Where is Your Treasure Stored Lately? Matthew 6:19-24

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 

Jesus says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth".  Though we need a certain amount of money to provide for ourselves and family, Jesus' warns against the all consuming desire to build up a treasure here on earth.  

Why? Because treasures on earth can vanish quickly.  A stock market crash.  Someone steals your money.  Or, they can also lead to an attitude of greed, where one never has enough.  

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Instead Jesus insructs the disciples to store up treasures in heaven.  Giving to the work of God's kingdom growing here on earth not only stores up riches in heaven, but also gives us the joy and contentment of using our resources for what they were intended to be used for. We call this "stewardship", or the use of our resources for what God wants to see happen in the church and in the world.  

"It has been wisely observed that a moving truck full of possessions never follows a hearse. Everything one might take with them to the world beyond is left behind. The pharaohs of Egypt were buried with gold and treasures to take into the afterlife, but they left it all behind. Even further, though gold is a precious thing on earth, God uses it to pave the streets of heaven." (Guzik)

Our treasure is what we value most and where we prioritize our resources.  If we want to do an inventory of where are heart is, what does our check book look like?  Where do we spend most of our time?  Where do we invest our talents?  

If you spent a week with someone, you would have a very good idea of what their true treasure is.  

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

This metaphor is difficult to translate and fairly obscure.  As we interpret it is important for its meaning to be consistent with what Jesus is already teaching.  So far Jesus has talked about our focus or what we put our sights on.  What we focus on reveals what is happening on the inside of us.  It sheds light on the spiritual condition of our soul.  This commentary may help as well. 

"The light of the body ... - The sentiment stated in the preceding verses - the duty of fixing the affections on heavenly things - Jesus proceeds to illustrate by a reference to the "eye." When the eye is directed steadily toward an object, and is in health, or is single, everything is clear and plain. If it vibrates, flies to different objects, is fixed on no one singly, or is diseased, nothing is seen clearly. Everything is dim and confused. The man, therefore, is unsteady." (Barnes)

23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

And the flipside is true as well.  If your focus is not on God, it will reveal the inner condition of your soul.  Though we may try to fool people on the outside, what we seek the most reveals whether we are living in the light or not.    

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Some people try to have it both ways.  They try to keep one eye on the treasures of the world, and one eye on the treasures of heaven.  Jesus says you cannot have two masters.  You can't be walking in two directions at once.  

The Israelites, as they walked in the desert, where shown the one true God, but they started serving other gods like Baal as well.  They tried to mix the true God with the false God.  They tried to mix the darkness and the light.  

And some point in our lives we have to decide where we are going give/invest our time, energy, gifts, and resources.   For a long time I was trying to have it both ways, but it did not work out very well. I really couldn't enjoy either. I was torn until I made a decision to make Jesus not only my Savior, but also my Lord.  Though I certainly haven't done this perfectly and still fall short today, the basic trajectory of the rest of my life has been to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  God has provided everything I have needed and even more.

How about you?  Does your life reflect your true treasure?  What would you need to change in your life to ensure you are building up treasures in heaven?   Is there any area of your life where Jesus is not leading?