01.15. The Sermon on the Mount (23)
’The Sermon on the Mount’ (23) by Arend Remmers Two Kinds of Treasures
Matthew 6:19-34 form a new section of the Sermon on the Mount in which the Lord Jesus speaks about the situation of His disciples in this world. He first of all warns them against striving after earthly treasures (Matthew 6:16-24). His disciples must not have set their interests and affections in directions contrary to their confession and commission. They cannot lay up two kinds of treasures, they cannot have two ranges of sights and cannot serve two masters either. On the other hand the Lord Jesus wants to take off the disciples the pressure of worries for the necessities of daily life (Matthew 6:25-3434). He points them out to the loving care of their Father in heaven and to their value in His eyes. At the same time He appeals to their hearts with urgent words: ’But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’
Earthly Treasures
’Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ (Matthew 6:19-21).
Everybody knows what treasures are: accumulations of costly things or worthy possessions with a great personal value. In former times such treasures mostly consisted of cloths, materials and precious metals. One heaped up such a padding to be able to look quietly and assuredly into an uncertain future, but also to show one’s wealth (see 2 Kings 20:13; Luke 12:16-21). With the Jews the thought might easily have crept in that great wealth was in any case a proof of God’s blessing and that striving after wealth was well pleasing in God’s sight. God had promised to Israel wealth and prosperity; if He had even given them earthly promises most of all (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). In this paragraph heaven, from whence comes the rain which is necessary for growth and life, is typically enough called ’His good treasure’ (Deuteronomy 28:12). And in this connection Moses plainly says that the promised prosperity would only be given to Israel by God if they were to keep His commandments.
’Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.’ The warning of the Lord Jesus however-which was first of all directed to His disciples-does not refer to the wished-for blessing of God. It is referring to something totally different, that is to the greedy striving for wealth and earthly security. About this we read already in Proverbs 23:4-5 : ’Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.’
Apparent Security
Earthly wealth and earthly treasures are transient and therefore very insecure. This the Lord Jesus presents to His disciples here. The moth, a little, insignificant creature, can ruin the most costly materials within a very short time. Rust1 can destroy the apparently most durable and worthiest things (cf. James 5:2-3) and thieves can steal all at once. How many people-also children of God-have had to experience through war, escape and inflation in the first half of this century that their apparent earthly securities vanished as vapour. The Apostle Paul also warns them that are rich amongst the believers not to trust in the uncertainty of riches (1 Timothy 6:17). But not only may material possessions be considered as desirable treasures, but also progress, honour and reputation in the world, yes, even all that captures our heart and all which might distract us from a faithful imitation of our Lord. If striving for such things occupies our minds the true condition of our heart will be manifested. ’Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever’ (1 John 2:15-17).
All these apparent ’treasures’ are fugitive and vain. Who reaches out for them is deceiving himself. But even sadder than this is that the heart will be distracted and diverted from the true treasures.
Lasting Treasures
’But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.’ These lasting and true treasures are not to be found on earth, that is in this world, but in heaven. It is there the Lord Jesus is now directing the eyes of the disciples.
Indeed there are heavenly treasures the possession of which we are only brought in to by divine grace. He has made the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shine in the face of Jesus Christ into our hearts and this ’treasure’ every child of God possesses already now (2 Corinthians 4:6-7). God has also ’begotten us again unto a lively hope to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away,’ which is reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-4). These heavenly treasures of Christian blessings were not yet known while the Lord Jesus lived down here. The Lord Jesus therefore must speak about something else when saying ’but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’. He is speaking about treasures which every disciple now and then is able to lay up for himself. But how is it possible to lay up such treasures in heaven? In Matthew 19:21 the Lord Jesus says to the rich young man: ’If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.’ Similarly Paul is writing to Timothy: ’Charge them that are rich in this world, ... that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life’
(1 Timothy 6:17-19). These scriptures contain a simple, unmistakable teaching. Everyone who wants to follow the Lord and does not consider his earthly possessions as ’treasure’ but uses them according to God’s will and to His honour in doing good with them is in this way gaining other and better treasures. He therefore does not become poorer but richer in the eyes of God!
Every believer who is ready to give to the needy and for the Lord’s work acquires a treasure in heaven: the good pleasure of God, for ’God loveth a cheerful giver’ (Hebrews 13:16; 2 Corinthians 9:7). But this pleasure of God’s (well-pleasing) is not only for the one doing good, but also for everyone who loves Him, who does His will and walks worthy of the Lord (cf. John 14:23; Colossians 1:10). The Greatest Treasure
Nevertheless the largest treasures we can lay up are found in Christ, our Lord Himself. The more we are engaged with Him, the more we see His love in all the circumstances of our lives and therefore come to know Him better, the more He will become our true treasure in heaven. Paul possessed many inherited and gained advantages which where of great value to him before his conversion. But from the hour of his conversion when the Lord Jesus appeared to him, all these ’treasures’ were but loss and dung compared to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus His Lord (cf. Php 3:7-8). From now on Paul compared everything to Him and measured all by His beloved Saviour and Lord. It was Him alone he wanted to know always more and always better! This is why he so much wanted the Colossians to attain the full assurance of understanding and the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3). This mystery of God is no one else but the glorified Christ, the head of His assembly.
’For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ It is obvious that treasures have an irresistible attraction to the human heart. Our own thoughts indicate where we are looking for our treasures. If our thoughts are too much involved with earthly things or if they are even centred around worldly things it shows us where our treasures are. But if as risen with Christ we do not pursue what is on earth, but are seeking those things which are above, where He sitteth at the right hand of God, then we truly lay up treasures in heaven.