Matthew 6:19-21
• Jesus tells us that storing up treasures on earth isn’t just wrong, it’s not wise in view of our eternal reality
• But he doesn’t just tell us what not to do, he also tells us where we should invest
• Jesus wants us to invest, he just wants us to do it wisely
• He wants us to stop storing up our possessions and accomplishments in the wrong place and start investing them in the right place
• In biblical thought, heaven was the place of God’s reality and presence. It was the place where God’s will was done
• What does it mean, then, to store up treasures in heaven?
• Storing up treasures in heaven has much to do with investing our abilities, possessions, and wealth into doing God’s will rather than in doing our own will or meeting our own needs
• Why does Jesus point out that your heart and your treasure will always be in the same place?
• In Jewish thought, the heart was the seat of the will, which means that if you want to see if you are more committed to doing your own will or God’s will, look at where your treasure is really being invested
• If you take a long, hard look at your treasure thermostat, what does it tell you about whose will you are really committed to doing?
• Sometimes we really want to do God’s will but have so heavily invested in earthly treasure that we make it very difficult for ourselves. Can you identify with that at all? In what ways?
Matthew 19:28-30
• The renewal of all things is a reference to God’s age to come. Why would Jesus refer to that time when talking about how one chooses to use or view their treasures, (this includes possessions and even things like family status in this passage) in the present age?
• He says that if we treat things in this age with the reality of the coming age in the forefront, we will receive a hundred times as much in both this age and the age to come
• His point is that in coming into the Kingdom of God we might lose one house, one mother, etc., but will receive a hundred times by joining our new family in the kingdom of God
• But we will also receive back a hundred times over on this investment in the age to come
• The Kingdom of God, both now and in the age to come, is our treasure
• Jesus is our treasure
• Those who find themselves first in terms of earthly treasure will find that they have invested in something that is worthless in the eternal reality of God’s Kingdom while those who seem to have little in the present age will be shown to have invested wisely for the eternal age
• Storing up treasures in heaven is not only Godly, it’s just plain wise
• Is it smarter to invest in things that will last forever or to invest everything you have in things that will not last?
• What person are you living for? You or Jesus?
• What age are you living for?
• What possessions are you living for?
Psalm 49:16-17
• Why should we not be impressed with the rich?
• Think of some of the richest men in history like Solomon, the Pharaohs, or John D. Rockefeller. How much money did they leave when they died? How much money will Bill Gates leave when he dies?
• The answer is, “all of it”
• Anything we try to hang on to and value here will be lost
• Anything we put into God’s hands and invest in his Kingdom will last for eternity
• This requires that we make the big decision to give instead of keeping
• When we invest in the eternal rather than the temporal we store up treasures in God’s Kingdom that will never stop paying dividends
• Financial planners advise to not just think of three months or three years ahead but to think of thirty years ahead
• Jesus advises us to think about eternity when we are investing
• Do you invest your money and possessions with your earthly retirement plan more in mind than your place in God’s age to come?
Convictions
• Are you committed to investing your time, energy, possessions, wealth, and resources wisely and to bring glory to God?
• Are there any areas right now that you realize you have yet to fully surrender to God by investing in his Kingdom?
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I am not very close to retirement age, but if I'm being honest, I find myself thinking more about retirement investing than investing in the age to come.
ReplyDeleteDefinately good for thought and things to pray about. I need to pray for God's wisdom to show me where/what He wants me to invest in. Whether it be financial income, time to others, etc. As the world(American) ways constantly try and tug on us and tell us how we should do things, these passages remind us of what true importance and wisdom is. The convicting line for me in this blog was, "Sometimes we really want to do God’s will but have so heavily invested in earthly treasure that we make it very difficult for ourselves." How difficult I(my selfishness and pride) can make it on myself to have God and His desires/will over His money/time, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that I do look at many things in a Kingdom way. I think one of the greatest dangers that I have encountered is the desire to have "this one little thing" for me. When there are areas I can point to and say "that's for you God" then I sometimes miss the areas that I've cordoned off for me. Then I've just become double-minded, *danger, danger Will Robinson*
ReplyDeleteI think the crux of the idea Jesus is conveying is not how much to save for retirement, but "if you want to see if you are more committed to doing your own will or God’s will, look at where your treasure is really being [stored]" as a very good indicator.
ReplyDeleteFrom a finance perspective, commonly accepted principles do not take into account that to an individual investor, the value of all earthly investments immediately reach a value of zero upon death. But for Christians, the value of investments in God's will retain eternal value. Therefore, investments in God's will have infinitely more value than earthly ones. Michael, you put nicely when you posted, "When we invest in the eternal rather than the temporal we store up treasures in God’s Kingdom that will never stop paying dividends."