Investment of a Lifetime

“Investment of a Lifetime”
Matthew 6:19-20

Introduction:
I’ve been reading a book by Ravi Zacharias. He relates a story he read in a New York newspaper a few years ago. A baseball player was trying to renegotiate his contract with the Yankees. He had been offered a $91 million contract by another team, but the Yankees top offer was an $89 million contract. When the Yankees didn’t match the other offer, the player’s wife was quoted as saying, “It was one of the saddest days of our lives.” Doesn’t your heart just break! How devastating to work so hard and only get $89 million or to have to relocate for $91 million.
It seems absurd to me that athletes garner such high pay while teachers, policemen, and soldiers and others are so underpaid. Don’t get me wrong. I do not resent athletes or CEO’s because they can command such salaries. I think that it underscores how askew this world’s priorities are. Of course, in this economy, whatever job you have is a blessing. What does seem clear to me is that the majority of us will never face the saddest day of our lives because we could only get $89 million.
We live in a country driven by the constant pursuit of materialism, to the point that we have brought our economy and nation to the brink of destruction and still are not content. Rather than facing the consequences of poor choices, there is the hope that if we put it off long enough, a miracle may still rescue us. Despite the fact that this drive for more has robbed people of their savings, homes and security, people still seem inclined to believe that the world’s system works and is worthy of our trust. That reminds me of the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Actually, our attitudes with regard to our finances have more to say about our faith than it does about money. In our passage today, Jesus said that where our treasure is, there will our heart be also. We need to ask ourselves this morning how secure our investments are.

I. LOCATION-
Imagine you are looking for a bank to trust with your accounts
You walk into one bank, and there seems to be little security and the guard reminds you of Barney Fife. Oh, and their deposits are NOT guaranteed by FDIC or any other insurance
How likely are you to bank there?
Now you go to another bank, and the security is very visible and effective
On top of that, they proudly advertise that no robbery has ever succeeded.
Your deposits are fully guaranteed. Wouldn’t it be foolish to take that risk of the first one?
But that is precisely what the majority of people are doing placing their confidence in this world
Think about the greatest treasure you have. More valuable than your home or vehicle
This exceeds the value of your 401k even before the housing bubble
Your greatest and most enduring asset is your eternal soul- too whom have you entrusted it?
Jesus said in Matthew 16:26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Your spiritual life is drained by the interaction with the world, but nurtured by heaven
When it came to the security of his soul, Paul was able to say, “I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded