Excellent. Good morning.
Morning to people at home and the cameras.
Well, this morning, what is it you treasure?
I'm going to, I've brought in a few little treasures as a show and tell.
And so here's one thing I treasure.
My family, that's my wife Deb, and that's my daughter Adelaide and my son Hamish.
They're both actually taller than her now.
That was taken just before COVID and it's hard to find a photo.
Anyway, she's in year 12 this year and he's going into year 9.
So I treasure them.
And I also treasure this, which I'm going to get now as part of the show and tell.
I treasure this painting.
This painting was given to me for Father's Day by my daughter when she was three
and she painted it herself.
Now, come on, gifted? What?
No, no. Everyone's kids are gifted. I'm joking.
She's not doing art, but she is doing D&T and drama.
So it's something I treasure.
Something else.
I treasure these.
I got a silver medal at the World Championship in St Andrews playing frisbee.
And I've got a bronze medal playing frisbee.
And this was the first Australian team ever to get medal overseas.
So I kind of treasure them, but when you look at them, they're actually a bit cheap.
And they'll rust.
You know, they're not going to last.
And something else here I treasure is the jersey.
When you get to play for your country, like you have this little dream.
And yes, it is a real sport.
And, you know, you do have to be a little bit fit and know what you're doing.
So it's a little fringy.
But anyway, moths will eat that.
It just won't last.
And the thing that I really treasure is my relationship with Jesus.
And that lasts forever.
And I hold on to that.
Today's passage in the Sermon on the Mount, as Jesus commenced his public ministry,
he listed off the beautiful attitudes meant for his followers.
He taught how we are to live as subjects in the long-awaited kingdom of God.
And this is the best life for us.
If we're to be followers of Jesus, we must listen to Jesus' words and obey them.
The standard is high.
And when we live this way, we are salt and we are light in the world.
Even though it will make us stand out and often put us at a disadvantage to others in the world
and by the standards of this world.
The Sermon on the Mount challenges us to make significant changes,
to live for God's upside-down kingdom.
It's opposite to the way the world operates.
And today I want to talk about an area that actually needs serious attention,
but it's a sensitive topic.
It has to be one of the least popular ones for us to talk about as Christians,
especially from the pulpit, because people feel like being bent behind their back.
And whether you have a little or a lot, as we head into this new year,
we need to hear what God has to say about treasure.
It's a touchy subject.
But most of our life kind of revolves around the acquisition of stuff.
Get a qualification.
Get a career.
Work.
Mortgage.
Clothing.
Bills.
Save.
Super funds.
Amass material blessings and wealth.
Save for a restful, prosperous retirement,
where the person with the most toys wins.
This can be a real trap.
In 1 Timothy 6.10, we're reminded,
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith
and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Money isn't evil.
It's the effect it has on us.
It's what people do with it.
People lie for money.
People kill for money.
Families face bitter splits at the reading of a will.
I've seen it happen.
People betray friends for money.
No one ever thinks they've got too much money.
Hardly anyone thinks they have enough money.
Acquiring money for security and comfort drives our life.
The opportunity to earn more money can motivate people
to reorder their priorities in life.
A big loss of money is a huge tragedy for most people,
second only to death itself.
We need to ask ourselves,
what is it we treasure?
Jesus concluded,
you cannot serve both God and money.
Who or what has mastery over our hearts?
We serve whichever master has control over our heart.
What would the world offer you that could entice you away from Jesus?
And the answer Jesus gave is money.
Listen to what Jesus has to say to those who are to follow him.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store 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.
Two treasures.
Treasures on earth,
treasures in heaven.
Don't store up the first for yourself.
Store up the second.
Sounds simple,
but in practice,
treasure on earth.
We need to note what Jesus is not talking about first.
Money doesn't grow on trees or fall from the sky.
Please God.
Oh, there we go.
Sweet.
No, Jesus is not talking about
making sensible provision for the future.
He's not talking about
working hard to avoid poverty.
He's not talking about
enjoying with gratitude
the good things that God has made.
And he's not talking about
providing for our dependence.
