Choosing True Abundance Over Earthly Treasures
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound truth that God desires to give us a life that is truly abundant and fulfilling, contrary to the lie that He wants to restrict or limit our joy. This lie, which originated with Adam and Eve, continues to deceive humanity into believing that the good life is found in material wealth and temporary pleasures. However, Jesus teaches us that true treasure is not found in earthly possessions but in heavenly investments that align with God's eternal purposes.
We delved into Matthew 6, where Jesus warns against hoarding earthly treasures that are vulnerable to decay and theft. Instead, He encourages us to store up treasures in heaven, where they are secure. This requires a redefinition of what we consider valuable. Jesus uses vivid imagery to illustrate that our eyes, when filled with light and wonder, can guide our entire being towards God's truth. Conversely, a life driven by greed and distrust leads to darkness and spiritual emptiness.
Jesus also addresses the seductive power of money, describing it as a potential false god that can dominate our lives if we are not careful. Money, while a useful tool, makes a terrible master. It often brings frenzy, insecurity, and discontentment rather than the peace, security, and happiness we expect. Jesus calls us to a life of trust in God's provision, urging us to focus on His kingdom and righteousness rather than being consumed by material concerns.
We are reminded to steep our lives in God's reality, initiative, and provisions, trusting that He will meet our needs. This involves a shift from resume virtues, which focus on career achievements, to eulogy virtues, which reflect our character and the impact we have on others. Ultimately, the biggest decision we face is choosing who or what will be our god and determining which mountain we will climb—one of temporary success or one of eternal significance.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Oldest Lie: The lie that God wants to restrict our joy is as old as humanity itself. Adam and Eve fell for it, and we continue to fall for it today. This lie convinces us that the good life is found in material wealth and temporary pleasures, but true fulfillment comes from trusting in God's abundant life. [37:14]
2. Redefining Treasure: Jesus teaches us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. This requires a redefinition of what we consider valuable. True treasure is found in aligning our lives with God's eternal purposes, which brings lasting fulfillment and security. [42:13]
3. The Danger of Money: Money can easily become a false god that dominates our lives. While it is a useful tool, it often brings frenzy, insecurity, and discontentment rather than the peace, security, and happiness we expect. Jesus calls us to trust in God's provision and focus on His kingdom. [48:13]
4. Living with Open Hands: Jesus encourages us to live with open hands, ready to receive God's gifts rather than being preoccupied with accumulating wealth. This involves a shift from resume virtues, which focus on career achievements, to eulogy virtues, which reflect our character and the impact we have on others. [55:17]
5. Choosing Our God: The biggest decision we face is choosing who or what will be our god. This decision shapes our entire life and determines whether we will climb a mountain of temporary success or one of eternal significance. Jesus invites us to choose wisely and invest in what truly matters. [58:10]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[36:15] - Introduction and Gratitude
[36:43] - Opening Prayer
[37:14] - The Oldest Lie
[38:28] - The Illusion of the Good Life
[39:55] - God's Desire for Abundant Life
[41:04] - Reading from Matthew 6
[42:13] - Redefining Treasure
[43:29] - The Eye as the Lamp of the Body
[44:28] - The Seductive Power of Money
[45:18] - The Money Monster
[47:19] - Money as a Tool, Not a God
[49:04] - The False Promises of Money
[51:59] - Trusting in God's Provision
[55:17] - Living with Open Hands
[58:10] - Choosing Our God
[01:02:04] - The Second Mountain
[01:07:36] - Eulogy Virtues vs. Resume Virtues
[01:17:42] - Invitation to Choose Wisely
[01:19:18] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 6:19-34 (The Message)
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus warn against in Matthew 6:19-21, and what alternative does He offer? ([41:04])
2. How does Jesus describe the eye in Matthew 6:22-23, and what does this metaphor suggest about our focus and values? ([42:13])
3. According to Jesus in Matthew 6:24, why is it impossible to serve both God and money? ([43:29])
4. What examples does Jesus use in Matthew 6:25-34 to illustrate God's provision and care for us? ([52:44])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the importance of storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth? How does this align with the sermon’s message about redefining what we consider valuable? ([42:13])
