1.You may want to turn in your New Testament to Matthew chapter six, and find verses nineteen through twenty-one. Matt. 6:19-21.
2.One manifestation of the Deity and Wisdom of Jesus is – with only a few words; He could penetrate through to the core of some subject or issue.
B.He knew the tendencies, the temptations and the
C.And even today – He knows all about you; there
is not anything about you Jesus doesn’t know;
there is nothing in your mind of life that can be
D.And so – because of who He is, we ought to listen
3.And on one occasion He said this …
“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.”
I.I believe the first thing we must do with this passage
is – develop a clear view of these two kinds of
treasures: treasures upon earth and treasures in
A.When we read this passage, the first word
that leaps out at us is “treasures.”
B.Treasures are simply things we value, and
C.Now let’s start with the earth.
1.There are things here on the earth we
2.There are some basic things we value
and want to possess – food, clothing
3.We value food, clothing and shelter;
and we work from day to day in order
4.And it is considered normal and wise
to buy groceries – not just for today,
but for the days ahead; many of us
we acquire nutritional treasures
5.Beyond the basics – in our age there
are other things we value and want to
possess – a means of transportation;
various methods of communication.
6.There are these things we treasure
here on the earth – we work to have
them and store them up for future
7.Treasures are simply things we value, and
therefore want to have … and while we
live on the earth – there are certainly
D.Now Jesus says – there are treasures in heaven;
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
E.We are all well aware of the treasures we have
on earth – the things we value and want to have
for our existence on earth. BUT THERE IS
ANOTHER KIND OF TREASURE – Jesus
says there are treasures in heaven!
1.There are things that which are more valuable
than food, clothing and shelter.
2.There are commodities far more precious
than automobiles, houses and electronic
4.Things we should value and want to have,
because they come from God, bring us close
to God, make us better people and prepare
us for a happy eternity after death!
F.One way to look at this is – there are things we
need here on the earth; things we value and
want to have … BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN
THIS EARTH IS GONE? What about after
1.There are things beyond this earth we
2.There are things which will exists after
death and after this earth is gone – and
those blessings from God are called
G.The more we think about this, the more
1.The treasures of earth lie in the realm
of places, things, material commodities,
worldly values – the tangible and temporal.
2.The treasures of heaven lie in the realm
of the spiritual – forgiveness, fellowship
with God, the power of prayer, the develop-
ment of character and moral excellence, the
love of God and brethren, the hope of
II.Now – the whole problem that we sometimes call
Materialism has to do with our fascination with
earthly treasure over heavenly treasure!!
B.The whole problem – when we talk about
materialism and worldliness – is our fascination
with earthly treasure over heavenly treasure.
C.This earthly, worldly perspective was brought
home to me several years ago in a congregation
1.It was right after Christmas – I think the
2.A young man had received from his
parents several gifts; they were wealthy
people … one gift was a brand new,
bonded leather Bible; the most expensive
King James version published by Nelson
3.The other gift was – a brand new car.
4.On Sunday morning he came to the church
building for Bible class and worship – with
a.Which one was he most excited
c.He took all the teenagers out to the
parking lot to show them his new
5.Do you think that young man was the
6.Do you suppose that we would never
D.The whole problem that we call materialism
and worldliness is this à our fascination with
earthly treasure over heavenly treasure!!
III.NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS IN SOME
PERSPECTIVE – I want to get right to the Lord’s
prohibition: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures
A.In the NIV, the prohibitive nature of this
statement is plain: “Do not store up for
B.I think this may be one of those cases where it
is necessary to talk about what this doesn’t
1.This doesn’t mean – we must not think
about, plan or save for the future.
a.We are not to worry about the
future – later in this chapter there
is the Lord’s statement, in verse
34, “do not worry about tomorrow.”
b.We are not to become distracted
from present duty by some preoccupation
c.But good stewardship and regard for
the needs of your family will require
some thinking, planning and saving
d.I don’t believe Jesus is telling us to
ignore the needs of tomorrow; that
would be unwise … in fact, in at
least two of the Lord’s parables,
He commends to us the action of
making plans for tomorrow – the
parable of the talents and the
parable of the Unjust Steward in
2.Furthermore – “Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth” does not
mean we are forbidden to have money
a.In fact, in fulfilling our responsibilities
to ourselves, our families, our needy
brethren and to support to Lord’s
cause – it is necessary to work, to
have income and to be a possessor
b.Nowhere in the Bible – does God tell
us that it is sinful to have income, to
have money and possess earthly things.
c.Nowhere in the Bible – will you find
a rich man being punished merely
because of his wealth … nor will you
find a poor man commended simply
d.Money is not the problem – our misuse
e.Money is not the problem – our love
C.So – we shouldn’t be hindered or confused by
these shallow and unjustified conclusions.
1.When the Lord said, “do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth” – He was
not saying that we must not think, plan
2.And He was not forbidding us to have
money and possess earthly things.