I think we know what Jesus is talking about.
The human desire.
Give me more.
The love of wealth.
What has got our hearts?
What do we treasure?
If we treasure
honour and fame,
then our heart will be ambitious.
Sorry, I said treasure.
I was thinking of true love then,
but if we treasure...
That's what I started.
Anyway,
if we treasure pleasure,
then our heart will be self-indulgent.
If we treasure money,
then our heart will be greedy.
Whatever has our heart,
we actually worship.
And how do we know we worship it?
We make time for it.
We make sacrifices for it.
Whatever's on our heart
will master us.
We live with the cultural delusion
that wealth equals security.
With wealth,
we can be our own gods,
independent and not rely on God.
Because we're self-made,
we're self-sufficient.
Wealth gives us control and power
over our own fate
and over other people.
Personal wealth
and worth
can build our self-esteem
and value.
And they can be tied together
with material possessions.
We can feel good about ourselves
if we dress and drive
and dine
and decorate well.
With wealth,
we can indulge our every desire,
whether it's the exotic vacation,
the luxurious wedding,
the finest dining
or the most extravagant home.
people abandon Jesus
and choose money
and earthly treasure
and it's a strange choice.
If we read in Timothy,
we brought nothing into the world,
we can take nothing out of it.
The same fate awaits everyone.
Treasures on earth
just don't last
and we don't take any of it with us.
Imagine gaining the whole world
yet forfeiting your soul.
The person with the most toys
doesn't win.
In this section
on the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus warns against
the extremes
of wealth
and worry.
As God cares
for the flowers in the field
and the birds in the air,
how much more
his own children?
Therefore,
I tell you,
do not worry about your life,
saying,
what shall we eat
or what shall we drink?
What shall we wear?
For the pagans
run after these things
and your heavenly Father
knows that you need them.
But,
seek first
God's kingdom
and his righteousness
and all these things
will be given to you.
They'll be given to you as well.
Therefore,
do not worry about tomorrow
for tomorrow
will worry about itself.
Do a quick tangent here.
I just thought of it.
My grandmother,
when she was dying
of bone marrow cancer,
she was a Christian
and she had a little EP.
This is back in vinyl days
and it was a country
and western song,
One Day at a Time,
Sweet Jesus.
That's all I'm asking you for.
And she'd play that every day
until she went home
to be with Jesus.
Don't worry about tomorrow.
Each day has enough
worries of its own.
Live one day at a time,
sweet Jesus.
Well,
later in the parable
of the sower,
Jesus spoke of the thorns
and the worries of wealth
in Matthew 13.
Talks about the seed
falling among the thorns,
actually refers to the person
who hears the word,
but the worries of life
and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke the word,
making it unfruitful.
We need to weed out
the thorns in our life.
Don't worry
and amass wealth
like the pagans.
Real security
comes in a relationship
with God.
Seek first
God's kingdom
and all these things
will be given unto you.
So do not store up
for yourselves
treasures on earth.
Jesus shifts now here
from the heart
to our eyes.
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
in you is darkness,
how great
is that darkness?
We actually can't
separate the heart
and our eyes.
We set our eyes
on our heart's desire.
The two are entwined.
What is on our heart
drives what we look at.
What we treasure,
we watch.
It's what we read.
It's the magazines
we buy.
It's the movies we watch.
It's the internet searches.
Whatever masters our heart
masters our eyes.
And what our eyes see
in turn
feeds our heart.
It's this cycle.
Are your eyes good
and full of light?
Or are your eyes bad
and full of darkness?
Jesus is saying,
if our eyes are set
on earthly treasures,
on treasures on earth,
then our eyes
are in pretty bad shape.
And by inference,
so are our hearts.
If we can't see
that it's meaningless
chasing treasures on earth,
that it's just like
a chasing after the mist,
and if we can't see
that it's actually wise
to store up riches
in heaven,
then we need more
than spectacles.
We need to readjust
our lens
to that which emanates light.
Open our eyes
afresh
to God's word,
which is a lamp
to our feet
and a light
to our path.
Just on this,
again,
a little quick tangent
that's not in the notes.
