A right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure...

This week we are looking a section of this famous sermon that Jesus preached, called the Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Matthew. So far, we have seen Jesus focus for a second time in this sermon on the issue of money. We looked on as Jesus commanded the crowds listening that they were not to store up for themselves treasures on earth.

Instead of focusing on the accumulation of money, possessions, and treasure on earth, Jesus commanded the crowds listening to His sermon to store up, to accumulate for yourselves treasure in Heaven. Jesus point to the crowds listening was that instead of focusing on making deposits in their earthly bank accounts and retirement funds in a way that is focused on building a kingdom of money, possessions, and treasure here on earth for themselves, Jesus commands the crowds to make deposits in their heavenly bank accounts.

 Jesus then explained to the crowd that when they accumulated treasures in Heaven; when they made deposits into their heavenly bank accounts, those investments cannot be consumed by the things on earth. Jesus wanted the crowds to clearly understand that while treasure on earth is temporary, treasure in Heaven lasts for eternity.

 Jesus then revealed the timeless reason behind His command to store up treasure in Heaven with the timeless principle that our true desires are revealed by what we invest in. Jesus point is that people will invest in the things that they are devoted to. Jesus point is that those who are involved in a right relationship with God and who are growing and maturing in that relationship will respond to all that God has done for them by investing in God’s kingdom mission because they treasure God above everything else.

Jesus then used a metaphor to reveal the reality that we follow what we are focused on. Jesus explained that those who are focused on storing up treasures in Heaven will reveal and reflect Jesus to others. They will reflect Jesus’ generosity. They will reflect Jesus’ desire to love and serve God and others through the money, possessions, and treasure that we have while we live life on earth. And as they reveal and reflect Jesus to others, the result is that they will advance God’s Kingdom and enhance God’s reputation.

Jesus then contrasted the person who is singularly focused on storing up treasures in Heaven with the person who is focused on storing up treasures on earth. Jesus then explained to the crowds listening that the end result of having spiritual eyes that are unhealthy due to being clouded by greed is that the person is described as being full of darkness. To be full of darkness conveys the sense of an absence of Christ-likeness in a person’s life.

Jesus then explained that if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness. But what does that mean? Jesus point is that the person whose life is clouded by greed and selfishness and that focuses on storing up treasures for themselves on earth is full of spiritual and moral darkness as well.

Now, another question that could arise here would be “Well Dave can’t I do both? Can’t I store up treasure in Heaven and store up treasures here on earth?”  I don’t know about you, but sometimes we can find ourselves trying to have it both ways, can’t we? I can find myself tempted to try to have my feet in both worlds, so to speak. So, can’t we do both? Can’t we store up treasures on earth and in Heaven? We see Jesus provide the answer to this question in Matthew 6:24:

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Jesus, in verse 24, makes it clear that we cannot serve two masters. When Jesus uses the word serve here, He is referring to someone who acts in total allegiance and total commitment to someone or something. Jesus point is that a person cannot be totally committed to two differing options. Jesus point is that a person cannot serve God and money not only because of the reality that they will follow what they are focused on. Here Jesus is revealing to the crowds the reality that we cannot serve God and money because we will serve what we are devoted to.

The timeless reality is that God, on the one hand, and money, possessions, and treasure, on the other hand, compete for our total devotion. Jesus point is that we will either be totally devoted to God, or we will be totally devoted to money, possessions, and treasure. Jesus here is revealing the reality that God uses money to reveal who we love and trust more. God basically says “Do you love me? Do you trust me? Do you love me more than your money? Do you love me more than your possessions? Do you love me more than your treasure? Do you love and trust me enough to handle your money and finances according to my principles, or are you going to handle your money finances your way?”

And it is here that we see Jesus reveal for us a timeless truth about the true nature of what it means to obey the message and teachings of Jesus and the true nature of a lifestyle that is living a right relationship with Jesus.  And that timeless truth is this: A right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure. Just as it was for those who were listening to this famous sermon; just as it has been for humanity throughout history; A right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure.

You see, Jesus circled back to the issue of money because Jesus knew that how we handle money reveals our spiritual condition. Jesus circled back to the issue of money because Jesus knew that how we handle money reveals who or what has our heart. Because, this morning, the timeless reality is that we spend money on what we love. We follow what we are focused on. And we will serve what we are devoted to.

Once again, we see that Jesus is concerned with our internal heart condition. Jesus is concerned with our internal heart condition because Jesus knows, and human history has shown, that eventually what is in the heart will spill out. And, as Jesus points out in this part of His famous sermon, a right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure.

So here is a question to consider: What does how you handle your treasure reveal about what you treasure? Because, as Jesus stated, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. And the timeless reality is that God and money, possessions, and treasure compete for our total devotion.

So, what does your checkbook say about what or who you treasure? Because, as we discovered this morning, a right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure. You see, when it comes to money and treasure, God does not want something from us; God wants something for us.

God wants for us to experience the relationship with Him that we were created for. And, as Jesus points out in this part of His famous sermon, a right relationship with God requires that we handle our treasure in a way that demonstrates that we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure....