Transcript

Investing For Eternity

Matthew 6:19-24
August 3, 2008
Pastor Randy Smith

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Can anybody recite to me the opening words of Hebrews 11:6? - "Without faith it is impossible to please (God)." Please keep that verse in your mind throughout this message.

We have been studying the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. In this sermon, Jesus addresses the requirements for citizenship in His kingdom. And as we have learned, the expectations are very high. The motives of the heart are forefront. That is what our Lord examines. And that is what leads us to the absolute devotion that is expected for King Jesus.

Verses 22-24 of chapter 6 continue to emphasize that point. Please follow along: "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, 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 the darkness!"

In the overall context of absolute surrender, I believe Jesus is using the eye as a metaphor for the heart. Just as the eye is a window to what enters our intellectual life, the heart is the catalyst for our spiritual life. Wicked eyes can pollute the mind. Wicked hearts can pollute spiritual life. Just as good eyes bring clarity, good hearts bring spiritual purity. Good hearts bring undivided loyalty (2 Cor. 11:3).

Jesus makes it clear as to what He thinks about a divided heart in verse 24: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth ("money"-NIV, "mammon"-KJV)."

This thought about money ties us into our primary focus for this morning found in verses 19-21.

Since God will not compete with other gods on the throne of our heart, He is forever expecting exclusive fidelity in our spiritual marriage - no different than a spouse that expects exclusive fidelity in their physical relationship. And while we may not worship the plethora of pagan gods from yesteryear, the primary god we worship today is the one spoken of in verse 24. For most people, the all-American dollar dictates their decisions, alters their emotions, monopolizes their affections, assures their confidence and receives their ultimate allegiance. In a nutshell, the god most people worship today is money. That is why the great reformer, Martin Luther, once said, "There are three conversions, the conversion of the heart, mind and purse." Our attitude toward money is a great indicator as to whether or not the Lord has truly received first-place in our heart.

So this morning, in the time that remains before we celebrate the Lord's Supper, I would like to examine verses 19-21. We will examine our own hearts as it relates to our attitude toward money, and subsequently, the true God on the throne of our hearts, our true pursuit of genuine joy.

1. THE FOOLISH INVESTMENT

Let's begin with "The Foolish Investment." In verse 19 of Matthew 6, Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."

In this verse Jesus is not condemning all earthly possessions. The Scriptures encourage us to provide for our families (1 Tim. 5:8), reasonably save for the future (Gen. 41:33-36; Pr. 6:6-8) and enjoy that which God has given us (1 Tim. 6:17). As a matter of fact, only one time in the Scriptures do we hear of Jesus asking a person to give away all that he owns. "Jesus said to (the rich young ruler), 'If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me'" (Mt. 19:21). But even in that case, the problem was not with the individual's wealth, but rather his idolatrous attitude toward it.

In verse 19, Jesus is not condemning the possession of earthly treasures. Rather, like He did with the rich young ruler, He is asking us to evaluate our heart attitude toward these possessions. Literally, verse 19 (if we capture the Greek play on words) could read, "Do not treasure (thesaurizo) for yourselves treasures (thesauros) on earth!"

The questions we need to ask ourselves are as follows: Do we love money? Are we covetous? Are we hoarding? Are we selfish? Have we misplaced our values? Do we honor God first with our treasures? And as we will soon observe, do we really desire to see our treasures produce our greatest gain?

What is the end result of all earthly treasures? Look at the remainder of verse 19. Treasures on earth are to be avoided because "moth and rust destroy and…thieves break in and steal." Time forbids me from elaboration, but I believe the point that Jesus is making is very simple. Our treasures on earth are only temporary!

I would like to arrange a Smith family field trip to the junkyard. Yes, that's right, a junkyard! I want my children to see the final resting place for all the things we once cherished in our lives. Randy Alcorn in his short book that has greatly impacted my life, said, "Sooner or later, everything we own ends up (there). Christmas and birthday presents. Cars, boats, and hot tubs. Clothes, stereos, and barbecues. The treasures our children quarreled about, friendships were lost over, honesty was sacrificed for, and marriages broke up over" (Alcorn, The Treasure Principle, p. 47).

Every treasure we posses on this earth is temporary. Either we lose the treasures while we live as Jesus stated, or we lose them when we die. First Timothy 6:7, "For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either." As John Piper likes to say, "There are no U-Hauls behind hearses" (Piper, Desiring God, p. 161). "He left…all of it" was the reply of John D. Rockefeller's accountant when someone asked him how much the dead billionaire left behind.

A few years back Julie and I began investing a small amount each month in the market. At first we were doing very well. Then I noticed about six years ago that our money was significantly reduced. As a matter of fact (like many of you can attest) our totals were much less than when we started! I don't know much about finances, but even I knew something was wrong with that!

Well, you can bet that that precipitated a phone call to my investor. His response to me was, "Randy, it doesn't matter where you are right now. What matters is where you money is thirty years from now when you retire." Wise people know this primary principle regarding investments: You need to look ahead!