Have you ever done
a kaplunk?
Kaplunk is,
God,
I don't know
what's going on,
just, you know,
you've opened the Bible
and you've pointed
to a passage
and hope it's spoken to you.
People have done that?
I'm really interested.
I've seen a few notes.
Righto.
Well, get this.
Married, no kids.
My wife and I
go to a conference
and it's a conference
on international schools.
We're both educators
and we heard
you could go to Berlin
and Jakarta
and Tokyo
and teach in all these
international schools
and you got paid
pretty well
and looked after
and even got accommodated
and some schools
even offered you
a security home
and a chauffeur-driven
car to inform us.
Anyway,
I was like,
well, this sounds good,
you know,
and so,
should we do this, God?
You know,
we'll come back to Australia
and we'll have a deposit
for a house
and we'll be all set up.
Kaplunk time.
James, chapter 4.
Who are you?
Just say you'll go
to this city
and that city
and make money.
You are but a miss.
What you should be saying
is what is God's will
and do that.
Anything else
is evil.
Okay, God,
we're not going
to international schools.
Got it?
Kaplunk.
Very good.
So,
God's word is a lamp
to our feet,
a light to our path.
Fill our eyes with light.
If not treasures on earth,
then what are we to live for?
Jesus tells us
what our motivation
should be like.
Jesus said,
store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven
where moths don't eat,
rust doesn't destroy
and where thieves
do not break in
and steal.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart
will be also.
What does Jesus mean
by treasure in heaven?
According to Don Carson,
the words treasure in heaven
go back to early
Jewish literature.
Here it refers to
whatever is good
and of eternal significance
that comes out
of what is done
on earth.
Doing righteous deeds,
suffering for Christ,
forgiving one another,
willingness to share
what you have.
You remember the early church
people sold their houses
and their land
to give out.
In other words,
what has eternal significance
is leaving out
the complete package
outlined in the
Sermon on the Mount.
Now, while we don't know
what the reward in heaven
is actually going to look like,
we get a picture
of what heaven
actually will look like
to some degree
in Revelation
and it's beautiful
and majestic
and amazing
but we still actually
can't fathom that
because we're sitting
in these chairs
and we're in these
mortal bodies.
We can't fathom it.
But let's face it,
none of us are really
concerned about receiving
some kind of material
reward in heaven,
surely.
the best treasure
in heaven,
this is what I hope for,
will be to see
the people we know
and love,
the people we've
come in contact with.
Our friends and family
are going to be a given
that we want to see
them there
but what about
the people we meet
on the streets?
Sometimes I'll get
on public transport
and I'll sit on a bus
and actually face
the opposite way
and I just look down
the barrel at all the people
and I'm thinking,
do you know Jesus?
Are you ready?
I'd love to see you
all there one day.
I don't know you
but I'd love to see you there.
And it's the image bearers
of God
that Jesus died for.
Not a car
or an Australian
frisbee jersey
or a rusty medal.
What has eternal significance?
Doing God's will
on earth
as it is in heaven
and sharing the gospel
with our whole lives.
I don't think it's
too much of a stretch
but I honestly believe
that the treasure
we store up in heaven
is the people
we personally point to Jesus.
Normally if you give
earthly treasure away
it's gone.
The gospel is better
than a Tim Tam pack
that never runs out.
In his great mercy
he has given us
new birth
into a living hope
through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ
from the dead
and into an inheritance
that can never perish
spoil or fade
kept in heaven
for you.
The gospel
is the treasure
that keeps on giving.
When we share the gospel
we still have it
but so does someone else.
It's God's treasure
that never perishes
never spoils
never fades.
As we share the gospel
and give generously
to support ministry
of the gospel
both here
and with overseas mission
we are using riches
on earth
to build treasure
in heaven.
In this life
we won't always see it
but what joy
there will be
what treasure
in heaven
when we are united
with those
who have come
to know Jesus
either because
of our direct connection
in sharing our lives
and the gospel
with them
or indirectly
through our partnering
financially
and mission
both locally
and globally.
