned is an earthly treasure.
In verse 24, we see that the literal Greek word is mammon.
Mammon was a Semitic word for money and possession.
So, kind of lob that in there.
So, not just finances, not just money, but all the stuff that money can buy.
Our money and our possessions, our mammon.
So, today in America, we are living in the most wealthy, affluent, prosperous countries in the history of the world.
So, history majors in here, you know that that's true.
You can study other civilizations.
You might see some very wealthy civilizations, but they don't even come close to what we have.
College students, most poor college students, you are in the 1% of the wealthiest people in the world.
That's if you work a part-time job.
So, don't ever say that.
Throw that phrase away.
Comparatively speaking, you might not have a lot, but you are not poor.
So, in this quite Disneyland of America, we have so much money, possessions, wealth, comforts, luxuries, and opulence than any other civilization before us.
So, in short, earthly treasures are our money, our possessions.
It's anything that is seen and anything that is temporal.
So, that's what an earthly treasure implies.
We'll get more at that in a minute.
Then, the other kind is heavenly treasure.
So, what in the world is that?
Well, it's not just the spiritual version of mammon.
It's not like, well, when I get to die, I get a golf course in heaven.
I basically just get all the toys and pleasure that I have here in a heavenly form.
That's not like what a heavenly treasure is.
It's not big houses.
It's not toys.
It's not stuff.
No.
If you want to talk about this more later, I would argue very strongly, and I think that Scripture would agree, and I think that church history would agree with this,
but Scripture reveals that the most amazing thing, overwhelmingly, that the treasure of heaven is the king of heaven.
It's God himself.
Heaven is synonymous in the Scripture with the presence of God.
So, heaven just isn't a place.
It's a person.
And so, it's not just a cool place that we get to kind of all go and retire spiritually one day.
It's being in the presence of someone.
Psalm 16 says,
Our argument here is that God himself, even in the person of Christ, is the treasure.
He himself is the treasure.
So, we could count all things as loss, as Paul says, in comparison to knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21.
This is kind of getting toward the end of the book with the new heaven and the new earth, and this is what John says.
He says,
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
He will dwell of them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be their God.
Go on and read that whole chapter.
Chapter 21 in Revelation.
So, you're very aware that it's not just a cool place.
It's not just earth hyped up and much better.
It's being in the holy presence of God.
But there will be other things in heaven, but they all will be pointing to and making much of the king of heaven.
Jesus prayed this in John 17.
He said,
Think about what you think of eternal life.
Well, it means living forever.
It means not dying.
And yes, it does live that.
But here's Jesus' definition of eternal life.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, and you have sent.
And then later on in this prayer, in verse 24, he says,
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am,
to see my glory that you have given me because you love me before the foundation of the world.
So, Christ existed with the Father, completely joyful, completely satisfied before anything was created.
And he's saying, Father, bring them with me one day so they can behold my glory,
to behold me and to be with me.
There's a big difference between just wanting to be spared hell and wanting to go to heaven.
I wish I had learned this much earlier in my life.
Richard Baxter, back in the 1600s, he wrote this,
As a believer's life is very different from an unbeliever's life,
so also a believer's death is very different from an unbeliever's death.
The unbeliever prefers heaven to hell.
The believer prefers heaven over earth.
The unbeliever prefers heaven only over hell because he cannot imagine anything more blessed than this life.
The believer prefers heaven over earth because the believer cannot imagine anything more blessed than life with God.
That's it.
So, though heaven may have many blessings,
and though there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more sin, no more suffering,
all of that is going to be directed toward the Lamb who is slain.
And we will dwell with Him forever.
So, Jesus is saying,
Devote your life to accumulating treasure, not on the earth, but in heaven where you will be with God forever.
Store up treasures in heaven.
So, that's the two kinds, earthly and heavenly.
If you ever stop to ask yourself,
we're going to refer to this book so a few times, but I beg you,
I've purchased this book.
It's called The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.
Not a big book.
So, those of you who aren't really great readers, you can still read it.
And I would say this book, above all I've ever read,
has the best theology of money, best theology of stewardship.
What should we do with our money?
I'm really terrible at just managing money,
like in terms of just like the math part of it, hands-on part of it.
That's why I married a CPA.
She can do that.
But, that stuff has to be filtered through God's Word.
It has to be filtered through principles that we see in God's Word about money and about possessions.
So, why is so much attention?
You ever stop to think about that?
That's a ton of attention given in the Scripture about money and possessions.
Just looking at the Gospels alone,
15% of everything that Jesus says relates in some way,
connects, relates, illustrated with money and possessions.
That's mind-blowing.
