How To Take It With You

 Two important questions: 1. Why do people invest so much time, energy and money preparing for a future that is uncertain? 2. Why do people spend so little time, energy and money preparing for a future that is certain? It’s all about faith, values, short and long term comfort.

Comparing what people value to what God values, Jesus said: “What is highly valued among people is detestable in God’s sight”   (Luke 16:15b)

Jesus teaches that we can identify our true ambitions by identifying the things we value most. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6: 21)  Jesus defines treasure to mean that in which we take our greatest delight, and towards which we give our greatest efforts.

Jesus taught that we can actually accumulate wealth in the Bank of Heaven. He manages an investment fund that always gains because he is the perfect fund manager and he will only receive investments that last.

Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matt 6:19-21)

Jesus tells us we can store our treasure in one of two places. Keep this in mind: He isn’t promoting poverty and he isn’t saying wealth is evil. Jesus is simply helping us see that one line of investments are very high risk and the other is absolutely secure and growing––unable to fail.

How to invest in Heaven’s Treasure (three stories) 

1.    Jesus tells a strange story in The parable of the shrewd manager (Luke 16)

The parable teaches that we should use our material resources to gain friends. Use your worldly wealth to gain  friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into heavenly dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)   This is not about salvation through generosity.  It’s about gaining eternal benefits for those we help and for ourselves. The shrewd and worldly manager only gained temporary friends. Jesus wants us to see that we can gain eternal friends through the wise use of our material resources.

Think about this: There may be people in heaven who will thank you for showing them the light of God through your material generosity.

2. The Parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:15-21)  illustrates that we can store enduring treasure in just one of two places.  This parable has an application for Christians and for those who aren’t Christian. Both can waste their lives storing up things for the wrong reasons. It’s sobering to remember that the moment we die, everything we have accumulated here on earth will be of no value to us.

3.There is to be an award giving ceremony in heaven: ‘If what we have built survives, we will receive our reward’. (1 Cor 3:10-15)

We should invest in heaven now—we may make a quick exit from our bodies.

Some day the heavenly fund manager will present us with our eternal superannuation statement. He will clarify our ‘lump sum’ that has been accumulating as we made  contributions while we were on earth.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each may receive what is due to them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad

(2 Cor 5:10)  Jesus will display his pleasure in those who have used their lives to honour, love and serve him.

The currency that is accepted in heaven: First, we should make sure we are going to be there to access our wealth: Heaven’s first treasure offered to people who are not Christian is the gift of eternal life.  This comes when we determine to follow Jesus as our personal  Lord and Saviour.

Responsible use of wealth. “Command those who are rich  (We are the 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.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 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.” (1 Timothy 6: 17-19)

Two things not to do

1. Don’t become arrogant: This happens when we place our confidence in

anything other than Jesus himself.

2. Don’t put our hope in wealth: This happens when we ignore Jesus, and believe we are in control of our lives.

Three things to do 

1. Trust Jesus for the present and the future. (Matt 6) As we do this we free ourselves from the things unbelievers get stressed over.

2. Measure wealth by the good we do with it, not by what we have for our use. 

3. Have a generous attitude by being ambitious to share generously. 

Two Outcomes 

1. The future: Our treasure is secure for us in heaven. And with wise and planned investment here on earth it will continue to grow.

2. The present: We are offered a fuller experience of eternal life now. And we have freedom from the anxieties over the future that those who do not trust in Jesus experience.

What holds people back from investing in heaven?

The main thing that keeps us from investing in heaven’s treasure is  lack of faith. This causes us to opt for earthly rather than heavenly treasure.  Lack of faith also causes us to settle for the minimum investment in heaven.

Jesus must be Master over our hearts: His will, precepts and values must receive our primary attention; then and not till then will everything in our inward person fall into its right place.  Unless our hearts are so ordered, everything will be in confusion and our whole body will be in darkness. 

With global economies wallowing in debt and failure it’s wonderful to know we have a future that is absolutely secure. This should give us great joy. And to know we can increase God’s pleasure in us through investing more of our resources for the growth of his Kingdom should give us a sense of purpose, hope and adventure.

Consider your spiritual investment portfolio—assess the risk and invest wisely.