Treasure in Heaven

I was recently challenged by a brother in Christ’s lifestyle and the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-24: “Don’t collect (store up) for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect (store up) for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

There is no storing up treasure in heaven without sacrificing something on earth. To store up treasure in heaven we must sacrifice something on earth. The simplest thing we must sacrifice on a mission trip is comfort – our bed, our food, our favorite way to make coffee in the morning. The greatest and most difficult thing we must sacrifice is our physical life – becoming a martyr. The one thing we cannot choose to sacrifice is our physical life. This is the Lord’s will and not our choice. What is it you can choose to sacrifice to store up treasure in heaven?

What is treasure in heaven? I think it is anything we do for Christ that is the result of sacrificing something on earth. It is obeying a command of Christ that costs us something. It could be sacrificing our pride to humbly and boldly share Christ with someone. Treasure in heaven is sacrificing something – money and time – to obey Christ’s Great Commission. Treasures in heaven are the people saved because we sacrificed to go and make disciples of all nations. Treasures in heaven are the good works we do out of love for one another (1 John 3:16-18; James 2:14-17).

6:22-23 is about covetousness. Our eyes and our hearts are linked. We see and our hearts want. Our hearts will be where our treasure is. If our eyes are healthy, not coveting, then our whole body will be full of light. If we are coveting, then we will be full of darkness. 6:24 is about which master we will serve. If we are living to store up treasures on earth, then money is our master. If we are living to store up treasures in heaven, then God is our master.

Storing treasure in heaven is followed by “Do Not Be Anxious.” These teachings of Jesus are connected. No need to be anxious about treasure in heaven because it cannot be stolen, destroyed by rust, dry rot, or termites, break down and require money to repair, or need to be covered by costly insurance.