That's more than the teachings on heaven and hell combined,
like direct teachings.
So, interesting enough, though,
of that 15%, Jesus only mentions tithing one time.
And He's speaking to the Pharisees about it.
He basically is saying,
that's what's expected of you.
You even tithe even your spices,
He said to the Pharisees.
But, you've neglected even the way or matters of the law.
You've neglected mercy, justice, and faithfulness.
So, should we tithe?
If you want my honest opinion,
I think it's a good principle to kind of start with in our giving.
But nowhere, I mean, in the Scripture, people gave much more.
And like those of us who have been liberated in Christ,
you can say, well, we under the Old Testament law.
No, you're supposed to be above it.
You're supposed to give and to not hold on to all our stuff.
We'll get more into that in a second.
So, it's a great principle to kind of live by.
But Jesus is basically saying,
you're just doing what's expected of you.
He said that to the religious leaders,
the one time He mentions it.
So, but why is it brought up so much?
Why?
Why does it come out so much in God's Word?
Here's the question.
You know, why does it happen?
Well, I think that Jesus provides the answer for us.
If you look at verse 21, He just says,
for where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
There's a real fundamental connection
between our spiritual lives
and how we think and handle money.
There's a real connection.
We can deny it,
but like we look at life,
we look at how we live,
we can't really get around it.
So, again,
what we treasure,
what we desire,
is what we worship.
So, how can you know?
How can you know that God is on the throne?
Now, I want to kind of just put this as a disclaimer.
Even believers,
people who do belong to Jesus Christ,
people who do want,
really,
to pour their lives out for Christ,
there's still times that,
practically speaking,
something else could be on the throne of our life.
We have to deal with it.
And,
just by way of examination,
come talking about this later,
if you have a problem.
But,
Louis Giglio,
yes,
Louis Giglio,
he said this,
in one of his books about worship,
he said,
here's how you find out,
like what you worship.
He says,
simply follow the trail of your time,
your affection,
your money,
and your loyalty.
At the end of that trail,
you'll find a throne.
And whatever,
or whomever,
is on that throne,
that's what's of highest value to you.
So,
follow that trail,
your time,
your affection,
your money,
your loyalty,
and see where it leads.
So,
even as a believer,
I can temporarily,
think something else is more important,
than Christ.
So,
kick it off,
the throne,
with the help of,
the Holy Spirit.
Here's,
again,
why does,
this conversation,
make us so uncomfortable?
Could it be,
we're scared,
to kind of trace that trail?
Like,
I really don't want to think about that.
I just kind of want to go on,
about my day.
But,
it's important.
Evidently,
Jesus gives us two,
ways that we can live.
A view of,
accumulating valuable things,
on this earth,
or,
a view of,
pursuing and accumulating,
treasures,
in heaven.
And Jesus says,
again,
putting it in the context,
of the Sermon on the Mount,
the citizens of the kingdom of God,
are marked,
by people who are seeking,
the eternal kingdom.
People who are,
laying up,
treasures,
in heaven.
That's how we're,
something that's supposed to,
characterize us,
to store up,
everlasting joy,
in God.
And not just pursuing,
all the things that are,
down here on the earth,
for us to chase.
So,
you might be asking,
I asked,
myself,
I said it myself,
self,
can't we lay up,
treasures in both places?
No.
I mean,
I would say,
can't we have some,
awesome treasures,
here on earth,
and then likewise,
maybe put some up in heaven?
Like,
of course,
we'll definitely put more in heaven,
but is it okay,
for us to have,
some treasure here?
Well,
you could say,
yeah,
obviously,
if God is giving us,
a lot of money,
then surely,
it's a sign of his blessing.
And he wants us,
to enjoy it,
play with it,
and have a good time with it.
Right?
Again,
this is where I'm,
ducking behind Jesus.
Just look at what he says.
He says,
it's very clearly,
that,
laying up treasures in heaven,
and laying up treasures,
on the earth,
don't mix well.
As,
Piper said,
they don't make good bed pillows.
In context,
Jesus is,
Jesus is demolishing,
this false ideology,
that,
people had in his day,
with the religious leaders,
that,
they,
they connected.
Worship God,
and worship money.
It's,
it's kind of this,
this synonymous,
thing,
that,
if you were rich,
it was a sign,
of divine blessing.
And it is,
to a degree,
right?
To a degree.
But,
they were looked on,
as like,
this is God's favored people,
and the poor,
God's accursed.
That's kind of how,
they read it.
So,
we must be doing something right,
because look at all the,
the blessing,
that we are getting out of this.
But,
Jesus said,
that that's total malarkey,
not how it is.
He says,
no,
you must choose,
between them.
