What are We Laying Up Matt

What are We Laying Up    Matt. 6:21  EBC   11/21/08

  Humans are thing orientated. It was like that in Jesus day and it is like that now. In cultures like we live in today we are inclined to build our lives around those things that are materialistic – clothes, cars, trucks, electronics (we have to have the latest). We do not have to be drawn to them- we are naturally drawn to them. What we have to do is to be drawn away from them.

  The problem is not with the getting it is with the desire not to be satisfied with those things God has already given you. Often in our times as well as the past people have used their material wealth as a sign that they are spiritually wealthy.  Material wealth can be gained as a result of blessings (Deut. 28:1-3), but it can also be gained by means of deceit and fraud.

  Many of our problems today are the result of greed. As John Stott observes, “Worldly ambition has a strong fascination for us. The spell of materialism is very hard to break.  1 Tim. 6:6-8

   Randy Alcorn- states 15 % of what Jesus taught was about money. More than his  teachings on Heaven and hell combined.

I. The Language of the Parable

  A. There are two key words here that we need to understand their meaning

     1. Treasure- literally means – do not treasure up your treasurers.

        a. Treasures are things we accumulate or pile up.

        b. Warren Wiersbe- We are accustomed to dividing life into the “spiritual” and the “material”; but Jesus made no such division. In many of His parables, He made it clear that a right attitude toward wealth is a mark of true spirituality.  

   c. Talking to guy this week- he knows guy who retired from a company getting 1700/month- now he gets 700/month- What God is referring to is trusting earthly things for our happiness and our welfare.

   d. V.20- He had said do not treasure up your treasures upon the earth- But, now he says Treasure up your treasures in Heaven-

      1. What does this mean? It means to use all we have for the glory of God. It means measuring life by the riches of the kingdom but by riches of this earth.

      2. Luke 12:15-

  2. Heart- the Bible describes the heart as the whole of the inner being. Alexandria Maclaren describes the heart as – “the central reservoir, the central personality, the invisible unit of thinking”. Our whole life will be consumed with our treasures.

II. The Lessons from the Parable

 We can learn from these verses that it isn’t what you have but your attitude towards what you have. Poor children fight over inexpensive just like rich children fight over expensive toys

  A. Effect of the treasures

    1.Our scripture says our heart will follow our treasures. With this in mind we need to watch what our treasure is

      a. Maclaren said “as the sunflower turns toward the sun so the heart follows our treasure”.

      b. Our treasure will take over and dominate our lives, they will take control of our affections, they will demand our time, they will control our thoughts.

      c. Because the effect is so great- we need to watch the right and wise choice of out treasure.

        1. Col. 3:2- set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.

  B. Exposing of our treasures

    1. Few things will expose a person like their treasures.

      a. When a man’s treasure is in Heaven he will show much eagerness towards the things of Heaven, if his treasure is on things of the earth his eagerness will be on things of the earth.

      b. When a person is taken up with earthly treasure he will not do will in spiritual matters. His time and talk will involve mostly earthly things.

III. The Evaluation of our Treasures

  Since our treasures affect us so greatly we need to be careful in choosing our treasures.

A.    Earthly treasures (6:19)

  1.They are passing and polluting. They will not last (6:19). Death will separate us from our earthly treasures.

  2. Luke 12:19- treasure caused this man to think he was ok.

  3. 2 Tim. 4:10-

 B. Heavenly treasures-(6:20)

  1. They are eternal. They are eternal in that their effects with last forever. We will never be parted from our Heavenly treasures.

    2. If our hearts are in Heaven, then Heaven will be in our hearts.

  Where are your treasures? What consumes your interest, time and thoughts?