Text: Matthew 6:19-24 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
We have gone from giving, praying, and fasting, to Jesus talking about the Kingdom and treasures. In this passage, Jesus challenges us with the question, “Where is your treasure?” He then helps us find the answer by giving four tests. Hang in there with me, don’t tune me out because of the topic – after all, it is Jesus who is speaking – not me.
The first test that Jesus gives us in Matthew 6: 19 -20 can be called the Durability Test. The second test that Jesus gives – the Heart Test is in Matthew 6:21 The third test in Matthew 6:22-23 and is the Mind Test. The final test is in Matthew 6:24 and can be labeled the Master Test.
Friends, let me encourage you to take this four-part test on a regular basis. Go back and review the last four days of study on these tests).
- 1. The Durability Test. How long will my things last?
Are they temporary or will they last forever in heaven?
- 2. The Heart Test. Where am I investing my time and
money? What excites me the most, earth or heaven? Which place makes my heart
beat faster?
- 3. The Mind Test. Where do I focus my goals? Am I
committed to materialism or spirituality? Do I operate according to God’s
priorities, or my own?
- 4. The Master Test. Is Jesus my master or is something, or someone, else? Will I serve money on earth and allow it to be my god, or will I serve God in heaven with my treasures, which are really His in the first place?
A rich man died and went to heaven. As he
went through the Pearly Gates, Peter came to greet him and said, “Welcome to
heaven. Let me show you where you’ll be staying.” That suited the rich man just
fine because as he looked around, he saw mansions stretching out in every
direction. They were beautiful! They appeared to be constructed of gold and
silver and precious gems.
As Peter and the rich man began to walk along the streets of gold, they came to
an ornate home. As they paused to gaze at it, the rich man said, “Who gets to
stay here?” Saint Peter replied, “That’s for your janitor. He was a godly man
who loved Jesus and served Him all his life. This is his reward.”
They continued to stroll past other mansions until they stopped in front of an
extremely large one that seemed to be made of emeralds and rubies. The rich man
asked Peter, “Is this mine?” Peter answered, “No, this one belongs to your
maid. On the little bit of money you paid her, she raised six children and gave to her church every
week.”
They continued to walk and came to a different section of homes. Only these houses weren’t as nice. As they walked up a small hill, they stopped in front of a shack made of tar paper and used sheet metal. The front door was cut out of an old refrigerator box. It was held together with baling wire and twine.
After pausing for a moment, the rich man asked, “And whose is that?” Peter responded, “Why, it’s yours!” The rich man couldn’t believe it. There must be some mistake. Peter bowed his head and said, “No, there’s been no mistake -- we did the best with what you sent ahead!”
So, the final point to consider is this –
What
have you sent ahead?
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