Matt 6:19-24
Many people
store up their treasures in Bank. Some have secret places in their homes like
private save boxes. When you have an important sum of money at home, everyday
you’ll verify whether your money is intact. Your mind is always where you have
your treasure. For people who have money in banks, when they learn that a bank
has gone bankrupt, they first verify that it’s not their bank because they
don’t want to lose their money. No one will place his/her treasures in a place
and forget about it; your mind will always be directed towards your treasures.
Where then is your treasure?
a) Treasures on earth can easily be consumed or taken from us vs 19-20
i.
They
can get bad
ii.
They
can rot
iii.
They
can be stolen
iv.
You
may just lose them
v.
You
may lose your focus and miss eternal life
Our Lord
Jesus, makes us understand in the parable of the rich farmer in Luke 12:21,
that materialism is not good and is a sin.
1.
Materialism
is trusting in the world. God wants use to be blessed, to prosper, to get rich
but He does not want us to be possessed by material things.
2.
We
need to use the materials which we possess and not allow our materials to use
us or control us.
3.
When
material possession becomes a way of life because we want to acquire more in
order to spend on our pleasures without thinking of blessing others, then we
become self centered;
a.
We
want all for ourselves
b.
Whether
others lack or not; it does not mean anything. That is covetousness!
c.
When
you are rich toward God, you’ll not lay up treasure for yourself
d.
You’ll
do your best to be a blessing to someone
e.
You’ll
love to give for benevolence and for the prosperity of the gospel.
Illus: A rich man who had many real estates,
vehicles, businesses, etc died and the family was very sad as they were
preparing for the burial. A mad man passed by and saw the men who were digging
the grave. He laughed at them and shouted; “You people are fools. All of you! How can you be digging a small grave
for this man? Where will his cars and houses go? Can they enter into this small
grave?”
I tell you,
those things will remain here on earth! You will go naked as you came; Why not
keep your treasures where it’ll not perish?
b)
The Bible makes us understand that
the rich are people who are generous. If you are stingy, then you are in real
poverty and you need deliverance from your poor and stingy habit.
i.
If
you want to gather riches for yourself, you’ll lose them all. Proverbs 23:5
says riches make wings and suddenly fly away like an eagle.
ii.
Verses
6-8 of this proverb encourages us to share with people who are generous. It
says, if you eat the food of a stingy person, you’ll vomit it.
iii.
That
the heart of a stingy man is just like what he is. He’ll ask you to eat and
drink but his heart is not with you.
Illus: Imagine you get into the home of a stingy woman. We know African
hospitality! But a stingy woman will just give you food because she knows she
has to, not because she loves doing that. She’ll ask you to eat and drink but
behind with her children she is worried. She might complain to others how much
you have eaten. She’ll sing to the people around her! You had better vomit it!
If you do not want your riches to
develop wings, be rich towards God;
·
Give
to the poor
·
Give
to the needy
·
Give
for evangelism. That way you’ll be storing up treasures in heaven.
c) People who want to be rich at all cost end up in sorrow 1Tim 6:9-10
i.
They
fall into temptation
ii.
They
fall into foolish and harmful lusts
iii.
The
love of money is the root of all evil.
Example:
·
Those
who love money can easily leave the church even when there’s prayer because of
their business
·
They
can miss Christian fellowship because they want to work money
·
They
can even abandon church because of money
·
They
are capable of cheating because of money
·
When
they get the money they are led to pleasure
o
Drunkenness
o
Fornication
o
Strive
etc just because of the love of money;
And the scriptures say they pierced
themselves with many sorrows because they have strayed from the faith.
·
The
things of heaven are imperishable as said in 1Pet 1:4
·
The
crown of righteousness in heaven awaits those who have forsaken the treasures
of the world and have loved the appearing of Jesus.
d) Where you put your treasure is where your heart is.
i.
If
your treasure is on earth as you work to be rich on earth, that’s where your
heart is
ii.
You’ll
think about what and where your treasure is.
iii.
Your
worries and desires are toward your treasures.
§ A person who is worldly will only
desire riches
§ You see people who’ll move to any
prophet or pastor just to ask for prayers for riches.
§ They forget to ask for prayers
concerning their spiritual growth or asking God to strengthen them in love and
patience.
§ No. “Pastor pray for me” that’s what
they say. My business is not moving the way I thought
§ Pastor pray for me. I have financial
difficulties. When they receive their prayers, they vanish into thin air and
wait for another opportunity.
iv.
Prov
4:23 says the issues of life flow from your heart. Take care of what you build
in your heart.
v.
If
your eye is evil, your whole body is full of darkness; Luke 12:34
vi.
If
your heart is lust to wealth, then your body is full of darkness. Matt 6:23
vii.
But
if your eye or perspective of life is focus on doing good with your wealth,
then your whole life is full of light.
e) You cannot serve two masters at the same time matt 6:24
i.
You
cannot serve God and wealth. When material things become your master, you
cannot serve God who’s in heaven
ii.
God
demands that his children should give themselves to service and to show love to
others. So if you give your life to worldly things you cannot give to others
out of love which God demands.
iii.
You
cannot trust God when you trust in your self-sufficiency of the things of this
world.
§ I have my money
§ I have everything
§ I do not need anyone for help
§ I am my master
But God wants us to trust him totally. Not partially!
iv.
Friendship
with the world is enmity with God. James 4:4
Use the wealth which God has blessed
you with, to be a blessing for some one. There, you’ll be putting your
treasures in heaven.
Amen!
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