Matthew 6:19-24
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 19:16-30
The Rich Young Man
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” the man inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Jesus clearly teaches us that there are valuable things in life, and there are invaluable things in our lives...We often cling to the invaluable things in our lives...We, as man, can get attached to some invaluable things...In fact, we can get attached to these material things for our entire life, and not spend much time on the valuable things in life that Jesus is talking about...
Material things are not what makes one's life, although, so often, we think they do...A big or bigger house, two cars, a computer, a smartphone, more gadgets, a big TV are these things we will have only temporary...Our soul, the love of God and His Son, love itself, forgiveness, justice, mercy, grace, and faith are things that live on and on...Jesus wants us to know these things...These are the real treasures to get attached to...So wealth, material things, and earthly things we become attached to, do not get us to heaven...
What makes this subject so interesting, is that we see material things, especially money and wealth as security...Money, we think, can give us some self esteem...Money may make us proud...After all, I worked hard and deserve what I have...Yet, the most secure, the Man with the most integrity, and humblest Person, ever to walk the earth was a poor Carpenter, with no money...He knows what He is talking about, because He is also the wisest of all who ever have been on earth...Yet, we still get attached to those material things and do not want to let go of our attachments...They become a part of us, and get in the way of our heart...And where our heart is, our treasure is...
Jesus teaches us that we are to let go of our earthly attachments...He even told one rich man long ago to sell his possessions, and give them to the poor, and then follow Him..What an invitation this rich young man was given...Would not that had been an amazing life -to be able to follow Him, to learn from Him, to be His student -to be one of His disciples?...Yet, we get attached to things on earth, and do not understand life like He does, and we sin...We want and desire things...
We are to live a life like He taught and lived...God is to be the center or our lives every hour of every day...We need to call on Him at all times, and not just when we think we need Him...Jesus describes Him often as His Father and our Father...Jesus prayed often and not just in the hour of need...In His Prayer, He teaches us to call Him our Father in heaven...A Good Father, an Almighty Father, our Father and His is a Father full of all the eternal treasures, love, truth, justice, mercy and grace...These are the True attachments we need...