You have to pick.
Look at verse 24.
No one can serve two masters,
for he either will hate the one,
and love the other,
or he'll be devoted to the one,
and despise the other.
You cannot serve God,
and money,
or man.
And so,
the word here,
this uses,
indicates the work of a slave.
So,
not an employee,
not someone who's,
you know,
you've hired for a temporary job.
It's,
it's master and slave language,
that we,
we see here.
So,
since the slave is,
the sole property of one master,
he has to give that master,
exclusive service.
He goes to that master.
And if someone is competing for that,
then he's gonna,
despise it.
That's,
that's kind of what we see here.
And,
there's something about God,
and something about money,
that tends to,
make our hearts,
move toward mastery.
They're powerful things.
And,
we'll either be mastered by the living God,
and make money,
a bowing servant of God,
or it'll be the other way around.
You can't do both.
This is why Jesus said,
it's harder for a rich man to enter,
into the kingdom of heaven.
It's hard.
And money is a very,
very cruel master.
So,
just because someone is wealthy,
it doesn't mean that God is,
giving them a thumbs up on everything.
We tend to equate it that way.
But some of the most joyful,
blessed people I've encountered in this world,
are not wealthy,
wealthy people.
And,
more than likely,
some of the wealthiest I've known,
are the most miserable.
Even as believers.
Spurgeon said,
if earthly goods,
were of so much value,
the Lord would not give,
such a large measure of them,
to those who have the least of his love.
So,
another sign,
another thing that we can look at,
to kind of look into our lives,
and those around us,
he gives it to us in verse 22,
where he talks about the eye,
being the lamp of the body.
I wonder why that's like,
sandwiched right,
in between these things.
But the eye,
in some way,
is similar to the heart,
and how it's used,
in our literature here.
The lamp reveals the quality,
of someone's personal inner life,
if you just look.
A healthy eye,
implying that you can see things clearly,
suggests like a loyal devotion,
to God,
while a bad eye,
like impaired vision,
implies like sinful,
moral corruption.
So,
which treasure we're seeking,
which master we serve,
will be evident in our life.
You can,
you can see that,
he's saying like,
the eye of the lamp of the body.
Sometimes you can see,
which master,
someone is serving.
If they're serving,
the things of creation,
rather than the creator,
there will be darkness.
Yes.
I've,
read some accounts of,
of people in Papua New Guinea,
who were saved,
and brought the gospel,
and,
someone would just,
they would go and share the gospel,
with other villages,
around them.
And they would say,
we look into your eyes,
and we see light,
and we see life.
We look at our eyes,
and we see death.
That's like,
exactly what they said.
And,
so what master we serve,
which treasure we are seeking,
will be evident in our life.
It will emanate,
from within us.
So that's it.
There's,
two treasures.
One earthly,
one heavenly.
And we have to pick.
We can't always,
we cannot choose both,
according to Jesus.
Which brings us,
to the second point.
Very,
just simply put again,
don't set your heart,
on things that won't last.
Don't set your heart,
on things that won't last.
Verse 19,
do not,
lay up.
So,
lay up,
meaning,
to hoard,
to store up,
to pile on.
Like,
you got like this,
cartoon image of,
someone just like,
shoveling gold,
into a place.
Like,
don't do that.
Do not lay up,
for yourselves,
treasures on earth,
where moth,
and rust,
destroy.
And where thieves,
break in and steal.
So here's some,
some reasons why,
not to do this.
Very simply,
they won't last.
Okay?
Our Lord Jesus,
is warning us,
about,
making things,
that are seen,
but temporal.
Things that are earthly,
but will pass away.
Your ultimate treasure.
He's saying,
don't spend your life,
storing up money,
and material,
possessions,
because they will rot.
They will rust.
They won't last.
And you can't take,
any of it with you,
when you go.
Like,
not one thing.
All of it's going to stay,
right here.
Can't believe,
I'm about to say this.
As the old saying goes,
you find no U-Hauls,
behind,
thank you,
whoever that was,
talk to you later.
Thanks.
There's no U-Hauls,
behind the hearth.
Scripture,
has a lot to say,
about this,
but just one verse,
Proverbs 23,
it says,
do not,
toil,
to acquire wealth.
I don't,
labor,
for the idea,
of wealth,
itself.
When your eyes,
light on it,
it is gone,
for suddenly,
it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle,
toward heaven.
It disappears,
and it disappears,
quick.
I remember,
the first time,
I actually got,
a job in a warehouse,
and,
I was still under 18,
and so I didn't get taxed,
for it either.