2. How does the metaphor of the eye as the lamp of the body relate to our spiritual health and priorities? What does it mean to have eyes filled with light versus eyes filled with darkness? ([42:13])
3. In what ways can money become a false god in our lives, and how does this affect our relationship with God and others? ([43:29])
4. How does Jesus' teaching on not worrying about material needs challenge our modern-day concerns and anxieties? ([52:44])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you believed the lie that material wealth and temporary pleasures would bring you lasting happiness. How did that experience shape your understanding of true fulfillment? ([37:14])
2. What are some practical ways you can begin to store up treasures in heaven in your daily life? Consider specific actions or changes in mindset that align with God's eternal purposes. ([42:13])
3. How can you identify if money is becoming a false god in your life? What steps can you take to ensure that your trust and security are placed in God rather than in material wealth? ([43:29])
4. Jesus encourages us to live with open hands, ready to receive God's gifts. What does living with open hands look like for you, and how can you practice this in your relationships and daily activities? ([55:17])
5. Consider the concept of resume virtues versus eulogy virtues. What are some eulogy virtues you want to cultivate in your life, and how can you start focusing on these qualities today? ([01:07:36])
6. Jesus invites us to choose wisely who or what will be our god. Reflect on your current priorities and commitments. Are there any adjustments you need to make to ensure that God is at the center of your life? ([58:10])
7. How can you steep your life in God's reality, initiative, and provisions this week? Identify one specific area where you can trust God more deeply and take a step of faith. ([58:10])
Devotional
Day 1: The Oldest Lie
Description: The lie that God wants to restrict our joy is as old as humanity itself. Adam and Eve fell for it, and we continue to fall for it today. This lie convinces us that the good life is found in material wealth and temporary pleasures, but true fulfillment comes from trusting in God's abundant life. Jesus teaches us that God desires to give us a life that is truly abundant and fulfilling, contrary to the deception that He wants to limit our joy. This lie originated with Adam and Eve and continues to deceive humanity into believing that the good life is found in material wealth and temporary pleasures. However, Jesus reveals that true treasure is not found in earthly possessions but in heavenly investments that align with God's eternal purposes. [37:14]
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV): "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt tempted to find joy in material wealth or temporary pleasures. How can you shift your focus to trust in God's abundant life instead?
Day 2: Redefining Treasure
Description: Jesus teaches us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. This requires a redefinition of what we consider valuable. True treasure is found in aligning our lives with God's eternal purposes, which brings lasting fulfillment and security. In Matthew 6, Jesus warns against hoarding earthly treasures that are vulnerable to decay and theft. Instead, He encourages us to store up treasures in heaven, where they are secure. This involves a shift in our understanding of what is truly valuable, moving from earthly possessions to heavenly investments that align with God's eternal purposes. [42:13]
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: Reflect on your current priorities and consider what you are investing your time and resources in. How can you begin to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth?
Day 3: The Danger of Money
Description: Money can easily become a false god that dominates our lives. While it is a useful tool, it often brings frenzy, insecurity, and discontentment rather than the peace, security, and happiness we expect. Jesus calls us to trust in God's provision and focus on His kingdom. He describes money as a potential false god that can dominate our lives if we are not careful. Money, while a useful tool, makes a terrible master. It often brings frenzy, insecurity, and discontentment rather than the peace, security, and happiness we expect. Jesus urges us to trust in God's provision and focus on His kingdom and righteousness rather than being consumed by material concerns. [48:13]
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV): "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where money has become a source of stress or discontentment. How can you begin to trust in God's provision and focus on His kingdom instead?