Jesus is saying the same thing. Get your eyes off of the temporary. Look to the future. Invest in the years that are really "golden." Ask yourself, where do I want my treasures one hundred years from now? One thousand years from now? Ten billion years from now? Trust the investment strategies of Jesus Christ. Seek your greatest gain and make the wisest investment.

Randy Alcorn said, "When Jesus warns us not to store up treasures on earth, it's not just because wealth might be lost; it's because wealth will always be lost. Either it leaves us while we live, or we leave it when we die. No exceptions….Realizing its value is temporary should radically affect our investment strategy…. According to Jesus, storing up earthly treasures isn't simply wrong. It's just plain stupid" (p. 13-14).

2. THE WISE INVESTMENT

Well, if hoarding our treasures here on earth is a foolish investment, what is the wise investment (as we move to the second point)? Once again Jesus is very clear. By way of contrast He parallels verse 19 in verse 20 when He says, "But (rather) store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal."

A Treasure that is Eternal

Throughout the New Testament Jesus speaks of treasures or rewards in heaven. So much of this we have already read about in this Sermon on the Mount. Jesus encouraged us when we receive persecution for being a Christian to "rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great" (Mt. 5:12). Jesus also warned us that we will lose our reward if we only love those who love us (Mt. 5:46) and if we only act righteously to be seen by people (Mt. 6:1). Secret giving will be rewarded (Mt. 6:18). Secret prayer will be rewarded (Mt. 6:6). Secret fasting will be rewarded (Mt. 6:6).

I already mentioned the rich young ruler who was told to sell all he had in exchange for "treasure in heaven" (Mt. 19:21; Lk. 18:22; cf. Lk. 12:33). After the Philippian church gave the apostle Paul a generous financial offering, Paul said, "Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account" (Phil. 4:17). As a matter of fact, Jesus called the wealthy man in Luke 12 who was only concerned about bigger barns and a life of ease, a "fool" (Lk. 12:20). And He added, "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God" (Lk. 12:21).

Often when I speak of eternal rewards, many Christians are either indifferent to the concept or offended by the suggestion. Saying you want no rewards for your spiritual services may sound very pious, but it's not very biblical. Heavenly rewards are Jesus' idea. As a matter of fact, in verse 20, He commands it!

Obedience to Christ's command in the pursuit of heavenly treasures is not selfish; on the contrary, it is considering the best for both God's glory and the needs of others.

Listen again to Alcorn. "Selfishness is when we pursue gain at the expense of others. But God doesn't have a limited number of treasures to distribute. When you store up treasures for yourself in heaven, it doesn't reduce the treasures available to others. In fact, it is by serving God and others that we store up heavenly treasures. Everyone gains; no one loses" (p. 15-16).

If I can deal specifically with the financial aspect of future rewards, Jesus is telling us here that we can swap our earthly currency for heavenly currency. As our celestial Banker, we can give to Him that which is temporary and in return receive from Him that which is eternal. We have been given a choice. We can enjoy our treasures for a few more years on this planet, or we can enjoy our treasures for an eternity securely reserved in heaven.

Is the decision difficult? Should we not logically pursue that which will last forever? "Money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven" (Lk. 12:33)? "An inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Pet. 1:4)? Treasures, according to Matthew 6:20 that are moth-proof, rust-proof, burglar-proof, enduring forever?

Suppose you were a businessman working oversees for a few months and the Lord is blessing you with tremendous financial gains. Though you see many items that you would like to purchase, you know you are not permitted to bring any foreign goods back to the States. Would you fill your hotel room with expensive paintings and high-priced furniture for temporary enjoyment, or would you wire the money on ahead so you can enjoy it for a longer duration when you return to your real home?

The same principle applies on the spiritual plane. You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead!

A Heart that Follows

You see, the reason so many people have such a difficulty giving is because their god is their money and they think this earth is their home. That is the reason they have such a difficulty contemplating death because each day brings them closer to losing their treasures.

However, for the Christian, (Phil. 3:20) "our citizenship is in heaven." That is why Paul said he would "rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). The writer to the Hebrews calls us "strangers and exiles on the earth" (Heb. 11:13). Peter calls us "aliens" (1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11).

Naturally, if we believe the clear teaching of the Scriptures on this subject, we will see ourselves as pilgrims only passing through a foreign land. We are not permanent residents, but pilgrims on a journey to a better land. We won't get caught up in the treasures of this world, and we won't weigh ourselves down with heavy backpacks filled with the gods of this world! We need to "travel light," not burdening ourselves with an undue attachment to the material things of life.

The story is told about some Christians who were traveling in the Middle East. They heard about a wise, devout, beloved, old believer, so they went out of their way to visit him. When they finally found him, they discovered that he was living in a simple hut. All he had inside was a rough cot, a chair, a table, and a battered stove for heating and cooking. The visitors were shocked to see how few possessions the man had, and one of them blurted out, "Well, where is your furniture?" The aged saint replied by gently asking, "Where is yours?" The visitor, sputtering a little, responded, "Why, at home, of course. I don't carry it with me, I'm traveling." "So am I," the godly Christian replied. "So am I" (D.C.E. Our Daily Bread, July 26, 1993).