And they,
they handed me like,
nice fat paycheck,
more money than ever had in my life,
which doesn't sound like a lot,
to some of you,
but it was about,
it was about $800,
and I was like,
what am I going to go do?
I went to Bass Pro Shop.
Yeah.
Gone.
Quickly.
It's,
it's a foolish thing,
it,
you can't,
hold on to it.
So,
let me make this point,
okay,
just listen very carefully.
Scripture never,
says that money,
alone,
by itself,
is an evil thing.
He says,
the love of money,
is evil.
evil.
We all know that,
and most of us,
like,
yeah,
of course,
the love of money,
is the root of all evil.
That's true.
But,
here's kind of the,
the difficult part about that.
how do you know,
that you're not worshipping money?
We're,
often the worst judges,
when it comes to measuring,
our own love for money.
We don't see it.
Usually,
other people see it around us.
It's very hard,
to tell.
So,
Paul says that money,
is not evil,
but he's like,
be very,
very,
very careful.
Tread,
cautiously,
around money.
Why?
Again,
because it's a very powerful thing,
that can become,
a master to you,
without even realizing it.
Turn to,
1st Timothy.
1st Timothy,
chapter 6.
1st Timothy,
chapter 6,
verse 6.
Kind of starting,
a positive,
then making a point,
then going to a negative,
to make a point.
Verse,
verse 6.
Here's the remedy,
for,
this issue,
right?
Godliness,
with contentment,
is great gain.
It is.
We brought nothing,
into the world.
We will take,
we will not,
we cannot take anything,
out of this world.
But if we have food,
and clothing,
with these,
we will be content.
Stop there.
So,
contentment is the remedy,
for this,
consumer,
give me,
I gotta have,
I gotta have.
Most of all,
you have lived long enough,
to know,
that whatever you're seeking,
is not gonna give you,
what you want,
like in this world.
Contentment,
is not,
addition,
it's subtraction.
When you have Christ,
when you have godliness,
when you have,
the treasure of heaven,
you realize,
that you need,
less and less.
And it's a freeing thing,
it's a really freeing thing.
If you have,
the treasure,
you don't need,
all this other stuff.
So,
contentment is,
how I go about this.
I mean,
when was the last time,
that you were,
quite content,
with just food,
and clothing?
You might throw,
having a roof,
in over your head,
possibly,
not adding,
into the scripture,
but,
that's it.
We have what we need,
and we're happy.
Here's the warning,
though.
Nine,
verse nine.
But those,
who desire,
there it is,
the seeking,
the storing up,
those who desire,
to be rich,
fall into temptation,
into a snare,
into many,
senseless,
and harmful desires,
that plunge people,
into ruin,
and destruction.
For the love,
of money,
is the root,
of all kinds,
of evil.
It is through,
this craving,
that some,
have wandered,
away from the faith,
and have pierced,
themselves,
with many pangs.
So,
be careful,
it can take hold,
of you quickly.
Money,
can be,
an ends,
a means,
the root,
right,
to get,
a lot of things,
that we don't need,
things that are bad,
for us,
things that are just,
going to weigh us down.
So,
be careful,
I'll,
I'll say this too,
it is totally okay,
totally alright,
for you to make,
a six digit income.
I need you,
I'm a pastor,
we don't make any money,
so I'm kind of,
I'm kind of freed,
from this.
It's totally okay,
for you to make,
a six digit income,
but I would argue,
strongly,
you cannot live,
a six digit lifestyle.
Cannot.
And,
and that's how,
our culture thinks.
But,
it is a diminishing return.
Jesus says,
stop thinking,
that just mere,
accumulation of money,
material junk,
is going to satisfy you.
It's not.
Don't spend,
all your money on toys,
and just make your life,
more fun.
More funner.
For emphasis.
I know,
that's incorrect,
I know.
But,
you'll remember it,
maybe.
Don't just spend,
spend,
just to acquire more toys,
just to make life,
more fun.
Not the goal.
Some of you,
have experienced,
like the deep,
seriously rooted,
joy,
and pleasure,
that comes,
from knowing Christ,
and serving Christ.
You would never,
trade that,
for just silly amusement,
at all.
Right?
And,
earthly treasure,
just never delivers,
what it promises.
Okay?
So,
particularly,
if you're,
you're a younger audience,
like listening to this,
girls who hope,
to be married one day,
think,
about your wedding.
Example,
there is,
I think,
scripture,
history,
and statistics,
and life experience,
reveal there is,
absolutely no,
positive correlation,
between,
between having things,
and being joyful.
None.
You can't find it.
And,
most people,
who,
who seek those things,
all it actually does,
is bring more stress,
more tension,
or every other thing,
more debt.
