9-28-03pm      HEAVENLY TREASURES      Matthew 6:19-21

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

Intro:  Returning home from our camping vacation, we found our house had been broken into and ransacked.  After consulting with our neighbors we discovered that the thieves were some of our neighborhood kids.  The neighbor had seen them entering our basement, but instead of trying to stop them he blocked off the door and kept them in.  After the thieves had destroyed our house and they left out of the back door taking the spoils with them.  We discovered that our most treasured possessions were vulnerable.  After discovering who the thieves were we proceeded to recover our stuff.   

We all have treasures.  What you value.  Money, possessions, houses, lands, families, homes, life, immortality.  Two types of treasures.  Let's look at them today.

 

  In Love With God’s Son

It is an oft-told story, but its moral points up a great truth. There was an extremely wealthy man who possessed vast treasures of art. The man had one son who was an ordinary boy, and who passed away in late adolescence. Having loved the lad deeply, the sorrowing father died of a broken heart only a few weeks later.

The father’s will provided that everything would be sold by auction and, strangely, the father stipulated that an oil painting of his son was to be the first item offered by the auctioneer. Large crowds came to bid on the widely-reputed collection of art. In keeping with the proviso of the will, the boy’s portrait was first held up for bids. No one cared about the deceased boy. Not until several moments had passed did an old servant, who had always loved the boy, place a seventy-five-cent bid.

The picture was at once sold to the negro, there being no further bids registered. Then the dramatic moment came; the sale was stopped, as the will had further provided that anyone who loved the son enough to buy his portrait should receive everything in the father’s house.   —Kenneth L. Miles^[1]

 

 Lost Amidst The Gold

A museum in Deadwood, S.D., displays this inscription left by a beleaguered prospector: “I lost my gun. I lost my horse. I am out of food. The Indians are after me. But I’ve got all the gold I can carry.”  —Washington Post^[2]

 

Scripture Text:  Matt 6:19  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

I.  Earthly treasures (vs 19) - Lay not earthy valuables.  Is more valuable to one person than another. What is valuable to you?  Earth or Heaven.

            A.  Don't last - rust eats, moth eats, or taken away

            B.  World of misplaced treasures - spend life searching

            C.  Insecurity of earthly - death - rich fool

            D.  Example:  rich young ruler (Mat. 19:21)

            E.  Lower instead of elevate

II.  Heavenly treasures (vs.20) - lay up for yourselves (Rev. 3:18) - Jesus advises Heavenly Gold

            A.  Lasting, eternal - don't corrupt

            B.  Whole life - retirement plan - guaranteed by God

            C.  God's supply and our demand on these treasures

            D.  Eternal life - greatest treasure - free

            E.  Lay up treasures by good works (I Tim. 6:17-19)

            F.  Have you placed value on Heavenly and earthly?

            G.  Inheritance or earned through service God gives

            H.  Unsearchable riches of God:  purity and power, faith and love, pardon and

                        peace, life and joy

 

III.  Reasons for choice - Heavenly are better.  Don’t settle for second best. 

            A.  Treasures on earth - heart is her also - treasure & heart are inseparable

            B.  Desire for heavenly - then heart is changed

            C.  Reason for Heavenly treasures - our affections are set in Heaven not earth

            D.  True happiness is your desire - then heavenly

 

Invitation:  By Faith continue to search for the eternal treasure that awaits the pilgrim of God.  A person is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose. 

            A.  Submit to His Will in your life

            B.  Place Him and Heaven first on list of values

            C.  Desire Him above all else

            D.  Be willing to give your all to Him

 

 

Matt 6:33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

 

Mark 8:36  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?