Choosing Eternal Treasures Over Earthly Possessions

Summary

Today’s passage from Matthew 6:19-24 invites us to examine where our hearts truly reside. Jesus, in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount, draws a sharp distinction between earthly treasures and heavenly ones. He reminds us that everything we possess—our cars, our homes, our technology—will eventually fade, break down, or be left behind. Even the most cherished possessions are temporary, and none of them can satisfy the deep longing for eternity that God has placed in our hearts. We are wired for something more, for a relationship with the eternal God, and only He can fill that void.

Jesus warns that our hearts inevitably follow our treasure. If our treasure is rooted in this world, our hearts will be too, and when those things fade, so does our joy and sense of purpose. Money, in particular, is a tyrant—it always demands more and never truly satisfies. Jesus doesn’t say it’s difficult to serve both God and money; He says it’s impossible. We must choose our master, because one will always rule over the other.

To discern whether money has become our master, Jesus points to the “eye as the lamp of the body.” In His day, a “bad eye” meant envy—a heart that resents God’s generosity to others. If we find ourselves unable to celebrate others’ blessings, or if we’re consumed by what we lack rather than grateful for what we have, it’s a sign that our hearts may be enslaved to material things.

But Jesus offers a way out: invest in what lasts forever. Earthly currency loses value, but heavenly investments—lives changed by the gospel, discipleship, generosity, and meeting needs in Jesus’ name—never depreciate. We’re not called to reject possessions, but to ensure they don’t possess us. The true legacy we leave is not just material wealth, but faith and a heart that treasures God above all.

Each of us is invited to examine where our treasure lies and to choose freedom from the tyranny of things. By surrendering our resources, ambitions, and time to Christ, we find joy, contentment, and a life that testifies that Jesus is more than enough.

Key Takeaways

- Earthly treasures are temporary and ultimately unsatisfying. Every possession we own is on its way to decay or obsolescence, and none can fill the eternity-shaped hole in our hearts. Only God, who is eternal, can truly satisfy our deepest longings and give us lasting purpose. [13:07]

- Our hearts follow our treasure, not the other way around. When we invest our hopes and affections in things that fade, our joy and sense of identity fade with them. The love of money is dangerous because it tempts us to seek security and control apart from God, echoing the original lie in Eden. [14:21]

- Money is a relentless master that will never declare “enough.” Jesus makes it clear that we cannot serve both God and money; one will always rule over us. True freedom comes when we allow God to be our only master, breaking the chains of materialism and anxiety. [15:27]

- Envy and discontentment are signs that money may be mastering us. When we struggle to celebrate others’ blessings or focus more on what we lack than on God’s gifts, it reveals a heart enslaved to material things. Honest self-examination in these areas can help us realign our hearts with God’s generosity. [18:48]

- Investing in eternity means pouring our resources into what will matter 10,000 years from now: people coming to know Jesus, discipleship, and meeting needs in His name. Generosity, mentoring, and sharing the gospel are ways to convert temporary wealth into eternal treasure, leaving a legacy that outlasts any material inheritance. [21:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:16] - Jesus as Fulfillment of the Old Testament
[09:40] - The Eye as the Lamp of the Body
[11:18] - The Temporary Nature of Earthly Treasures
[13:07] - Hearts Wired for Eternity
[14:21] - The Heart Follows the Treasure
[15:27] - Money as a Tyrant
[16:33] - Signs of Money’s Mastery
[17:49] - Questions for Self-Examination
[18:48] - Envy and Discontentment
[20:09] - Earthly vs. Heavenly Investments
[21:19] - Investing in People and Discipleship
[22:30] - Generosity and Meeting Needs
[23:19] - Possessions vs. Possessing Us
[24:08] - The Test: Who is Your Master?
[25:02] - Recap and Invitation to Freedom
[25:52] - Choosing Whom You Will Serve
[26:57] - The Joy of Generosity
[28:17] - Prayer for Contentment and Generosity
[29:04] - Jesus is Enough

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Where Is Your Treasure?”
_Based on Matthew 6:19-24_

