Matthew 6:19-24 Eternal Investments Series

So Jesus is giving us investment advice. He says that laying up treasures on earth – earthly investments – that’s risky. A bad move. Can’t take it with you. But Jesus doesn’t just leave it there and tell us what NOT to invest in. He also tells us what we SHOULD invest in.

Matthew 620 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Treasures in heaven. Jesus tells us, have you considered that sort of investment? It’s an investment with eternal returns. Eternal – you can take it with you! And it will be waiting for you in heaven! A place where there’s no moths or rust, where there’s no thieves to steal, where there’s no rogue traders or governments that spend beyond their means, or insurance companies that won’t pay up. A guaranteed investment waiting for us in eternity! It seems like a deal too good to be true! But it is true! But there is a catch. And that is, like all investments – you can’t invest in everything at the same time. If you have $1000 to invest – you can’t buy $1000 worth of shares and pay $1000 onto your house mortgage. You have to choose! If you choose to put your time, effort and money into heavenly investments, then there will be a cost here and now because you won’t be able to put that time, effort and money into earthly investments.

So I guess you might be asking now – what are heavenly investments? Well, let’s look towards the end of this chapter – which we’ll be looking at more next week it says

Matthew 633 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

The kingdom of God! And last week when we looked at the Lord’s prayer we looked at praying for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done. That is, kingdom business. Last week we looked at what that meant. It includes things like our own live – our character – are we being obedient to God’s commands in our own life? It includes spreading God’s rule in our families and our church. That as Christians at Gympie Baptist we grow more like Christ. It includes extending His kingdom in Gympie - our own personal evangelism and supporting those who are involved in evangelism. It includes doing what we can to see the Gospel proclaimed to the uttermost parts of the earth, where the name of Christ is not yet proclaimed and people know nothing of the kingdom of God and His will. It also includes feeding the hungry and helping those in need. Jesus’ investment advice is to invest in those things with our time, effort and money. Sure, they won’t help build up our earthly investment portfolio, but they will build our heavenly investment portofolio. They are things we can take with us. People who were fed because we cared for them. People who came to know Christ because we witnessed to them or supported someone else who did. Friends – where are you investing your time, effort and money?