Matthew 6:19-21
19 “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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Most of us ever since we started earning a paycheck have regularly contributed in some way to some kind of retirement or pension fund. A pension “is a fund into which a sum of money is added during an employee’s employment years and from which payments are drawn to support the person’s retirement from work in the form of periodic payments.” In other words, a retirement or pension fund is something we contribute to now to withdraw from for our benefit in the future.
After decades of contributing to our retirement and or pension fund we all expect it to be there so we can benefit from it one day in the future. We do many things to safeguard these funds, to ensure that there is growth and there is very minimal loss if any. We are very intentional and thoughtful seeking advice from different professionals and institutions in search of the best way to ensure the growth of our retirement funds before our retirement time comes. We try to be as informed and wise as much as possible with the investment of these funds, because we want the assurance and confidence that we will have these funds waiting for us when we will need them. Many of us have dreams and have made plans expecting these funds being there for us then the time comes to enjoy them.
Most of us have some kind of savings and investment strategy for our future retirement, but do we have a strategy for giving and investing what belongs to God, which He has given to us to manage and which in the end will be rewarded foe being good stewards? What do we know about what the New Testament teaches about our “treasures in heaven” that is waiting for us in the future? As a child of God and a believer in Christ, how much consideration have we given to our contribution or investment to our “treasures in heaven”?
When we study this topic of our “treasures in heaven” we need to be mindful of the terms or synonyms used in the New Testament that refers to or relate to “treasures in heaven” that Jesus talks about in Matthew 6:20. They are, “treasure in heaven”, “reward”, “inheritance” and “account”. Reading the verses that contain these terms, we see that almost all the verses that use these terms, indicate that it is something to be expected and experienced in the future.
The first time Jesus refers to the topic of what can we expect in the future, He is concluding His comments concerning the beatitudes in Matthew 5:12, Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”. This is our emotional reaction to the fact or our assurance of what we know is true, Jesus says we should “Rejoice and be glad…”. How sure are we of our reward and how it is obtained?
The next time Jesus refers to this topic is in Matthew 6:4,6,18. In these three verses they all say the same thing, that the reward we receive is from God our Farther and is in the future. “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The context of these verses is referring to the motives behind our actions which are recognized and rewarded by God.
This next reference Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus makes a point in verse twenty that can very easily over looked, “But store up for your selves treasures in heaven…”. The “treasures” we will have in heaven are stored up or in the Greek are accumulated. To accumulate means to, “gather together or acquire an increasing number or quantity of.” From this verse we get the understanding that the reward we will receive and experience in heaven is something we have added to and or can increase in quantity.
In Matthew 10:40-42 Jesus tells us that there are different types of rewards based on what we do, to whom we do it to, no matter how significant the person is. 40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose hisreward.”
In these next three references Jesus teaches us that anything done in this life that has eternal value or is important from God’s perspective will be rewarded.
Luke 18:18-22, “18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good — except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
There also can be hindrances in our life for receiving our reward. In the life of the ruler mentioned in the previous verses, he was faithful to his religious duties as prescribed in scripture. But notice Jesus did not mention there was a reward for doing those things, but his reward was based on eliminating the one thing in his life that stood between him and following Jesus and the reward he could have, this was his material possessions.
Matthew 25:34-40, 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
We need to notice that in Matthew 25:34-40, the six types of persons Jesus mentions all were not in any capacity to repay or compensate for the actions of mercy and goodness showed to them. Our motivations that prompt our actions has much to do with the rewards we will receive. Jesus confirms this in the next reference.
Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
The apostle Paul in Philippians 4:14-18 gives us a perspective that is very important and that every Christian needs to realize. We all have an account in heaven that we can deposit to. But again, the deposits made to this account are from our actions helping others, “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles”. In this portion of scripture, we have a double blessing or rewards, one now, verse 19, in the present and one in the future verse 17.
Philippians 4:14-18, 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:23-25, 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. This portion of scripture tells us that what we will receive is in the future, our inheritance which is our reward. Our reward that we will receive from the Lord is based on our personal work ethic. Our work ethic is our attitude of determination and dedication toward our job and or anything we do. Paul makes it very clear that the basis of our motivation which is reflected in our attitude is because we know we are “working for the Lord, not for men…”, “It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
The apostle Paul writing to his spiritual son (1:2) Timothy who was the principal leader of the congregation in Ephesus (1:3) gives him the following instructions. 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. Based on what they do with what God has provided them to steward (verse 18), it will be rewarded. Receiving a reward form God means what we do is recognized by God.
Peter mentions our reward as our inheritance. Note how this parallels what Jesus says in our opening verses, (Matthew 6:19-21).
1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT, 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
Our inheritance or our reward will never diminish, or have insufficient funds as can our earthly retirement or pension funds. What are we doing and what can we do to add to our reward or inheritance account? Are we living today with a “great expectation” for our reward, our inheritance that the Word of God so clearly tells us we have waiting for us to experience and enjoy?
Pastor John
