Do not store up treasures on earth, but store up in heaven

Matthew 6: ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

You can see here that the focus of Jesus is not on our external material blessings, but rather it’s the heart, as from v21, “…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Christ is after our hearts, for that will determine the real blessings, temporal, and eternal. Lange/Schaff writes, “In general, it exhibits the vanity of all earthly possessions, and the unsatisfactory character of the enjoyments which they yield. Irrespective of their use, these possessions are dead, exposed to the moth, to consumption, and to thieves, —to the organs of physical and moral annihilation.^[1] The key words that are captured well” … the vanity of all earthly possessions.”

Lange puts it “…if our treasure is on earth, our heart will also be there, our inclinations and desires will be earthly; and, since this is contrary to our heavenly destiny, the consequence must be eternal sorrow and shame.^[2] This is why it’s so important to know why Christ shifted the entire narrative of blessings from the OT to the NT. It has to do with our hearts. It is really very gospel centered, and for our eternity’s sake, Jesus has wisely remolded us, redirected us to what really matters. The point is he doesn’t want us to set our hearts on material worldly possessions, blessings, because they are temporal. He redirected us to the eschatological eternity blessings. Our affection is controlled by where the treasures are. And as Lange said, if our affections are earthly, the consequences will be eternal sorrow and shame.

Col 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Paul writes it here very powerfully why we should set our minds on things above, because we died, sand our life is hidden with Christ in God.

We have Left Everything to Follow Christ”

Mark 10: ²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”  ²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Becoming a Christian may mean sacrificing ties that are very dear, but anyone who does so becomes a member of a family as wide as earth and heaven.^[3]

This probably sums up the blessings of God for those who obey God in the NT. Jesus promised those how has left home or brothers or sisters or mother …. for Him and the gospel, will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age. Like what? Homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. Essentially you would get back everything you have left because of Jesus and the gospel, and one hundred times more! That’s a lot more. Brothers and sisters, we can easily see that in a community of church folks, they become your brothers and sisters in Christ, Mothers, children, you can even stretch that in the church family, like Jesus said in Matt 12:46-50.

But there is another thing that comes with it, “Persecutions” in this present age. This contrasts the idea of material reward for material sacrifice, and Jesus made it clear to be a Christian is a costly thing. [4] Everything Jesus aims for in earth is for the blessings for eternity, and that’s the thesis of this paper. Jesus set his face in earning the eternity for men and women who put their faith in him, and not for them to be materially prosperous in this present age per se. However He continues to be the one who leads us, protects us, like a shepherd over his sheep, and watches our coming in and going out, for sure.

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^[1] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Matthew (p. 132). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[2] Ibid

^[3] Barclay, W. (2001). The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Mark (p. 290). Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press.

[4] Ibid p 290