Day 45: Treasures & Worry

The sermon on the mount is just that, a sermon, a continual teaching from Jesus to the masses covering topics from who will inherit the kingdom of Heaven, to who will see God, to issues like idolatry and faith.

Through our series of salt & light, we have been digging through this sermon to unveil what Jesus is really trying to teach us, as opposed to the oftentimes cliché version of the story.

Tonight, the sermon from JM was focused on Matthew 6:19-34, and within these verses are some of my favorite words from God.

In verse 19, Jesus discusses not storing up your treasures on the earth, but storing them up in the kingdom of heaven. As usual, JM shared some interesting insight and clarification for this passage. Although we most often read it as storing heavenly treasures up for us in heaven in the future (which, essentially means delaying our gratification and greed from now until later, meaning that we are still being greedy which is definitely not what Jesus is saying), he noted that we should see it as storing up treasures in God, right now. In Matthew's gospel, he often substituted the Kingdom of Heaven for the Kingdom of God, because often people didn't say God's name out loud because it was so holy. As a result, you can also read this passage as storing your treasures in God (instead of Kingdom of Heaven). Looking at it in that way enables us to realize that we are not delaying greed, but we are instead focusing on storing our treasures in God. And by treasures, we clearly see that they aren't material, because that is not what God wants. But, here, treasures can be how well we invest in our relationship with the Lord.

In addition to the idea of storing treasure in God, and investing in Him, right now, another part of the sermon that struck me was in v. 24, where the idea of serving two masters is discussed. The word says that no one can serve two masters, and that we cannot serve God and money or “mammon.” I never thought of it before, but JM mentioned how it doesn't say that we “shouldn't” worship God and money, but it says that we cannot; it is, in fact, impossible. So often, we are slaves to our circumstances and our desire for money controls us. It was amazing to sit there and think about how many times I am caught up in what I want, and am so selfishly concerned with my desires in this world.

What if I took that time and invested it in the Lord, and my relationship with him? What if I gave more instead of spending it on myself, and lavishing on my already blessed world?

I've never felt so convicted of neglecting the obvious blessings that God has given me. I need to be a better steward of all I have, and realize that I cannot serve two masters.

And, the last part of the sermon that hit me over the head, was concerned with v. 33 and 34 which talk about seeking the Kingdom of God first and all things will be added unto us. And then, v. 34 discusses that we are not to worry about what is happening in life, just as the birds and the flowers. JM was quick to say that God doesn't use the illustrations of the birds and the flowers to show that we are going to be safe and secure like birds and flowers, but He uses those illustrations to show how free from anxiety these creatures are. You never see a stressed out flower, or a stressed out bird (naturally), and so God gives us those illustrations to see that if these creations are basking in the love of God, how much more should we be as well?

JM also tied this in with the issues of anxiety and worry that we talked about, noting that the vast majority of anxiety is rooted in idolatry, meaning that what we worry about is what we most likely worship. And this may happen without us even realizing it.

I thought about it in my own life, and realized that sometimes I have worshipped the value of my job, or of my future relationship. I have worried about work so much that sometimes it is all I think about..and it becomes a false god, or an idol.

I've done similar things with my hope for a future relationship, and the real burden that comes with hoping for something that seems so far from happening, and so hopeless.

But that is where He is faithful, and I need to remember the flowers and the birds, and to rest in knowing that He is God and He is good.

JM left us with two questions, and so I leave them with you:

What are you worrying about?

What do you treasure?

Ask yourself these question, and set your eyes on Jesus. Translate your treasures to an investment in your relationship with God, now, and free yourself from anxiety.

Don't let your worry become your worship. Anxiety is not worthy of praise.

That is reserved for the God of our universe, earth, city, and lives.

In Christ,

Lilia