That's like,
what it brings.
It never gives,
what it promises.
Scripture calls this,
Jeremiah says,
it is a broken cistern,
that cannot hold,
water.
You're pouring stuff in,
and it's coming right out.
So,
be careful,
it doesn't give,
what it promises.
A second reason,
kind of,
underneath this,
is kind of going on,
is,
it's foolish,
to store up treasures,
on earth,
and where,
it won't last.
It's foolish,
and it's damning.
Jesus is making it,
crystal clear,
that wealth,
and possessions are,
they're just,
they can,
they can be,
stumbling blocks.
They can be,
stumbling blocks.
The rich,
young ruler,
we know,
that was something,
that he could not,
overcome.
Why?
Because the rich man,
is too tempted,
to focus on the gift,
and not the giver.
He's,
he's tempted,
to think that his security,
and his well-being,
comes from what he has,
and not from the living God.
We're all tempted,
to feel that way.
Turn to the gospel of Luke.
chapter 12.
You hate me yet?
Don't hate me.
Luke 12.
And listen to the story,
that Jesus tells.
Luke 12,
starting in verse 13.
Someone in the crowd,
said to him,
Teacher,
tell my brother,
to divide the inheritance,
with me.
Stop there.
So,
this man more than likely,
didn't have a lot of money,
and that's why he wants it.
So,
you don't have to be rich,
to be selfish.
Some of the,
most selfish people you can find,
are people who are very poor too.
So,
it doesn't really matter,
about,
whether you have,
or you don't have,
to be this way.
Teacher,
tell you,
tell my brother,
to divide the inheritance,
with me.
But he said to him,
man,
who made me,
a judge,
or arbitrator,
over you?
And he said to them,
take care,
and be on your guard,
against all covetousness.
Underline this in your Bible,
for one's life,
does not,
consist in the abundance,
of his possessions.
And he told them,
a parable saying,
the land of a rich man,
produced plentifully.
And he thought to himself,
what shall I do?
For I have nowhere,
to store my crops.
And he said,
I'll do this,
I'll tear down my barns,
and build larger ones,
and there I will store,
all my grain,
and my goods.
And I will say to my soul,
soul,
you have ample goods,
laid up for many years,
relax,
eat,
drink,
and be merry.
Stop there.
That is,
that is America,
to the T.
How could he know that,
2,000 years ago,
that we would be looking at this like,
uh-huh,
that's us.
That's what we,
that's what we preach to ourselves.
So,
what he's done at that point,
go on to verse 20.
But God said to him,
fool,
this night your soul is required of you,
and the things you have prepared,
whose will they be?
So it is,
with the one who lays up treasure,
for himself,
and is not rich,
toward God.
This man didn't recognize,
that his wealth came from God,
first off,
and then he used it,
on himself,
rather than,
to serve others,
and to store up treasures,
in heaven,
which is the way,
storing up,
being rich toward God.
Okay.
Look at Luke 18,
just quickly,
just flip over,
and I have to,
while we're here,
this is kind of off script,
but,
verse 18,
chapter 18,
verse 18,
this is that,
story we,
I mentioned a minute ago,
it says,
the ruler asked him,
good teacher,
what must I do,
to inherit eternal life,
and Jesus said to him,
why do you call me good,
no one is good,
except God alone,
you know the commandments,
do not commit adultery,
do not murder,
do not steal,
do not bear false witness,
honor your father and mother,
and he said,
all these I've kept,
from my youth,
when Jesus heard this,
he said to him,
one thing you lack,
sell all that you have,
and distribute to the poor,
and you will have treasure,
in heaven,
and come follow me,
so what is Jesus doing there,
he's not,
he's not studying,
a works based salvation,
where,
this man is going to be saved,
based on what he does,
but he hit this man,
right where he knew,
it would hurt him,
he couldn't do it,
he touched his wealth,
made him uncomfortable,
and he walks away,
watch this,
but when he heard these things,
he became very sad,
for he was extremely rich,
Jesus,
seeing that he had become sad,
said,
how difficult it is,
for those who have wealth,
to enter the kingdom of God,
for it is easier,
for a camel,
to go through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich person,
to enter the kingdom of God,
those who heard this,
remember their thinking,
if someone is rich,
it meant blessing,
it meant that God is cool,
with what they're doing,
look at it,
he's blessing them,
so they saw this,
and they're shocked,
and they said to him,
then who can be saved,
if these guys can't,
right,
but he said,
what is impossible,
with man,
is possible,
with God,
Peter said,
see,
we've left our homes,
and have followed you,
and he said to him,
here it is,
truly I say to you,
