- [Narrator] What Jesus said about heaven.
In the Sermon on the mount,
Jesus taught his listeners the difference
between earthly and heavenly treasures.
In their pursuit of the Father's perfection,
Jesus's disciples will face a variety of everyday concerns
that have the potential to deter them
from unwavering loyalty to the kingdom
and its righteousness.
The first is wealth.
Two treasures of the heart.
Matthew chapter six, verse 19 through 21, Amplified Bible,
do not store up for yourselves material treasures on earth
where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal,
but store 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, your wishes, your desires,
that on which your life centers will be also,
Material wealth was significant to the Israelites
because it was frequently viewed
as a sign of God's blessing
and the reward for obedience to him.
According to one ancient rabbi,
wealth could be acquired illegitimately
and all too often the wicked ones are the ones who prosper.
Jeremiah laments, you, oh Lord,
are uncompromisingly righteous
and consistently just when I plead my case with you,
yet let me discuss issues of justice with you.
Why has the way of the wicked prospered?
Why are those who deal in treachery, deceit,
at ease and thriving?
You have planted them.
They have also taken root.
They grow.
They have even produced fruit.
You are honored by their hypocritical lips,
but you are far from their heart and mind.
But, you, oh Lord, know me
and understand my devotion to you.
You see me and you examine the attitude
of my heart toward you.
Drag out the faithless like sheep for the slaughter,
oh Lord,
and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
How long must the land mourn
and the grass of the countryside wither,
because of the wickedness and hypocrisy
of those who live in it?
The beasts and the birds are consumed
and are swept away by the drought,
because men mocking me have said
he will not live long enough
to see what happens at our final end.
Jeremiah chapter 12, verse one through four,
wealth accumulation for the sake of wealth accumulation
is deceptive,
because it could provide a false sense of security
or an inaccurate assessment of one spirituality.
So, Jesus says,
do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.
The term behind the negative imperative do not store up,
is the sorozo, which is related to the noun, treasure.
The wordplay can be rendered woodenly,
do not treasure up for yourselves treasure on earth.
Treasure represents the accumulation of what is valuable.
However, those things that some people treasure
are vulnerable to the destructive effects of life
in a fallen world
where moth and rust destroy
and thieves break in and steal.
The moth was commonly recognized as a destroyer
of the most basic materials of life.
A little devouring insect could destroy the finest garments.
The term rust is a catchall for consuming,
implying not only a destructive action on metals,
but also a broader deterioration.
It destroys a variety of materials, crops, vines,
and even teeth.
The most valuable possessions are subject to being consumed.
The type of thief Jesus is referring to
steals from the wealthy to enrich himself.
Moths, rust, and thieves are the forces
that cause earthly treasures to lose value
and eventually be destroyed.
Rather than accumulating material valuables in this life,
Jesus advises, store of treasures in heaven for yourselves.
He does not identify these treasures.
Paul refers to the gold and silver
of the Christians' work for the kingdom
that will be rewarded on the day of judgment.
I Corinthians chapter three, verse 12 through 15,
Amplified Bible,
but if anyone builds on the foundation
with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each one's work will be clearly shown for what it is,
for the day of judgment will disclose it,
because it is to be revealed with fire
and the fire will test the quality, and character,
and worth of each person's work.
If any person's work which he has built
on this foundation,
that is any outcome of his effort remains
and survives this test,
he will receive a reward.
But, if any person's work is burned up by the test,
he will suffer the loss of his reward,
yet he himself will be saved,
but only as one who has barely escaped through fire.
But, the contrast of treasures on earth
with treasures in heaven
more importantly implies a distinction of values,
for where your treasure is,
there, your heart will be also,
Jesus says, going beyond good works to focus on the heart.
The heart represents the core of a person's being,
the true inner person,
the source of spiritual, emotional, and psychological life.
The nature of their heart determines a person's values.
Jesus has already indicated
that the heart is a source of our good or evil deeds.
Matthew chapter five, verse 28, Amplified Bible,
but I say to you that everyone
who so much has looks at a woman with lust for her
has already committed adultery
with her in his heart.
This line of thinking is also applicable here,
because a disciple's heart could be evaluated
based on what they consider to be
their most important value.
The righteous value must be God himself.
If Jesus' disciples keep their hearts entirely focused
on the Father in heaven,
then all other world treasures will pale in comparison.
This will set a trajectory for healthy discipleship,
including one's priorities,
motives, righteous deeds, ambitions, security,
personal self-worth, and relationships.
Two eyes of the heart,
Matthew chapter six, verse 22 through 24, Amplified Bible,
the eye is in the lamp of the body,
so if your eye is clear, spiritually perceptive,
your whole body will be full of light
benefiting from God's precepts.
But, if your eye is bad, spiritually blind,
your whole body will be full of darkness,
devoid of God's precepts.
So, if the very light inside you,
your inner self, your heart,
your conscience is darkness,
how great and terrible is that darkness.
No one can serve two masters
for either he will hate the one and love the other
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and Mammon, money, possessions, fame,
status,
or whatever is valued more than the Lord.
These difficult verses must be connected
to the proceeding passages
to make sense of them.
The disciple must choose between competing treasures.
Matthew chapter six, verse 19 through 21,
do not stir up for yourselves material treasures on earth
where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal,
but store 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, your wishes, your desires,
that on which your life centers will be also.
If a disciples gaze is fixed on the earthly treasure
as their value, personal significance,
and earthly security,
the heart will be dark as well.
