Treasure Part 4 of 4

Treasures In Heaven

Part 4—How Do You See Treasure Clearly?

Do not store up for yourselves 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 or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Part 1 – What Is Your Treasure?

Part 2 – Where Is Your Treasure?

Part 3 – How Do You Store Up Treasure?

Part 4 – How Do You See Treasure Clearly?

Question: How do you form an accurate filter system?

In Matthew 6:19-23, Jesus connects storing up treasures in heaven with having a clear eye. The eye is the lamp of the body, and if our eye is clear we will be full of light. It is only if our eye is clear that we will understand the reality that treasures in heaven are more important than treasures on earth, and only if our eye is clear will we understand how to live our life in such a way that is pleasing to God and leads to treasures in heaven. So let’s take a step backwards and ask, “How do we make our eye clear?” How do we ensure that our view of reality is accurate?

Jesus addresses this question a number of ways in the gospels, and the answer always comes back to obedience.

If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. John 7:17

The context of this passage is that the crowds were wondering if Jesus’ words were from God, or was He making them up? To paraphrase, “What claim does this Man have on the truth?”

The answer Jesus provides is simple. If anyone is willing to obey God, God will grant him to know truth. The man who is willing to die to his own will and do what God wills is the man who will see truth clearly.

A similar message is found in John Chapter 8:

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed in Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32

Note the positive cycle here. “If you continue in My word” = Obedience. “You will know the truth” = Accurate filter system. “The truth will make you free” = More obedience.1 Those who are willing to obey God are the ones who will develop an accurate filter system. An accurate filter system should in turn lead to further obedience, because what you believe is good is based on your filter system.

God tells us that He will give us the ability to see reality and truth clearly if we are willing to do His will. The Greek word for slave is doulos. A doulos is defined as “one whose will is completely subject to the will of another.” The New Testament writers frequently identified themselves as a doulos.2 If you want to develop an accurate filter system, you must be willing to be God’s slave. It is not a coincidence that Lord Jesus teaches us that to be great in His kingdom requires being a slave.

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave (doulos).”  Matthew 20:25-27
Conclusion

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

All men seek after there own gain.  Throughout Scripture we are taught that God seeks after His own gain/glory, and desiring our own gain is one of the ways that we have been made in the image of God.

There is nothing more natural than having earthly treasures.  From a very young age men seek after earthly treasures, and I suspect this desire never fully goes away during our time on earth.  But Jesus teaches that the purpose of life is to store up heavenly treasures, not earthly ones.

A fundamental goal of the Christian life is to transform our minds such that we change what we value.  This process requires that we develop a “clear eye” so that we can see reality accurately and learn God’s definition of truth.  God promises that He will reveal His truth to those who are willing to obey Him, and He promises greatness in the kingdom of heaven to those who are willing to be His slaves on earth.  God’s payout is much better than the world’s. There is good reason to stay the course.

Questions:

1) How do you communicate to God that you are willing to be his slave?

2) Do you have God’s rewards in focus and are they as important as worldly rewards?

3) We always move on the direction of our hope. Do you hope for treasures in heaven?

4) What can you do today to begin to realign your focus and motivations?

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