there is no one,
who has left house,
or wife,
brothers,
or parents,
or children,
for the sake,
of the kingdom of God,
who will not receive,
many times more,
in this life,
and in the age to come,
eternal life,
he's saying,
you think,
that you've sacrificed,
something here,
you haven't,
because in the life to come,
you're going to see,
how awesome this is,
I'm going to give you back,
more and more,
and more,
for what you think,
that this was a sacrifice,
Jesus himself,
makes up,
for what we think,
we sacrifice,
and he's so much better,
so there's a,
I mean,
just a picture,
you see how much,
is in here,
about that kind of stuff,
the man had not,
keeping all the commandments,
he had idols,
in his heart,
he loved his wealth,
more than God,
if you want to turn here,
you can,
this was something that,
is out of,
Randy Alcorn's book,
but he,
if you could ask,
a very,
very rich man today,
teach me,
some things you've learned,
about this,
probably,
we don't know for certain,
but probably,
Solomon wrote,
Ecclesiastes,
more than likely,
but in Ecclesiastes 5,
he's talking about,
the wealth of money,
the wealth of,
having,
stuff,
and,
Randy Alcorn,
like paraphrases,
each little,
thing that he says,
this is,
Ecclesiastes 5,
verse 10,
if you want to look there,
verses 10 through 15,
but,
here's what it says,
Solomon says,
maybe,
again,
whoever loves money,
never has enough,
and this is Alcorn,
the more you have,
the more you want,
also in verse 10,
whoever loves wealth,
is never satisfied,
with his income,
the more you have,
the less you're satisfied,
as goods increase,
so do those,
who consume them,
verse 11,
the more you have,
the more people,
including the government,
will come after it,
verse 11,
and what benefit,
are they,
to the owner,
except to feast,
his eyes on them,
the more you have,
the more you realize,
it doesn't meet,
your real needs,
verse 12,
the sleep,
of a laborer,
is sweet,
whether he eats,
little or much,
so true,
but the abundance,
of the rich man,
permits him,
no sleep,
the more you have,
the more you worry about,
it goes on,
verse 13,
I've seen a grievous evil,
under the sun,
wealth hoarded up,
to harm,
its owner,
the more you have,
the more,
you can hurt yourself,
by holding on to it,
and the last part of it,
our wealth,
lost through some misfortune,
the more you have,
the more you have to lose,
and then,
verse 15,
naked a man comes,
from his mother's womb,
maybe Paul was thinking,
about that,
and as he comes,
so he departs,
he takes nothing,
from his labor,
that he can carry,
in his hand,
the more you have,
the more you leave behind,
very simple,
this brings us,
to our last point,
if that's not enough,
argument for you,
to not seek,
to store treasures,
on this earth,
let's get into the next part of it,
moving on,
set your heart,
on things that will last forever,
that's point three,
set your heart,
on things that will last forever,
verse 20,
back in Matthew,
lay up for yourselves,
treasures in heaven,
where neither moth,
nor rust destroys,
and where thieves,
do not break in and steal,
heavenly treasure,
does last forever,
it won't rot,
it won't fade,
and we can make,
spiritual deposits,
in this life,
going into the next life,
Paul tells us,
to seek the things,
that are above,
something that,
I hope happens,
more and more,
in our marriage,
and possibly,
if we,
Lord willing,
one day,
have children,
that we would teach them,
to view all things,
through life,
through an eternal perspective,
like you have to,
to filter things,
through that,
if you know,
where things are going,
you can,
aim all things,
at that,
to seek the things,
that are above,
where Christ is,
set your minds,
on things,
that are above,
not,
on things,
of the earth,
faith,
so,
a very,
easy,
practical way,
to do this,
is,
I think Jesus,
gives us the answer,
in another,
you know,
in the synoptic gospel,
of Luke 12,
where he's kind of,
referring to the same thing,
Luke 12,
verse 33 and 34,
he says this,
sell your,
possessions,
give to the needy,
provide yourselves,
with money bags,
that do not grow old,
with a treasure,
in heaven,
that does not fail,
where no thief,
approaches,
and no moth destroys,
for your treasure is,
that your heart,
will be also,
isn't it interesting,
that the main,
the main remedy,
for hoarding,
and holding on,
to your money,
is to give it away,
the remedy,
of hoarding,
is giving,
scripture teaches,
he who is generous,
will be blessed,
in Acts 20,
it is more blessed,
to give,
than to receive,
and all of us know,
this is true,
we all know it's true,
and,
again,
with the eternal perspective,
one of the greatest,
deterrents of us,
giving in this life,
at least for me,
is I,
I very easily forget,
that I think,
this world is my home,