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### Bible Reading

Matthew 6:19-24 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21, what are the differences between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven?
2. What does Jesus mean when He says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”?
3. In verses 22-23, Jesus talks about the “eye as the lamp of the body.” What does He say happens if your eye is healthy versus if your eye is bad?
4. What does Jesus say about serving two masters, and who are the two masters He mentions? [15:27]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus warn us not to store up treasures on earth? What does this reveal about the nature of earthly possessions? [11:18]
2. How does the idea that “our hearts follow our treasure” challenge the way people usually think about money and priorities? [14:21]
3. What does it look like in real life for money to become a “master” over someone? How might this show up in someone’s attitudes or actions? [15:27]
4. Jesus uses the image of a “bad eye” to talk about envy and discontentment. Why do you think envy is such a strong indicator that money or possessions have too much control in our lives? [17:49]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “Every possession that I have, every possession that you have, is on its way to the junkyard to the landfill.” ([11:18]) What is one possession you tend to value highly? How would your attitude change if you remembered it is temporary?
2. Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ([14:21]) If someone looked at your calendar and bank statement, what would they say your treasure is? Are you comfortable with that answer? Why or why not?
3. The sermon described money as a “tyrant” that always demands more and never says “enough.” ([15:27]) Have you ever felt like you were chasing “enough” financially or with possessions? What was the result?
4. When you see others receive blessings—like a new house, car, or promotion—do you find it easy or hard to celebrate with them? ([17:49]) Can you think of a recent example? What did your reaction reveal about your heart?
5. The sermon challenged us to “invest in what will still matter 10,000 years from now: people coming to know Jesus, discipleship, and meeting needs in His name.” ([21:19]) What is one practical way you could invest your time, money, or talents in something eternal this month?
6. The pastor said, “Jesus is not against you having things. He’s against things having you.” ([23:19]) Is there anything in your life right now that feels like it “owns” you? What would it look like to surrender that to God?
7. The closing prayer asked God to “break the chains of greed and envy and the strongest one of fear.” ([28:17]) Is there a fear about money or the future that you need to bring to God? How can your group pray for you in this area?

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Close in prayer, asking God to help each person treasure Him above all and to find joy and freedom in generosity.

Devotional

Day 1: Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be

The things we value most in life inevitably shape the direction of our hearts. When we invest our time, energy, and resources in earthly treasures—possessions, status, or wealth—our hearts become tethered to things that are temporary and fragile. Jesus warns us that these treasures are vulnerable to decay, loss, and theft, and that ultimately, we cannot take them with us. Instead, He invites us to store up treasures in heaven, investing in what is eternal and unshakeable. Where we place our treasure, our hearts will follow, so we are called to examine what truly holds our affection and loyalty. [09:40]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Reflection: What is one possession or pursuit you’ve been holding onto tightly? How might you begin to shift your heart’s focus toward what is eternal today?


Day 2: You Cannot Serve Both God and Money

Money is not just a neutral tool; it can become a master that demands our devotion and shapes our priorities. Jesus makes it clear that serving both God and money is impossible—one will always take precedence over the other. Money is a relentless master, always demanding more and never offering lasting satisfaction. True freedom comes when we allow God to be our only master, releasing the grip that material things have on us and finding our security and identity in Him alone. [15:27]

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Reflection: In what ways do you notice money or material things influencing your decisions or priorities? What would it look like to intentionally choose God as your master today?


Day 3: The Eye as the Lamp—Guarding Against Envy

Jesus teaches that the eye is the lamp of the body, and a “bad eye” is a sign of envy and discontentment. When we look at what others have with jealousy or resentment, it reveals that our hearts may be mastered by money or the things it can buy. This kind of envy darkens our inner life and robs us of joy. Instead, we are called to celebrate others’ blessings and focus on the goodness God has already given us, allowing our hearts to be filled with light rather than darkness. [17:49]

Matthew 6:22-23 (ESV)
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Reflection: When you see others succeed or receive blessings, do you feel joy for them or envy? How can you practice gratitude and celebrate others this week?


Day 4: Investing in What Lasts Forever

Earthly wealth is subject to decay and loss, but investing in God’s kingdom—through evangelism, discipleship, and meeting needs in Jesus’ name—yields treasures that last for eternity. The value of our earthly currency fades, but when we use our resources to bless others, share the gospel, and build up fellow believers, we are storing up treasure in heaven. God calls us to use what we have not just for ourselves, but to make an eternal impact in the lives of others. [21:19]

1 Timothy 6:18-19 (ESV)
“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Reflection: Who is one person you can encourage, disciple, or help this week as an investment in eternity? What step will you take to do so?