IV.THE CRUX OF THIS TEACHING IS CAPTURED
A.You remember what I said earlier –
Treasures are simply things we value, and
B.Heavenly things are so much more valuable
than earthly treasure – we ought to want
heavenly things and labor for heavenly
things and treasure heavenly things far more
1.I believe that’s the point of what He
plan for our future on the earth.
c.This is not a statement against
2.This is about WHAT’S MORE VALUABLE;
what’s more important – and what lasts
C.Heavenly things are so much more valuable
than earthly treasure – we ought to want
heavenly things and labor for heavenly
things and treasure heavenly things far more
V.NOW LOOK AT WHAT HE SAYS AGAIN …
“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.”
A.If earthly treasure is your priority; if money,
possessions, status and earthly treasures get most
of your attention, time and energy – Jesus says,
1.The treasures of the earth do not last; they
are subject to things like the moth, the rust,
or the covetous work of thieves who break
2.The things of this earth have no permanence;
no durability … and we cannot take them
3.Therefore it makes no sense to devote your
whole heart and life to something that will
B.The better way of life is – to store up for yourselves
1.That means, invest your time and energy
2.Work for money and use money wisely
and plan as best you can for you and your
3.But let your main concern be the heavenly
treasures which are not subject to decay,
C.Thieves can break in and steal your television,
your computer and your credit cards – but they
cannot take away your character; they cannot
remove the love of Christ from your heart; they
cannot take you as a hostage out of the kingdom
1.The Lord is saying to us – “If your
treasures are limited to this earth … I
can tell you the whole story of those
things in three words à moth, rust
2.That’s the whole trouble with the things
of this world – we can be absolutely
certain that some day we will lose
3.Earthly treasure – things, persons, places,
positions, favor, finances, etc. – never
do last; they never fully satisfy.
4.These things never meet our real needs;
there is always something missing.
D.Has this ever happened to you? You get something
you have been craving … and the moment you get
it, there is a sense of disappointment!
1.For years, I’ve wanted a pick-up truck –
couldn’t afford one; it wasn’t convenient
when our kids were growing up … then
earlier this year – I got my pick-up; I
had a crash my plymouth … but I got
c.But it doesn’t fulfill the needs of
my soul; and I’m over the initial
2.I was with a preacher friend of mind this
summer — he and his wife are now living
in their dream house; that they designed
and built, in a perfect location.
a.The house they always wanted.
b.But he said to me one day – we will
probably only be here 15 or 20 years,
3.So many of the earthly treasures we crave
and work for and get excited about – are
nice, but there is always something lacking,
if you place those earthly things above
E.Earthly treasures are attractive, but do not
satisfy – they never deliver all that we expect;
and besides – There is nothing as fickle and
1.We get something, and before we have
had it very long – our joy in it has begun to dull,
and after a while we have lost all interest in
it; isn’t this why we have garages and attics
2.That which occupies our interest and
attention this year – may bore us next year.
3.Our earthly interests are constantly fluctuating,
and this is another problem when we invest
all our time and energy in this world.
F.If earthly treasure is your priority; if money,
possessions, status and earthly treasures get most
of your attention, time and energy – Jesus says,
VI.NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT – HIS STATEMENT
IN VERSE 21: “For where your treasure is, there will your
A.Let’s think about this – just in a general way:
that which we treasure has great power over
1.I saw a T-shirt one time with this message:
If they don’t have chocolate in heaven,
2.Perhaps that was written to over-state a
point, or simply for the sake of humor.
3.But it illustrates what the Lord is talking
about – that which we treasure has great
a.It may be a certain kind of misbehavior
b.It may be our career that we treasure;
a hobby; a person; a place or thing.
4.That which we treasure has great power
over us; it draws us like a magnet; it
B.The obvious message is – we should treasure
spiritual realities far above any kind of treasure
1.By “spiritual realities” I mean the things
2.THINGS LIKE, forgiveness, fellowship
with God, the power of prayer, the develop-
ment of character and moral excellence, the
love of God and brethren, the hope of
heaven; honoring Christ in all you do.
3.Our lives should be governed by our
affection for these things made available
a.Yes – we have to earn money and
use money; we have to have food,
shelter, transportation, health care.
b.We can have nice things and save
4.But our heart ought to be controlled by
the heavenly treasures – spiritual blessings
which cannot be touched by the moth, the
C.If the treasures of this earth have a grip on you;
if you are killing yourself to gain more and more
earthly treasure – there is a subtle coolness about
spiritual things that slowly sets in … and one
day you find out, you’ve got a lot of things;
but nothing of real substance that will last
D.How absolutely tragic – when the treasures of this
earth have us in their grip; and we show where our
“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.”
2.And the question is – WHERE IS YOUR HEART? If you need to repent and turn to the Lord now, we give you this opportunity.
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