Sunday: “Where Your Treasure Is”
Read Matthew 6:19-21. Though we are so familiar with these texts, how can we nevertheless be free from the powerful hold earthly treasures can have on us? See Col. 3:1-2.
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“‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21, NKJV) is an appeal from Jesus. The full magnitude of this statement can be seen from the preceding two verses, which contrast storing our treasures on earth with storing them in heaven. Three words describe earth: moths, rust, and thieves (see Matt. 6:19), all of which imply just how temporal and transient our earthly treasure is. Who hasn’t learned just how quickly earthly things can vanish? “On earth everything is unstable, uncertain, and insecure; it is subject to decay, destruction, stealing, and loss. Heaven is the opposite: everything is eternal, durable, secure, and imperishable. In heaven there is no loss.” – C. Adelina Alexe, “Where Your Heart Belongs”, in Beyond Blessings, edited by Nikolaus Satelmajer, (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2013), p. 22.
Look at your possessions. Even if you have only a very few, sooner or later most of them will be thrown away. The exception might be an heirloom. But a wise steward should be concerned with putting treasures in heaven for safekeeping. There, unlike here, you don’t have to worry about recessions, thieves, or even plunderers.
Matthew 6:19-21 contains one of the most important concepts on stewardship. Your treasure pulls, tugs, coerces, draws, demands, allures, and desires to control your heart. In the material world your heart follows your treasure, so where your treasure is remains vitally important. The more we focus on earthly needs and gains, the harder it is to think on heavenly matters.
Professing belief in God but keeping our treasure here on earth is hypocritical. Our actions must agree with our words. In other words, we see our treasures on earth by sight, but we must see our offerings as treasures in heaven by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). Though we, of course, need to be practical and provide for our needs (even retirement), it’s crucial to always keep the big picture, eternity, in mind.
| Read Hebrews 10:34. What important point is Paul making here about the contrast between treasure on earth and treasure in heaven? |
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we are stewards of God,when the earth was created,and every beast,of the field ,God created Adam he gave him dominion over everything so that Adam should give them names and keep them so as us also we are stewards of God ,we are there to keep God s property,
We have a different standard of living compared during Adam's time.today most sda members own nothing except their salary earn from their daily work income.to those very rich and wealthy may God judge them at the end of time.
Am sorry but I'm not sure what you mean here. Also where did you get the impression that Adventists only have salary it's not true have u seen us lately coming into the temple as if it's a show we ain't innocent,
Further more richness in the bible in my opinion would be applicable to most of us today as most of us have a profession and can afford a car a house we might have things rough because we live in a society where we generally live above our means. How many of us are content with our kid having 2 shoes only and giving the rest to kids who don't have any just saying.
SDA members are not poor, we do not worship a God who wants us to be poor.
Also being rich or the ability to accumulate wealth comes from the giver of life.
A country gets toppled. One man who is in power becomes a destitute. The most powerful men of this world have to yield their fame to the newcomers. Once stood as a monument of great significance becomes without meaning and mystery. (Great stones of nemeton)
Unlike the blood diamond of this world, God's treasures are laid up in heaven where no human or satanic agency can take hold of it.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
Isaiah 65:21 & 22
Maybe some of the rich and wealthy were good Stewards. Everything we have is a blessing from God. There is nothing wrong with being rich and wealthy. It's how we gain and use that wealth the counts. I believe the blessings from God should be used to help those less fortunate.
We need to be practical and provide for our needs (even retirement),
Everything was made by God. The things we own are made by God and we are supposed to enjoy them, That is okay. It's when we allow the earthly things to pull, tug, coerce, draw, demand, allure, and desire to control our hearts, that's when its dangerous.
it’s crucial to always keep the big picture, eternity, in mind.
The Truth is Focus on Jesus for Eternal Everlasting Life, What’s been happening in this world today, has been foretold in the Bible, it has been predicted long before we were born, our time is to preach the Gospel. (Mark 16:15) and to make disciples, teaching them to observe all things. (Matt 28:19,20)
We all have a job to do as Stewardship, Our Lord God will deal with those that are unjust, We must continue what needs to be done. Amen
In 2018 where do we store a treasure? Do we have homes to take care of our family and buy nice furniture? Most of us do have earthly treasure, to feel at ease.
This is an interesting statement is today lesson in the third paragraph: "Your treasure pulls, tugs, coerces, draws, demands, allures, and desires to control your heart. In the material world your heart follows your treasure; so where your treasure is remains vitally important. The more we focus on earthly gains, the harder it is to think on heavenly matters."
There is a great deal of difference between having a functional home where we can care for our family and friends, and treating the home as an object of worship. Clearly we have to live somewhere, and providing a home where we and our loved ones can eat, sleep, and relax is important. What we need to understand is the difference between living in a home, and worshiping a house.
There are a couple of comments. One using Mathew 6:19-21. Taken from the sermon on the mount. I do not see any reference mentioned about offerings. Some find a method of application to shape an opinion. When treasures in heaven are mentioned, in our minds eye we might wonder , is heaven something that one might picture? I have been reading Isaiah, and Isaiah6:1-5 gives us a literal picture of heaven. When we put it together with Matt. 6:19-21, it seems to help our understanding. Just a side note, the Greek for treasures is wealth. Some may find a type of embellishment as a way to apply the meaning.
Hi Paul
So I can understand more clearly what you are getting at, would you mind expanding on "I have been reading Isaiah, and Isaiah6:1-5 gives us a literal picture of heaven. When we put it together with Matt. 6:19-21, it seems to help our understanding". I looked at the Isaiah 6 reference from a literal perspective and it didn't make sense to me. So I'd like to see it through your eyes/words.
Thanks