Day 5: Freedom and Joy in Generosity

True contentment and joy are found not in accumulating more, but in living with open hands and generous hearts. When we surrender our resources, ambitions, and fears to God, He breaks the chains of greed, envy, and anxiety, filling us with a joy that the world cannot take away. Generosity is not just a command but a pathway to freedom, allowing us to experience the richness of life that comes from trusting God and blessing others. [28:17]

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (ESV)
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Reflection: What is one way you can practice generosity today—whether with your time, resources, or encouragement—and how might you invite God to fill you with joy as you give?

Quotes

Even if your stuff lasts, you won't. Nobody takes a U-Haul to the cemetery. We've heard that analogy before. And as I was thinking about this, I remember a deeper truth that's here in Ecclesiastes 3.11, where it says God wired our hearts for eternity. Nothing temporary, because of that, nothing temporary can satisfy a heart that's built for forever. It can't. We are built to worship God. He is the one thing that will last for eternity. And we are built to worship Him. That's where our hearts will be satisfied. [00:12:54] (49 seconds)  #HeartsWiredForEternity Edit Clip

Money is a tyrant. Jesus says it straight in verse 24. You cannot serve God and money. I want you to notice something in that passage. He doesn't say it's hard to serve both. He says you can't. You cannot serve both God and money. You'll be mastered by one or the other. And money, money is a terrible master. It always demands more. It will never say enough. We see this in our day and age today. Some people have more money than they could ever spend in a lifetime, and they always want more. And eventually, that money will spend you. It will use you up. So Jesus isn't just giving us financial advice, a financial tip here. He's offering us freedom from a tyrannical treasure. [00:15:24] (69 seconds)  #YouCannotServeTwoMasters Edit Clip

Earthly treasures are like that. They depreciate. They lose value. They don't last. Jesus is saying, don't just keep your wealth in a currency that's dying. Investing. Convert it into what holds value forever. Investing is very different in the church than it is in the world. [00:20:09] (30 seconds)  #InvestInEternalWealth Edit Clip

The first of all is thinking that we need to invest in something that will still matter 10,000 years from now. What are some of those things? Well, just off the top of my head, how about investing in other people? People coming to know Jesus. Evangelism, that's a scary word, but it's really just telling your story about how Jesus changed your life to someone else. We do that all the time here. Just take it from here and move it outside. Invest in another person. That lasts forever. [00:20:51] (36 seconds)  #ShareYourFaithAndStory Edit Clip

When someone becomes, he talked about it, becomes a new believer. And you who are mature believers, I didn't say old people. Oh, Sharon told me I shouldn't say that. Silver saints. Silver saints. You step alongside a new believer and you pour into them. Discipling, mentoring, that's another word that we used to use that's kind of fallen out of favor lately. [00:21:30] (30 seconds)  #MentorNewBelievers Edit Clip

Jesus is not against you having things. He's against things having you. He's not against you having possessions. He's against possessions possessing you. [00:22:51] (16 seconds)  #PossessionsShouldNotPossessYou Edit Clip

If all you leave, if you just pass on money without passing on faith, then you've given them a gift that's not going to last. Why not pass on both? Teach them how to use wealth without worshiping it. How to use wealth that will last forever into eternity. [00:23:41] (20 seconds)  #PassOnFaithAndWealth Edit Clip

Does your money bow to Christ, or do you bow to your money? The Bible says, Jesus' words, one will be the master, the other the servant. So today, Jesus is inviting us to be free from those tyrannical treasures, to break free from chains of envy, from a bad eye, to quit storing wealth in what will rot, and to start laying up treasures that will shine forever. [00:24:12] (36 seconds)  #ChooseGodOverMoney Edit Clip

We've heard Jesus say, don't store up treasures on earth. They won't last, and they will try to own you. We've asked ourselves the question, am I a slave to money? Do I find myself jealous, or anxious, or obsessed over things that I don't have? And we've seen how to invest in heavenly treasure, in people, in discipleship, in generosity, in Jesus' name. [00:24:53] (32 seconds)  #BreakFreeFromMaterialChains Edit Clip