God our security – investing our treasures in the bank of heaven

Where are we laying our treasures?  In earthly banks or heavenly banks?  What does the Bible say about where to lay our treasures?

Our Bible reading is from Matthew 6:19-24

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

What does treasure mean?

A treasure is a valuable or valued item, something we cherish or hold dear or place great value on.

What treasures do we acquire on earth?

Wealth or riches, Gems, Resources, Money, Houses, cars etc, highly esteemed friendships

Some treasures are hoarded such as money in banks, investments etc

Are these things bad? Of course not, they are all good things and good gifts.  

The Bible says in James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

And he has given us all these things for our pleasure.  However God does not want us to make these things the focus of our hearts and attention?  Why?  Our Lord Jesus said we should not worry about these things but to seek “first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things” that we mentioned earlier such as riches wealth will be added on to us.

Our riches/wealth can dry up, valuables can be lost, houses can be destroyed – these are all perishable earthly things that can be destroyed by moths and vermin and stolen by thieves!  Moths are associated with destruction and despair and can be seen as a plague destroying valuable materials in human dwellings. 

Jesus is reminding us not to make chasing after earthly things like money riches cars our main focus. Wherever our treasure is there the desire of our hearts will be.

So where should we store up our treasures to guard them from destruction and from being stolen? Where can our treasures earn interests or reward?

The Bible says in heaven where moths and venom do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal?

Can we take our earthly acquisitions: cars, riches etc to heaven?  The answer is No?  In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon reminds us that we came to this world with nothing and will take nothing with us.

So what does the Bible mean when it says to store our treasures in heaven?  We are living on earth so how can we store our treasures in heaven? How do we seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness?

How can we best use the resources God has given us. Where should we invest them? In earthly banks or heavenly banks? What happens when our money is stolen or used up?  

Our eyes give sight and vision and they allow us to connect with our surroundings and help to maintain the sharpness  of our minds. They are the body’s most developed sensory organs. What do we see with our eyes?  With our eyes and with the help of the holy spirit we can identify and pray for brothers and sisters who are spiritually blind to receive Christ. We can be the light that shines in the darkness

What do we see with our eyes? A brother or sister in need or the latest fashion in addition to what we have the poor the needy? Forgiveness, praying for others, visiting the poor, learning the word of God.

Laying up treasures in heaven is about seeking God’s kingdom. Honouring God and his word, sharing the good news of the gospel of Christ , praying for one another, bearing one another’s burden, forgiving one another, carrying out acts of godly kindness.  As we do all of these things, we become rich in God, depositing our treasures in heaven. As we build our treasures in heaven, our focus will be on Gods kingdom and not on the things of the world.  As this passage says later, we cannot serve both God and money.  

If we make Gods kingdom our priority, the desire of our hearts would be to please him. 

As we deposit our treasures in the bank of heaven great will be our reward when Christ returns or calls us home.  

We will be like that faithful servant whom the master delighted in and said ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your father.”  Matthew 25:23

Finally  Matthew 13: 44 says “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field”

So What next?

Trust God to meet our material needs

Seek to be rich in God and his righteousness – whatever gifts God has given us, let use them to build his kingdom.

Let us take a moment to pray

Dear Lord help us to obey your command to lay up our treasures in heaven and to trust you to meet all our financial and material needs, knowing that in you we have our security in Jesus name.