Lesson Fifty-Seven: Treasures in Heaven
57.1 In the days before automobiles, boats, household appliances, tools and equipment, or even watches - what things did people have to spend money on? Food and clothing of course. Fine dining has always been expensive. Fashionable threads cost even more - ask any teenager. Primitive cultures have always worn their wealth - mostly to show off (make an impression). But Jesus poked fun at this form of self-deception.
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 will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
57.2 Once again we need to take a look at these verses rendered directly from Greek.
Do not treasure for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and eating make things disappear, and where thieves break through and steal; but treasure for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor eating makes things disappear, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is there will be also your heart.
Food and clothing are both perishable items (just like anything else we may value on this earth). It is rather shallow to treasure such things since they cannot last. Moths eat the clothing, and if people don't eat the food, dogs or worms will. Any other "valuables" we may have locked up somewhere are really never safe from thieves. Holding such things as treasures will only result in grand disillusionment. We are cheating ourselves. They will disappear! Therefore treasuring these things is only self-deceit. We may think we have something - when we actually have nothing at all. Even if we do have it - it will not last. It can't. And even if it does - someone else will inherit it. The earth with all of its treasures is bound to pass away. Then what will become of the heart that has lost all of its treasures?
57.3 It would be far better to treasure up treasures for ourselves in heaven. Whatever we put there will be in God's safekeeping.
57.4 But what would we put there (or what do we already have there)? Jesus does not say in these verses. (He tells us later, but for now He leaves it up to us to figure it out.) His main point is that, "...where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
57.5 Wherever our treasures are, our hearts will be upon them - and also our eyes - that's for sure. So Jesus continued...
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness; how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23
We know from the rabbinic literature written in Jesus' day that a "good eye" meant a generous eye - looking to give; while a "bad eye" was a stingy eye - looking out for itself. If the eye cannot see past itself it is surely in darkness - and how great that darkness is!
57.6 Concerning treasures Jesus further points out that...
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches). Matthew 6:24
Once again Jesus uses humor to drive home a point. Try to picture a slave serving two masters! The picture is hilarious, yet sobering. Jesus named riches as a kind of a second god taking the place of the true God. We can be the slaves of only one Lord. We can worship and serve only one. Mammon (riches) is a cruel task master. "Mammon" does not mean money. We need money for the spread of the gospel. Mammon means riches or the slavish desire to become rich - for our own selfish reasons. Then it is a god, and it will take the place of God.
The early Christians could never get rich because whatever they gained they shared with others for the advance of the gospel - or to relieve poverty. Yet they considered themselves rich beyond all measure because they had all things. They had Christ and His heaven and everything else they needed.
57.7 We should skip ahead. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus pointed out what the treasures in heaven are that we should be seeking.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Again, in Greek, it would look like this...
But be seeking first the Kingdom and the righteousness that are His, and these things all will be added unto you.
Since the kingdom of God is "God's Redemptive Movement", and since it is made up of "an ever expanding group of believers powered by the Holy Spirit and moving by the love of God." - it should be no mystery what seeking first the kingdom of God means. Jesus adds the words "... and His righteousness", reminding us of His grace - the real treasure - His righteousness for our sin. This is a treasure to keep - and by seeking to extend it to others we gain even more.
57.8 But we have skipped ahead. Now we have to go back. Since our treasures are to be in heaven, and since we are to have a generous eye - not a stingy one, and since we cannot serve God and the desire to be rich at the same time... Jesus said,
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit (18 inches) to his height (stature)? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, o you of little faith" Therefore do not worry saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:25-33
The word "Father" continues to run through these verses Jesus always spoke of His Father as our Father. He was in a position to know. The point is not to worry about food and clothing - the basic necessities. Our heavenly Father knows what we need.
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we should be content. I Timothy 6:6-8
57.9 God is the only source (not just a resource in time of trouble). We draw our very life and breath from Him. We seek His face, not just His blessing. We seek His will. We seek to walk with Him as Adam and Eve walked with Him in the garden. We seek communion with Him. We seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We seek the spread of His kingdom and His grace, and He adds to us the things that we need, using His miraculous power when needed. (But He does not give us everything we want.)
That does not mean we should not work. It just means we should not worry. If we are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things will be added to us.
57.10 Jesus concluded,
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34
Jim Elliot, famed missionary pilot to the Auca Indians of Ecuador, was killed by them as he tried to reach them with the gospel. Before becoming a missionary he was very successful in other things. Some people thought he was as fool to give up such promise. Friends asked him why he wanted to become a missionary and "throw it all away." He replied, "A man is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep in order to gain that which he cannot lose."
Discussion: What does seeking first the Kingdom of heaven mean? How do we do that day by day?
Memory Verse: But be seeking first the Kingdom and the righteousness that are His, and these things all will be added unto you. Matthew 6:33