and so that's why,
I'm focusing so much,
I'm having a good time here,
accumulating things here,
because I've lost sight,
of the bigger picture,
so where we choose,
to store up,
our treasures,
largely depends,
and where we see,
our home,
the Christian,
to the believer,
to the child of God,
is only heaven,
that's it,
scripture says,
that we are pilgrims,
strangers,
and aliens,
on the earth,
do you feel like,
a pilgrim,
or a settler,
that's right,
out of Hebrews 11,
we're ambassadors,
representing,
our true,
country,
second Corinthians five,
our citizenship,
is in heaven,
Philippians three twenty,
we are citizens,
of a better country,
and a heavenly one,
Hebrews 11,
sixteen,
and here's,
why I wanted to read,
a little tiny,
tiny part,
out of this,
we're all here,
on short term visas,
that are going to expire,
and the problem is,
you don't know,
when it's going to expire,
this is something,
that Alcorn says,
when we choose,
to store up treasures,
depends largely,
on what we think about,
we think is our home,
suppose your home,
is in France,
and you're visiting America,
for a few months,
living in a hotel,
you're told,
that you can't bring,
anything back,
to France,
on your flight home,
but you can earn money,
and make mail deposits,
to your bank,
in France,
would you fill,
your hotel room,
with expensive furnishings,
and wall hangings,
of course not,
you send your money,
where your home is,
you would only spend,
what you needed,
on temporary residence,
sending your treasures ahead,
so that they'd be waiting for you,
when you got home,
that's the principle,
think about that,
it'd be foolish right,
to just,
I live a very low profile,
and send it all right,
just go on,
send it all home,
don't spend too much time,
money on energy,
on in the hotel room,
send it ahead,
all right,
so,
in conclusion,
instead of giving you,
a bunch of laws,
because I don't have any,
I'm just giving you principles,
the story of two men,
in Cairo,
Egypt,
there is a,
exhibit,
at the Egyptian,
National Museum,
which I would love,
to go see one day,
of King Tut,
known as the boy king,
who died at age 17,
long time ago,
about 3,000 years,
buried with a solid gold chariots,
thousands of golden artifacts,
his burial site,
was filled with gold,
and his tomb was like,
encased in gold,
and gold,
just like so much gold,
and valuable treasures,
all around him,
the ancient Egyptians,
believed,
that you could take,
that stuff with you,
when you left,
a lot of cultures,
believed that,
you could take,
your earthly treasures,
with you,
when you died,
but,
all the treasures,
that were in store,
for King Tut's,
eternal enjoyment,
sat there,
for 3,000 years,
until archaeologist,
Howard Carter,
discovered them,
in a burial chamber,
in 1922,
untouched,
for 3,000 years,
so if you walk,
on the other side,
of this,
if you walk,
down in Cairo,
a little dusty street,
middle of nowhere,
in the city,
there's a little,
tiny,
tiny graveyard,
of American missionaries,
tiny little,
insignificant graveyard,
of American missionaries,
and one tombstone,
reads,
William Borden,
1887,
to 1913,
Borden,
was,
an heir,
to great wealth,
he rejected,
the privileged lifestyle,
that his family,
was trying to,
to put on him,
and he left it all,
to share Christ,
with Muslims,
Borden,
gave away,
hundreds of thousands,
of dollars,
to missions,
and after only,
four months,
after he only got there,
for four months,
in Egypt,
he contracted,
spinal meningitis,
and died,
age 25,
some of you are,
are young,
like that in this room,
and the epitaph,
on Borden's tombstone,
talks about,
his love for Christ,
and his love,
for the Muslim people,
and this is what it says,
on his tomb,
on his tombstone,
apart,
from faith in Christ,
there's no other,
explanation,
for such a life,
apart,
from faith in Christ,
there is no explanation,
for such a life,
so the King Tut exhibit,
at the museum,
stands in sharp contrast,
to the humble grave,
of a brother of ours,
William Borden,
yet where is Tut now,
more than likely,
he's in eternal agony,
separated from the living God,
while Borden,
is enjoying,
treasure in heaven,
in the presence of,
God forever,
I'm going to give you a,
I'm aware,
I'm watching,
it's better to give you,
pictures of this,
than for me to tell you,
what to do,
go back and look at,
a singer in the 90's,
Rich Mullins,
our God is an awesome God,
that guy,
passed away,
died in a plane crash,
like all good musicians do,
he would not mind,
but Mullins,
could have been,
a multi-millionaire,
with all the songs,
that he wrote,
and all the music,
that he produced,
but he was aware,
of the stuff,
that we're talking about,
and,
so what he did,
was he basically,
looked at,
what is the average,
mean,
