Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.”
Thoughts from Pastor Stuart
Dive Deeper
Behind the Scenes
Have you ever had something that you loved break or get destroyed? We all have. It’s frustrating and irritating, but it happens to us all. That new car you bought will only look and smell new for so long. Those new clothes you bought will only be new for a short while. The new house, new furniture, new things… they all get broken in and worn out eventually. Even the things of this world that bring us the most pleasure and joy will someday wear out and no longer satisfy. And it happens faster than we would expect.
Have you ever noticed that there is always something more to want? You buy that big screen TV that you’ve been saving for. It’s fantastic at first. But then you hear that the manufacturer just came out with one that is bigger with better sound and the resolution is improved. Suddenly, this thing you were so happy with pales in comparison. The world is always changing and with it, the value of the things of this world is always changing too.
That’s why Jesus spoke these words over 2000 years ago. This passage is only a small clip of a larger sermon we often refer to as “the sermon on the mount” where Jesus lays out this beautifully constructed sermon for thousands of people gathered. Over and over, Jesus gives them practical and often counter-cultural truths. This is one of them.
See, in the early Hebrew culture, as well as the Roman-inspired culture around them, wealth meant that you were blessed and surely had favor from God (or the god’s in the case of the Romans). It was believed that if you were poor or struggled you had sinned and that material blessings were a sign of your righteousness. But Jesus sets this whole idea on it’s head and radically challenges the status quo.
In earlier passages of this same sermon, Jesus explains what “blessed” really is in the kingdom of heaven. Its a section we often refer to as the Beatitudes. He is trying to get the crowds to understand that being blessed in God’s eyes is not the same as being blessed in the world’s eyes. Then in this passage, Jesus cuts to the heart and calls out the materialism he saw there.
Jesus points out that everything in this life will fade. It’s value will only last so long and you can spend a life chasing the next best thing only to find yourself empty and wanting in the end. But there is another way.
Make it Real
This term “store up” that Jesus uses encompasses the idea of gathering together or heaping up. It’s this idea of piling up many things. It paints the picture of plenty or abundance that’s horded away. So when Jesus says not to store up things on this earth, He is calling out those who would set their minds and hearts on accumulating more and more. He is calling out the tendency in all of us to gluttony and materialism.
See the issue is not wealth- the issue is selfishness and gluttony. The issue is idolatry. When the things of this world become more important to us than the people in it and the God who made it, we have a problem. Jesus saw this struggle in the hearts of the people He spoke to. He wanted to free them from the chains they didn’t even know they had around them.
I love verse 21 of this passage- “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” How true that is! We can tell a lot about where our heart is by how we react to the loss of or breaking of the things of this world.
Jesus is calling us to look at the things of this world for what they are- fleeting and passing. When He says to store up treasures in heaven, He is reminding us to look to the eternal. There are only so many things that are eternal, and those are the things worth treasuring. You’ve probably heard the saying, “you cant take it with you” and it’s true! Some day we will all pass from this life into the next. The question is, what will we leave behind? What will our life be about when it is all said and done? Will it be made up of material things that fade away? Or will it be made up of eternal value that never fades?
We get to choose. Wealth isn’t wrong, but it can be an idol. Things aren’t bad, but they were always meant to have their proper place in our lives, far below other people and God. God loves to bless His children, but the blessings He gives are always meant to be a tool to bless others. We get to choose how we use this life. Will we use the days we have to accumulate more stuff? Or will we use it to bless others and glorify God? Will the things of this world be tools we use for God’s glory or idols that hold us down?
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Lord Jesus,
I recognize that I often put my love in things that are passing away. I often hold too tightly to the things of this world and build up my treasures here on earth. But I don’t want to do this any more. Help me to shift my focus onto storing up treasures in heaven. Help me to view the gifts of this world as simply tools to bring You praise. Help me to never elevate them above others or above You. Teach me what it looks like to store up treasures in heaven.
In Jesus name
Amen