Matthew 6:19-21 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
It is ‘Good Friday’ morning, the greatest paradox ever spoken. This is the day we remember Christ’s willing crucifixion for our sin. We see the ugliness of our sin laid upon him. We see how sin has so clearly distorted the image of God in us. We see how much God loves the world that he who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteousness of God.
In parallel to Jesus’ teaching today in Matthew 6, Jesus gives a parable on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 – “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has and buys that field” (V. 44). Jesus gave up all of heaven to buy us back to Himself and make us His treasure and He has great joy over us who belong to Him.
Matthew 6:19-34 is all about our focus and our priorities. Does our heart belong to God? Are we seeking to use our possessions in His service, for the good of His kingdom and name? Or, are we using our possessions to make a name for ourselves and making material things our main concern and focus?
Jesus wants to remind us that if we get consumed with this world’s values, it’s very temporary. However, if we get consumed with heaven’s values, there is treasure we’re storing forever in heaven.
How do we know where our heart truly belongs? I think the Apostle Paul gives us the clearest self-examination text in 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Heart check one: do you take pride in your possessions, or is your status with God more important than your status with the world? Heart check two: do you give more thought to how you can bless others with your possessions or on how you can take what’s in your hand and spend it on self? (Is it proven by the fact your life is rich with good works unto others out of love for God?) Heart check three: do you see what you’ve accumulated as a gift from God who gave you your abilities, health, opportunities, providential relationships, etc. or do you see what you’ve accomplished as how great you are?
Join us at Hilltop today for our Good Friday service beginning at 12 pm, then again this Easter Sunday at 10:30 am. Both services will be live-streamed if you can’t join us in person: hilltopnaz.org.
Holy Spirit, help us to seek Christ’s rule and righteousness as the first priority of our lives. Heavenly Father, we thank you for every blessing you have poured down, guard our hearts from the love of money and worldly possessions that would dull our love for you. Jesus, thank you for showing us what a treasure we are to you on this Good Friday, capture our hearts afresh and anew this weekend. In your name we pray, Amen.