Day 4: Living with Open Hands
Description: Jesus encourages us to live with open hands, ready to receive God's gifts rather than being preoccupied with accumulating wealth. This involves a shift from resume virtues, which focus on career achievements, to eulogy virtues, which reflect our character and the impact we have on others. Jesus calls us to steep our lives in God's reality, initiative, and provisions, trusting that He will meet our needs. This requires a shift from resume virtues, which focus on career achievements, to eulogy virtues, which reflect our character and the impact we have on others. Living with open hands means being ready to receive God's gifts and blessings rather than being preoccupied with accumulating wealth. [55:17]
Proverbs 11:24-25 (ESV): "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."
Reflection: Think about your current goals and aspirations. Are they more focused on resume virtues or eulogy virtues? How can you begin to live with open hands, ready to receive and give God's blessings?
Day 5: Choosing Our God
Description: The biggest decision we face is choosing who or what will be our god. This decision shapes our entire life and determines whether we will climb a mountain of temporary success or one of eternal significance. Jesus invites us to choose wisely and invest in what truly matters. The decision of who or what will be our god is the most significant choice we face. This decision shapes our entire life and determines whether we will climb a mountain of temporary success or one of eternal significance. Jesus invites us to choose wisely, investing in what truly matters and aligning our lives with God's eternal purposes. [58:10]
Joshua 24:15 (ESV): "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Reflection: Reflect on the choices you are making daily. Who or what are you truly serving? How can you begin to make decisions that align with climbing a mountain of eternal significance rather than temporary success?
Quotes
1. "It's literally the oldest trick in the book, you know, Adam and Eve, you know, fashioned by the hand of God animated by the breath of God living in the garden God created enjoying the unadulterated intimacy of relationship with God and with each other until they foolishly bought the lie of the tempter right the lie that the lie that God created could not be trusted that was the essence of the lie you know he's holding out on you he wants to he wants to hold you down he wants to hold you back he wants to narrow your life he wants to constrict your life he wants to confine your life he wants to suck the joy or at least the pleasure out of your life he's he's keeping the good life from you that was the lie they bought it sadly hook line and sinker they they bought it and and we we meaning humanity at large we have bought it and bought it and bought it and sometimes i personally have bought the lie and sometimes you have bought the lie and and oftentimes we uh we buy it because we've been seduced into thinking that you know the the Good life consists of just like cheap thrills or maybe even expensive thrills and temporary fixes." [37:14] (104 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God has no desire, God has no intention whatsoever of narrowing or constricting or confining our lives. But just the opposite is true. In fact, that God desperately, desperately wants to give us life that's truly life. God, you know, Jesus used the words, I want to give you life abundant, life to the fullest. Or as we've been calling it during these weeks, the even better life. And it is. It is a life that's new and shiny. Appropriately understood, it's a life that's new from the inside out by the transforming work of God's grace. Jesus really wants to give us a new life, a life that's new by his transforming grace. And a life that's... Shiny, if you will, with the unfading light of God's love and God's glory and God's goodness reflecting in and through our lives." [39:55] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and money both. Well, Jesus just had to go there, didn't he? I mean, he might as well. He's already talked about, you know, all the things in our lives. He's already talked about anger and contempt and lust and the misuse of power and broken relationships and deceit and revenge and hatred and hypocrisy and all the things. He might as well talk about our love affair with money." [43:29] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The ominous allure of money's power is a real thing. It's a real thing. And Jesus makes it plain that it can be really, really dangerous if it's allowed to get inappropriately hooked up with the human heart. According to Jesus, it can easily become our, our God. Small g. Our God. The one we pursue most passionately. The one to whom we bow most readily. one we choose to obey most consistently. And here's the thing. Here's the thing about money. It makes a really great tool, but a really lousy God. makes a really great tool, but a really lousy God." [48:13] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We tend to think that money just automatically brings with it like God, God-like gifts. Things like peace and security and contentment and happiness. But the truth is that all too often, and not in every scenario, but all too often it brings with it just the opposite of those things. Instead of peace, so often, it brings with it just the opposite of those things. It brings frenzy. You know, as we work to feverishly accumulate more of it, it brings frenzy to the pace of our lives and frenzy to our minds and our hearts or as we, as we attempt to maintain the lifestyle that we've adopted because of