When we concentrate on something evil,
the eye becomes a conduit
through which evil enters the inner person.
The word for master is curios,
which has enough ambiguity to mean a landowner.
The usage here denotes a general principle
regarding both the level of commitment to an earthly master
and to God as one's ultimate master.
The term for serve is dao luo,
which refers to the work of a slave rather than an employee.
A person may work for two employers,
but an enslaved person is the sole property of one master
implying an exclusive owner who demands exclusive service.
Loyalty to one's master is extreme.
Either he will hate the one and love the other
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
The biblical concept of hate and love
understands them to be life patterns,
not just emotional reactions.
Do I not hate those who hate you,
oh Lord, and abor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them.
I count them my enemies.
Psalm chapter 139, verse 21 through 22, Amplified Bible,
do I not hate those who hate you, oh Lord,
and do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect and utmost hatred.
They have become my enemies.
This prepares for Jesus's radical call
for unconditional commitment to him,
to the point where one must completely reject
anything that hinders attachment to him and love
or completely give oneself to him.
The metaphors for choosing between masters
culminate the proverb,
you cannot serve both God and money.
There can be no divided loyalties
when it comes to God.
As a rival God, Mammon,
Jesus personifies wealth or possessions of all kinds.
This is the Greek word mammona,
which derives from the Hebrew Aramaic word mammon,
which means wealth, riches, property.
The temptation to worship the God of materialism
was well known in Judaism.
Greed and covetousness are the favorite traps
of the evil one.
So, commands and warnings against greed and covetousness
are common in the Old Testament.
Finally, there is only one option.
Service, love, and devotion to God or Satan.
Loving God entails serving
and giving oneself entirely to him.
Heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Matthew chapter 19, verse 16 through 22, Amplified Bible,
and someone came to him and said, teacher,
what essentially good thing shall I do
to obtain eternal life,
that is eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom?
Jesus answered, why are you asking me
about what is essentially good?
There is only one who is essentially good,
but if you wish to enter into eternal life,
keep the commandments.
He said to Jesus, which commandments?
And, Jesus answered,
you shall not commit murder,
you shall not commit adultery,
you shall not steal,
you shall not give false testimony,
honor your father and mother,
and love your neighbor as yourself.
That is, unselfishly seek the best
or higher good for others.
The young man said to him
I have kept all these things from my youth.
What do I still lack?
Jesus answered him.
If you wish to be perfect,
that is have the spiritual maturity
that accompanies godly character
with no moral or ethical deficiencies,
go and sell what you have and give the money to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven
and come follow me,
becoming my disciple,
believing and trusting in me,
and walking the same path of life that I walk.
But, when the young man heard this,
he left grieving and distressed for he owned much property
and had many possessions
which he treasured more than his relationship with God.
Matthew chapter 22, verse 37, Amplified Bible,
and Jesus replied to him,
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
Treasure is defined as anything we value above all else
and that motivates us to act.
It is money for some, others see it as a source of power,
others strive for celebrity or attention.
Many things in this world are vying
for our heart's attention.
Jesus says that determining where our treasure is
also determined where our heart is.
Many people claim to be looking forward to heaven,
but their hearts are caught up in the cares of this world,
because that is where their treasure is.
Jesus warned us that earthly money has a finite lifespan.
While it may temporarily satisfy us,
it is unstable and fleeting.
This world in its present form is passing away.
Earthly treasure will be meaningless
the moment we breathe our last breath.
Jesus urged us to look beyond our last breath
and into eternity.
Our lifestyles reflect our perspective
when we are focused on eternity,
when our treasure is stored in heaven.
We will all give an account of ourselves before God
for every action and every idle word.
Romans chapter 14, verse 12,
so then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Matthew chapter 12, verse 36,
but I tell you on the day of judgment,
people will have to give an accounting
for every careless or useless word they speak.
Nobody is immune.
Excuses will not be tolerated.
Every thought we have is seen and known by God
and we are held accountable
for the truth we have been given.
Romans chapter one, verse 18 through 22.
For God does not overlook sin
and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
when their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth,
because that which is known about God
is evident within them in their inner consciousness,
for God made it evident to them,
for ever since the creation of the world,
his invisible attributes, his eternal power,
and divine nature have been clearly seen
being understood through his workmanship,
all his creation,
the wonderful things that he has made,
so that they who failed to believe and trust in him
are without excuse and without defense.
For even though they knew God as a creator,
they did not honor him as God
or give thanks for his wondrous creation.
On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking,
godless with pointless reasonings and silly speculations,
and their foolish heart was darkened,
claiming to be wise, they became fools.
When we make decisions on earth that benefit God's kingdom,
we accumulate treasure in heaven,
even offering a cup of cool water
to a fellow believer according to Jesus
is worthy of eternal reward.
Matthew chapter 10, verse 42, Amplified Bible,
and whoever gives to one of these little ones,
these who are humble in rank or influence,
even a cup of cold water to drink,
because he is my disciple,
truly, I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
It is not a sin to be wealthy,
but our priorities tend to align
with where our money is invested.
Those whose riches are stored in heaven
can never be taken over by their material belongings.
They are conquerable,
because there is nothing on earth
that can be exchanged for the price of their soul.
They value the currency of heaven
and use their earthly treasure
to purchase heavenly gold
which will never lose its value.
When we put our riches in material things,
our hearts remain rooted in the values of this world.
When on the other hand,
we invest in things that have worth eternally,
our hearts remain faithful to the Lord,
and we are not tempted to mistakenly try to serve
both God and money at the same time.