Jesus concludes
no one can serve
two masters
either they will
hate the one
and love the other
or they will be devoted
to one
and despise the other.
You cannot serve
both God
and money.
Why can't we have it all?
Why can't we have both?
A couple of observations here.
In this western age
of individualism
selfishness
instant gratification
people today
find it hard
to miss out
on anything
that money can buy
if they have the means.
Needing the right
brand of clothes
cars
mobile phones
gaming consoles
spectacular holidays
not many of us
are willing
to go without
or prepared
to make costly
sacrifices
in laying down
our lives
for Jesus.
Worldliness
can so easily
entangle
like the thorns
the Christian life.
Nothing but the best
will do for me.
I've earned it.
I deserve it.
We place limits
on trusting Jesus.
I'm not prepared
to step out
in faith
and trust God
and let him
take me
where he'll take me.
I'm scared
that my pay package
will drop
that my standard
of living
will lower.
Not many people
are prepared
to downscale
for the sake
of the gospel
buy a cheaper
brand
or generously
support mission.
When Jesus
says no one
can serve
two masters
it's an image
of slavery.
Slaves
were owned
by a master.
They were required
to obey
and serve
their master
full time.
There was no room
in their lives
to serve
another master.
Two treasures.
Treasure on earth
or treasure in heaven.
We'll hate one
and we'll love
the other
or we'll be devoted
to one
and despise
the other
but we can't
serve both
God and money.
who
or what
has mastery
of your heart?
Have you been
enslaved
by earthly
treasures
because it's
idolatry?
Whatever you do
and this is a popular
thing
just follow your heart
listen to your heart
don't listen
to your heart.
Jeremiah 17
9
reminds us
the heart
is deceitful
above all things
but praise God
in Ezekiel
we're reminded
that God wants
to give us
a new heart
and put a new
spirit
to remove
our heart
of stone
and give us
a heart
of flesh.
We all need
to hear these
words
and to take
them seriously.
The heart
of our living
is to be
for the kingdom
of God.
What then
are we to do
with earthly
treasure?
The first thing
we need to acknowledge
that we are rich.
Did you know
that if you earn
$90 a day
you're in the top
1%
of the richest
people in the world?
You don't have
to be Elon Musk
Bill Gates
or any of these people
$90 a day
will put you
in the top 1%
of people in the world.
As we are blessed
we need to be
a blessing to others.
Jesus said
to whom much is given
much will be required.
And we need
to acknowledge
that this is actually
all just a loan
from God.
In Psalm 24
verse 1
we read
the earth
is the Lord's
and everything
in it
the world
and all
who live in it.
In other words
everything we have
is just on loan
from God.
If it wasn't
we'd take it with us
when we die.
So what do we do
with earthly treasure
God has given us
on loan?
We get a really
clear indicator
in Timothy.
Command those
who are rich
in this present world
not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope
in wealth
which is so uncertain
but to put their hope
in God
who richly provides us
with everything
for our enjoyment.
Command them
to do good
to be rich
in good deeds
and to be generous
and willing to share.
In this way
they will lay up
treasure for themselves
as a firm foundation
for the coming age
so that they may
take hold
of the life
that is truly life.
be rich
in good deeds
be generous
and willing
to share.
For those
in the family
of God
our inheritance
is in heaven.
This treasure
is secure
and it lasts
forever.
There's a story
of a rich
diamond merchant
who was looking
for a particular
diamond for his
collection
and there was
a New York
jeweller
who traded
in diamonds
who knew of this
and he discovered
in his collection
a diamond
that this Dutch
diamond collector
would like
and he flew over
and he said
come on over
and he got his
associate
his best salesman
who knew everything
about diamonds
to talk about
this diamond
and at the end
of him discussing
all the technical
details of the diamond
the guy decided
he wouldn't buy it.