it. And so we just, you know, we get to a place where we absolutely cannot afford take our foot off the gas. consequently, we live at this frenzy, this frenzied pace." [49:04] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "What I'm, what I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be preoccupied with getting so that you can respond to God's giving. I love that so much. I love, I love the mental image that comes to mind. As I read those words, it's, it's the difference between living like this and living like this. And do me a favor. Would you clink, clink, clink your fist? Boy, this thing is popping. Sorry about that. Clink, clink your fist. Would you come on? Play along just for a moment. If you can clench your fist now, relax, feel what happens. And it's the difference in what Jesus is teaching us, how he's teaching us to live the difference between this and this." [55:17] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Jesus is not saying don't work hard that's not what you know one of the best ways that interpret the bible is to let the bible interpret itself like like read the whole of scripture and let it you know comment on itself and so that we don't go down paths of what it doesn't mean and if you read the whole of scripture then you know we're not being taught to just be sloths you know we're not being taught to just just buy a recliner and sit in it and don't move and god will take care of you that's not that's not what god is that's not what jesus is saying he's not saying don't work hard he's not saying don't be smart with your money he's not saying don't ever accumulate anything in life and he's not saying don't plan for the future you he's not saying uh don't ever wear anything you know stylish or trendy he's just he's just saying don't be deceived don't be deceived choose your god hopefully capital g not small g choose your god very carefully it's a huge decision jesus says in fact it's the biggest decision of all both for time and for eternity choose your god carefully" [56:32] (79 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Steep your life in god reality god initiative god provisions don't worry about missing out you'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met again the the new international translation uh it translates that verse and it says choose your god carefully choose your god but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well first his kingdom seek first the rule and reign of christ in your life and and his righteousness and he'll take care of the other stuff right but i i love this rendering from from the message steep your life when i hear the word steep i think about like a cup of hot tea right and when you when you make a cup of hot tea you steep the tea bag right for a few minutes right do you do that any tea drinkers you steep in that what that's called you steep the you steep it in the hot water for three or four minutes you know and let it let it do its thing so you steep you saturate it steep your life in god reality god initiative god provisions steep your life in god saturate your life in god don't worry about missing out if you have to get off of social media so that you don't worry about missing out guys god's god's not holding out on us that's the oldest lie in the book he's not holding out on us there's so much more to life and there's certainly so much more to eternity than fancy clothes and fancy cars and fancy houses and fancy meals and fancy vacations and and if you get to do a few of those things along the way you know if you get to take a cruise somewhere along the way then yay god but don't make it the priority of your life um invest your life jesus is saying invest your life invest your money invest your time talent and treasure in things that are of eternal consequence that matter to god and by the way what matters most to god is people invest your life in people" [58:10] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Who or what will you choose as your god small g or big g who or what will you choose as your god that's there aren't any bigger decisions than that that's what jesus is inviting us to consider here or what will you choose as your god and the second one is this which mountain will you spend your life's time and energy on the mountain of resume virtues virtues the mountain of eulogy virtues you know investing in things that really matter according to god maybe they're even things that are just completely hidden maybe they're things that nobody will ever notice or give you accolades for but in the sight of god things that really matter jesus called it laying up treasures in heaven so who or what will you choose as your god which mountain will you spend your life's time and energy resources on big questions" [01:10:11] (99 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Guys, he's not holding out on us. invites us to choose wisely. choose to entrust our lives to him completely. choose to pursue him passionately. know that we're being pursued by him passionately. Obey him. to open our hands. Not to be so preoccupied with getting. So that we can receive God's giving. I'd invite you to not just leave this here. But to actually, like, take this home. And maybe sometime over the next 24 hours, carve out a little bit of space, a little bit of quiet space, a little bit of solitude. And wrestle. Maybe wrestle again. And maybe, maybe those questions are settled for you. But it doesn't hurt to revisit them. say, what God am I choosing? What mountain am I giving my life to?" [01:19:18] (117 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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