The old hymn puts it like this...

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing thru
My treasures and my hopes are all beyond the blue;
Where many Christian children have gone on before,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Let me hold lightly the things of this earth.
Transient treasures, what are they worth?
Moths can corrupt them, rust can decay,
All their bright beauty fades in a day.

-- Martha S. Nicholson

Now if my home is not this fallen earth, one day to be destroyed by fire (as Peter says- 2 Pet. 3:7), and my eternal home is heaven, is it not logical to think that my heart should be in heaven as well?

I really dislike any time I am forced to travel outside of the state. Within a day, I tremendously miss my family and the people of this church. During my departure, my body may be in Texas or California or Pennsylvania or overseas, but my heart is in New Jersey. Why? Because that is my earthly home! And when I'm absent, I long to return to the place of my affections.

The same applies in even a greater way for our spiritual home. Was this not Paul's admonition in Colossians 3 when he said, "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Col. 3:1-2)? As the popular saying goes, "Home is where the heart is."

So if our home is in heaven and our heart is in heaven, is it not logical that our treasures should be in heaven as well? Could it be the reason that some of us may have small heavenly portfolios is because our hearts are here on this earth? You see, if our hearts are really in heaven, our future home, we will naturally want our treasures to follow us there!

Now some of you may be thinking, Pastor, I want to follow the teaching of Jesus and have eternal treasures in heaven, but my heart is still here for the things of this earth. How can I get my heart in heaven so my treasures will naturally follow?

Jesus answers that question for us in verse 21. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (cf. Lk. 12:34). In other words, if you want a greater heart for heaven, start investing in heavenly things! Yes, money keeps many hearts out of heaven (Mt. 19:24), but it can also be a help to put many hearts in heaven! Augustine said it well, "Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; Where your treasure is, there is your heart; Where your heart is, there is your happiness." My heart will always go where I place my treasures! My most cherished treasures will control the direction and values of my heart.

If you were to place all that you own, every penny to your name, in a particular stock for a particular business, wouldn't your life revolve around that investment? You would closely monitor the stock reports. You would patronize the business. You would refer new cliental. You would be concerned about the condition of the store and the health of its proprietors. Because your treasures went there, your heart would be in that business.

Now let's say, you rather choose to invest all you have in God's work. Do you think you would have a different attitude toward fellow Christians? Do you think you would be concerned about the expansion of God's kingdom? Do you think you would pray more often for that missionary? Do you think you would devote more time to the church? Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Could this be why few Christians today have a heart for the local church?

The church has been deceived too long by worldly instruction, and we have been robbed of joy. We have been so deceived in believing that earthy treasures can bring happiness, satisfaction, comfort and security (see Solomon's response: Ecc. 2:4-8, 18-19; 4:8). And that is a big fat lie from the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), the "father of lies" (Jn. 8:44) himself.

Permit me to allow the wealthiest contemporaries in the world to address this issue: "I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness" - John W. Rockefeller. "The care of $200,000,000 is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it" - W. H. Vanderbilt. "I'm the most miserable devil in the world" - Jay Gould (said during his final breath). "I was happier when doing a mechanic's job" - Henry Ford. "Millionaires seldom smile" - Andrew Carnegie. "I am the most miserable man on earth" - John Jacob Astor.

George W. Truett, a well-known pastor, was invited to dinner in the home of a very wealthy man in Texas. After the meal, the host led him to a place where they could get a good view of the surrounding area. Pointing to the oil wells punctuating the landscape, he boasted, "Twenty-five years ago I had nothing. Now, as far as you can see, it's all mine." Looking in the opposite direction at his sprawling fields of grain, he said, "That's all mine." Turning east toward huge herds of cattle, he bragged, "They're all mine." Then pointing to the west and a beautiful forest, he exclaimed, "That too is all mine." He paused, expecting Dr. Truett to compliment him on his great success. Truett, however, placing one hand on the man's shoulder and pointing heavenward with the other, simply said, "How much do you have in that direction?" The man hung his head and confessed, "I never thought of that" (Our Daily Bread, October 24, 1992).

So in the larger context, we find this passage in the topic of heart allegiance. Do we love money more than King Jesus? We cannot serve two masters (Mt. 6:24)! In the smaller context, we find this passage in the topic of joy. Do we want weak temporary treasures here on earth or rich treasures forever in heaven?

The passage is simple to understand. The principle is a "no-brainer." It all comes down to a matter of faith. Do we believe and will we accept the words of Jesus Christ as citizens of His kingdom do? Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

Out of the life, I shall never take
Things of silver and gold I make
All that I cherish and hoard away
When I leave these things on earth must stay.

Though I toiled for a painting rare
To hang on my wall, I must leave it there
Though I call it mine and boast its worth
I must give it up when I quit this earth

All that I gather and all that I keep
I must leave behind when I fall asleep
And I wonder often, what will I own
In that other life when I pass along.

What shall He find and what shall He see
In the soul that answers the call for me?
Will the Great Judge find when my task is through
That my soul has gathered some riches, too?

Or at the last it will be mine to find
That all I had worked for was left behind.

-- Author Unknown