He wasn't interested
after all
and then the owner
of the shop said
hang on a minute
can I just take that diamond
and give it one more crack
and then he explained
all this about the diamond
and the gentleman
decided to buy it
and then he said
sir I wonder why
you're able to sell me
this stone
when your salesman
could not
and the owner replied
that salesman
is the best
in the business
he knows more
about diamonds
than anyone
including myself
and I pay him
large salary
for his knowledge
and expertise
but I would gladly
pay him twice
as much
if I could put
into him
something
I have
which he lacks
you see
he knows diamonds
but I love them
what we love
what we treasure
what we're passionate about
passionate about
we talk about
if you like skiing
I'll know you like skiing
because you'll start
talking about it
or some kind of sport
or music
or your family
Jesus said
out of the overflow
of the heart
the mouth speaks
what's on our heart
we speak about
it just comes out
it's one thing
to know about Jesus
it's another
to love Jesus
and if you love Jesus
and treasure knowing him
you can't stop
talking about him
we're jars of clay
and like jars of clay
we're fallible
we're broken
we're fragile
yet we have this
glorious treasure within
that will not perish
and will not fade
when we truly love Jesus
and truly love our family
and friends
and really care about
other people
we don't want them
to miss out on heaven
the diamond salesman
loved earthly treasure
and loved talking about
that treasure
but that doesn't last
if we love Jesus
we have a different
perspective on life
looking forward to a place
where moth and rust
do not destroy
and where thieves
cannot break in and steal
and as a result
we focus
I hope on things
that have eternal significance
if we love Jesus
we love sharing the gospel
godly treasure
and use our worldly treasure
God has given us
on loan
to support ministry
of the good news of Jesus
both here
locally
nationally
and globally
Oscar Schindler
and his wife
saved over 1200 Jews
from near certain death
at the hands of the Nazis
in the Steven Spielberg film
Schindler's List
it records how Oscar
used his worldly wealth
to rescue Jews
at the conclusion
of World War II
Schindler was given
a gold ring
this is true
it's not just a movie depiction
and on the ring
the gold ring
from the survivors
and the gold
was actually extracted
from the tooth
the bridge in a prisoner's mouth
and they got the ring
and they inscribed it
with something
from the Talmud
and this is what it read
he who saves a single life
saves the entire world
the film marks
this moment powerfully
on receiving the gift
Schindler breaks down
and he removes his watch
and he removes a gold pin
and he says
this could have been one more
this could have been five more
he could have used his earthly treasure
to save more
one day
we will see Jesus
could be sooner than we realise
and we'll look around
all the people
that we shared the gospel with
or we supported
in ministry
and ministry of the gospel
will we wish we'd done more
those who point others to Jesus
the one who saves life
store up treasure in heaven
when the Christian community
is salt and light in the world
generosity is a sign
that this world
has not taken hold
and that we've weeded out
the thorns of wealth
accumulation and worry
from the garden of our lives
there will be an observable difference
as we live by using
treasure on earth
God has given us
not to invest in property shares
or our portfolios
but rather investing
in sharing in the gospel
I pray this happens
as we listen to the teaching
of Jesus
and respond
by living for God's
upside down kingdom
seeking to build treasure on earth
treasure in heaven
not on earth
so as we head into 2022
it's a great opportunity
to reassess our motivations
where our hearts lie
and what it is we really treasure
it's a chance to examine our finances
rework the budget
prioritise giving
we cannot serve two masters
we either live for treasure on earth
or live for treasure in heaven
which treasure
will we live for today
it's a choice
we have to make constantly
stir up for yourselves
treasure in heaven
where moths don't eat
rust doesn't destroy
and where thieves
do not break into steel
for where your treasure is
there your heart will be
also
let's pray
heavenly father
lord
weed out our hearts
lord
take from us anything
that's
taking us away from you
whatever we've
it's encapsulated us
in this world
you've made a good world
it's an amazing world
lord
that
it's broken
and it's fallen
and we need Jesus
lord
let this world
not distract us
let us live in this world
but not of the world
let us fix our eyes on Jesus
the author and perfecter
of our faith
and lord
motivated by love for you
and love for others
can we just share this
treasure
this gospel treasure
with all we come
in contact with
with all we see
and may they know
the love of Jesus
and the hope we have
the new creation
lord
we hope for that
in Jesus name
amen