Reverend Michael Mwangi
Matthew 6:19-21
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.
Jesus is not against us having treasures but is opposed to storing them up. Living a life of amassing and accumulating treasure for ourselves.
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
Matthew 6:19-21
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.
Jesus is not against us having treasures but is opposed to storing them up. Living a life of amassing and accumulating treasure for ourselves.
He encourages us to invest or store our treasures in heaven rather than accumulate wealth here on earth.
Financial experts encourage and advocate for earthly investment such as buying assets, stocks or holdings in silver and gold or diversifying investment. The end goal is Storing up or accumulating wealth to secure ourselves. It is assumed the more you store up the more secure you are.
Jesus Christ goes against the grain when He gives His counsel relating to the accumulation of wealth. Rather than trusting in riches for our future security, building bigger barns let us be rich toward God.
In other words, instead of storing up wealth for ourselves, let us invest in the kingdom of God and trust Him for every provision in this life and an unfailing treasure in the life to come.
Jesus is not saying it is wrong to possess earthly possessions. He says it is wrong to lay it up for self. In other words, we are to hold it as stewards. Our attitude should be that our wealth is for serving Him.
In fact, He is willing to bless us with wealth if we are right in our attitude.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and ALL these things will be given to you as well.
He therefore advises us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven where it is safe and earn eternal value as opposed to storing them here on earth where we lose them.
Heavenly treasures are everlasting and incorruptible. Treasures in heaven give enjoyment now, in the contentment and sense of well-being that comes from being a giver. Giving results in true joy. But their greatest enjoyment comes on the other side of eternity.
Jesus prioritised spiritual treasures over earthly possessions. He is simply telling us to Love and serve God, not riches. The issue isn’t that earthly treasures are necessarily bad, but they are of no eternal value until they serve in the kingdom. Therefore it is wrong for a believer to dedicate his life to continually expanding or accumulating his earthly treasures.
To lay up for yourselves treasure on earth is also to doom yourself to a life of frustration and emptiness. The more you store up the more you become empty as you long for more. The truth is, material things can never guarantee happiness. The secret to happiness is not more, it is contentment. Materialism advocates for more in the name of just a little more or just one more and it is never enough.
But the Apostle Paul had the right idea in 1 Timothy 6:6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
Consider these truths
Our treasures have real value when in God’s hands not in our hands.
Even though gold is a precious treasure on earth, God uses it to pave the streets of heaven yet if you invest it in the kingdom it will have eternal worth.
The truth of the matter is every one of us has ever lost, been conned, wasted something valuable. There is no guarantee whatever we hold is safe it can depart from our hands anytime and in such case it no longer counts but it is a total loss. It would have been safe and better stored in heaven.
When you store riches here it is subject to loss and waste. It is never secure so the best you can do is invest in eternity where it is secure and will also count for Eternity.
When you invest in the kingdom it has a double reward now and in eternity.
Investing in the kingdom is the best and the most sure way.
You can never lose when you give it to the kingdom.
Mark 10:29-30
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
Matthew 19
27. Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, 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 wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Storing up wealth here is a total loss, it will leave or we will leave it. No matter how much we store up we shall carry nothing.
You will never see a moving truck full of possessions following a hearse. Everything one might take with them to the world beyond is left behind.
1 Timothy 6
7. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
Owning a car you just buy transport for the rest of your life but you will one day leave it
A house.
Our body.
Wealth is never ours we are stewards but we can use it wisely to benefit eternally from it. If we store it for ourselves it either leaves us or we leave it. Jesus advises us we invest it in the kingdom as good stewards instead of accumulating it for ourselves and we can benefit eternally from it.
Let's remember we are in this world but not of this world.
Kenyans living abroad who are not citizens earn and invest all their money back here knowing one day watarudi (they will return). They don't invest there necessarily.
Wisdom
In Luke 16:1-14, Jesus spoke of a dishonest manager, who was about to be called to account. Knowing he would be fired, he began to settle accounts with his master’s debtors at terms favorable to the debtors, so they would treat him kindly when the master fired him. The master ended up complimenting the manager for his shrewd tactics (presumably before he fired him).
This dishonest manager was praised for two reasons.
First, he knew he would be called to account for his life and he took it seriously. Second, he took advantage of his present position to arrange a comfortable future – and we can use our material wealth resources right now for eternal good – even though we can’t bring them with us.
May I remind you we shall not all be the same in eternity.
After rapture. We will be rewarded according to how much we invested ourselves and resources in the kingdom.
First, he knew he would be called to account for his life and he took it seriously. Second, he took advantage of his present position to arrange a comfortable future – and we can use our material wealth resources right now for eternal good – even though we can’t bring them with us.
May I remind you we shall not all be the same in eternity.
After rapture. We will be rewarded according to how much we invested ourselves and resources in the kingdom.
Romans 2:6
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
What a sad thing when others are given precious crowns of power and authority you will live poor while you leave all your wealth to be celebrated by wicked men on earth.
Our material treasures will not pass from this life to the next, but the good that has been done for the kingdom of God through the use of our treasures lasts for eternity, and the work God does in us through faithful giving will last for eternity.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also: Jesus drew the conclusion that you can only have your treasure (and your heart) in one place; we can’t store up treasure on earth and in heaven at the same time.
‘’It is not so much the disciple’s wealth that Jesus is concerned with as his loyalty. As Matthew 6:24 will make explicit, materialism is in direct conflict with loyalty to God.” (France)
Proverbs 3
9. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;
10. then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
God gives us wealth to meet our needs and to serve Him with it.
God allows us to invest in His kingdom not because we have plenty but as an opportunity to bless us so that we can have enough for us and sufficient to support His work.
God allows us to invest in His kingdom not because we have plenty but as an opportunity to bless us so that we can have enough for us and sufficient to support His work.
We have an opportunity to give or store up in heaven. Remember it will come back it shall come back and it shall count for eternity. Pledge with this revelation.
As per our theme this year - extend your faith don't hold back. Don't limit yourself.
No need to store up for ourselves since we can only use so much.
You can only drive one car, one house, one bread.
If you have given faithfully na bado kupata (and not yet received) Remember our God is not a God of 365 days but a God of seasons ...years and you can bet your reward must be greater.
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