like what is the American,
making like the average,
lifestyle,
like,
you know,
mean,
information,
and that's what,
he aimed it at,
and he,
all the rest of the money,
that he made,
it just went out,
he had,
some people working for him,
and,
all the money would come in,
and what would happen,
is it would be,
distributed,
out,
to,
ministries,
churches,
missionaries,
that needed funding,
and that's where it went,
every time it came in,
and one time,
you know,
I think his,
his secretary,
looked at the total,
and she was like,
gosh,
she said,
do you want to know,
how much it is,
and he just,
said no,
like,
don't show me,
like I'm sending it out,
and I want to store up,
treasures,
in heaven,
apart from faith in Christ,
there's no other explanation,
for such a life,
it doesn't make sense,
a friend of mine,
lives up in,
Hiawassee,
he's,
one of my,
really good friends,
I wish I got to talk to him more,
he's a dentist,
he makes,
pretty good money,
I went to North Georgia,
a long time ago,
he was a Sigma Chi,
and he was in the core,
and his wife was a,
Kappa Delta,
I think,
long,
you know,
he's back in the 90's,
I think,
when they were in school,
but,
I,
when I first met him,
he was very much,
into,
you know,
well,
God's blessed me,
so,
I'm gonna,
you know,
I'm gonna give,
but I'm also gonna have,
a lot of stuff here too,
so he had,
a lot of different,
he had,
he had one home,
and he had,
a place in the lake,
and he had,
tons of,
you know,
other nice stuff,
including a lot of expensive vehicles,
and,
we were talking about it,
and he's,
he's really good at managing money,
and he was trying to help me,
because I didn't have a penny in my name,
and,
but he was,
he was just very much focused on,
more or less,
like the American,
capitalistic mentality,
of making money,
and,
enjoying pleasure here,
but I knew this man loved Jesus,
like,
I know this man belonged to Jesus,
I just think he'd been taught,
wrong,
to a degree,
and what I did was,
one day I was like,
hey man,
read this book,
and,
Jason,
if you ever listen to this,
I'm talking about the treasure principle,
not the Bible,
and,
I don't know,
but within the year,
those of you,
I don't know,
a couple of you probably know him,
he's really like,
like in your face,
like yeah,
like kind of guy,
he's like,
man,
that book rocked my world,
and,
here's what happened,
he sold the lake house,
he sold tons of his other stuff,
that he didn't need,
and he basically just kind of,
consolidated it all,
onto the family farm,
in Hiawassee,
and he and his wife support me,
even to this day,
and they give so much to missions,
particularly to unreached areas,
and they go themselves,
doing medical missions,
and,
and lastly,
I have a friend,
who lives in Athens,
and she recently,
got control of,
a lot of money,
she received a lot of money,
from her husband,
that had passed away,
her husband,
was a,
in earthly terms,
a great man,
I've already cried for him,
I've already,
made my peace with it,
and so,
so is she,
I did not know the Lord,
but he,
he kept a tight rein,
on how,
they spent their money,
and didn't really,
allow her to have,
kind of free reign,
over a lot of things,
but now she has,
all that money,
all of it,
and she's,
praying like God,
how do I,
use this money,
and,
here's something,
that she wrote,
I know that my,
financial resources,
are a gift from God,
and our finances,
our finances,
exceed our normal,
living needs,
then God allows us,
to help other people,
as he brings their needs,
to our awareness,
we are then,
connected to God's miracle,
in someone else's life,
when we give,
we receive more,
than we ever imagined,
we could,
this is how God works,
it's the most,
one of the most,
fundamental principles,
believe it,
giving is such,
a privilege,
and so,
she's,
figuring out ways,
to give,
and to send out,
that money,
for God's kingdom,
I don't know,
what that looks like,
in your life,
I don't know,
I know that we just,
need to be careful,
not to be governed,
solely by,
capitalism,
the kingdom,
the kingdom ethics,
look more like this,
I remember,
your pastor,
Nathan,
a long time ago,
someone was saying like,
man,
you just sound like socialism,
he's like,
no,
that's socialism,
socialism says,
what you have,
is mine,
the gospel says,
what I have,
is yours,
so different,
and,
we really need,
just to ask God,
to examine our lives,
and,
to be obedient,
to where he's leading,
like wrestle with this stuff,
not easy,
read this,
and maybe,
after that,
read,
read this,
and,
sit down with a friend,
or,
your spouse,
and work through,
some of this,
it's all gonna perish,
one day,
all of us,
so let's store up,
treasures in heaven,
or not,
on the earth,
let's be moved,
by grace of the gospel,
let's pray together,