The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (52)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on December 8, 2010
Topic: Possessions, Money, and Life (1): Treasures in Heaven
No audio available for this study.Background
When we met two weeks ago, we looked at the rewards of fasting. We saw that the reward for the fast of the hypocrite is the acknowledgement of men for whose benefit they are really fasting, and nothing more.
We also saw that fasting with prayer is a force that can breakthrough the most impregnable system. And for the individual who fasts for God, the benefits are numerous, including answers to specific requests, and an outpouring of tremendous blessings beyond what was requested. Through fasting, God marvelously altered the course of events on behalf of His children; and overturned His own judgments after men’s fasting humbled them. We also saw that the fasting of God’s people have moved Him to overturn the plans of their enemies, fighting on their behalf and giving them victories that would, otherwise, have been impossible. We further saw that through fasting divine revelation of future things can be given. Finally, we noted that only through prayer and fasting can certain demonic activities be extinguished in a person’s life.
We however, sounded a note of caution, lest we get carried away and seek to use fasting for unrighteous purposes. God cannot be expected to allow unrighteousness just because we fasted. Indeed, our fasting must seek to establish the righteousness of God, rather than our own self-centred desires.
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 6:19-21
Tonight we shall begin to study a series of verses which teaching revolve around possessions, money, and life. We shall be studying the first of these tonight; and it is about the accumulation of possessions or treasures or valuables.
The Lord is telling us through the teaching tonight, not to accumulate treasures on earth, but to use them to accumulate treasures in heaven. Treasures are valuables, and may vary in value from person to person: “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”. Also, there is a difference between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. As we study tonight, may the Holy Spirit teach and convict us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 Kings 10:14-29, 4-7; Matthew 6:28-29; 13:44-46; 1 Peter 1:3-4; Luke 16:11; Deuteronomy 17:14-17; Proverbs 23:4-5; Matthew 19:16-24; Luke 12:15-21; 21:34; James 5:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-2; Acts 5:1-10; Luke 12:33-34; 1 Timothy 6:9-11, 6-8, 17-19; Galatians 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:16; Proverbs 11:24-26; Colossians 3:1-2.
Conclusion
Treasures are things considered valuable or priceless to an individual. The value ascribed to an item may vary from one person to another. However, whatever value we attach to anything, the Lord teaches us not to accumulate them. He also taught us not to be consumed by the idea of wealth, nor accumulate it for ourselves here on earth. The reason he warns us against accumulation of treasures on earth is because they can be destroyed by insects, stolen by thieves, degraded by lack of use and devalued over time. It is therefore not a good idea to store up treasures on earth.
On the other hand, treasures in heaven are safe from insects, protected from thieves, and not subject to degradation or devaluation due to lack of use, or by the passage of time, respectively. It is therefore a very wise thing to accumulate treasures in heaven.
There is a difference between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. Firstly, treasures on earth are earthy, while treasures in heaven are heavenly. Secondly, treasures on earth can be destroyed, stolen, degraded, or devalued, but treasures in heaven are completely safe, protected and not subject to the degradation and devaluation. Thirdly, one treasure in heaven is worth more than all the treasures on earth put together. Fourthly, treasures on earth are not the true riches, but treasures in heaven are. Finally, you cannot take treasures on earth to heaven. However, you can invest treasures on earth in spiritual things to yield treasures in heaven, which have a far greater worth.
To be able to invest treasures on earth and yield treasures in heaven, we need to get rid of greed, covetousness, and the inordinate desire for wealth from our lives. We also need to be willing to, and actually do, give and share our treasures on earth with others, which then becomes our spiritual investment, thus yielding treasures in heaven. Indeed, the bible tells us to use our wealth (which is from God in the first place), to store up treasures in heaven, as we show acts of kindness and benevolence.
Finally, the Lord lets us know that if indeed heaven is our goal, then that is where our treasures should be, for, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (NLT). So we ask, “Where is your heart?”
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