Lent | The Way of the Cross

Devotional

Day 1: Treasures That Moths Can’t Eat

Jesus sat on a mountainside teaching crowds about true wealth. He warned against stockpiling earthly treasures that rust corrupts or thieves steal. Instead, He urged them to store up heavenly treasures—acts of love, obedience, and generosity that last forever. His words cut through our obsession with security: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”[02:25]

Money isn’t neutral—it reveals what rules us. Jesus said we can’t serve both God and wealth. When we cling to possessions, anxiety follows. But when we invest in God’s kingdom, our hearts align with His purposes. The disciples saw this firsthand as Jesus fed thousands with a boy’s lunch instead of hoarding resources.

What story does your bank account tell? Do your spending habits scream “I trust my paycheck” or “I trust my Father”? This week, track one expense that reflects kingdom values versus self-interest. Where could you redirect $10 to show God’s care for others? What earthly treasure feels hardest to release?

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to expose one area where money rivals His lordship.
Challenge: Write down three “treasures” you own—circle one to give away this month.

Day 2: God’s First Gift: Light and Life

Before humans existed, God crafted galaxies, oceans, and hummingbirds—not from need, but sheer joy. He spoke light into darkness, shaped Eden’s garden, and called it “very good.” Creation wasn’t a transaction but a gift, proving His nature: a Father who delights in giving.[14:28]

Every sunrise and strawberry seed declares God’s generosity. He didn’t just make the world—He sustains it. Birds don’t farm, yet He feeds them. Lilies don’t labor, yet He clothes them. If God lavishes care on sparrows, how much more will He provide for His children?

Anxiety shrinks when we remember our Provider. Today, pause when you eat or drink. Thank God for the hands that grew your food, the rain that nourished it, and His command to “taste and see that He is good.” What ordinary gift (air, water, sleep) have you stopped noticing?

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”
(Genesis 1:31, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific parts of creation that bring you joy.
Challenge: Take a 10-minute walk—name every good thing you see as “God’s gift.”

Day 3: Chosen by the God of Heaven

The Creator who owns galaxies set His affection on Abraham’s family. He didn’t pick them for their greatness but to show His covenant love. When they became slaves, He heard their cries. When they wandered, He gave manna. His generosity wasn’t earned—it flowed from His character.[17:53]

You’re part of that chosen family. God counts your hairs, hears your sighs, and prays for you (Romans 8:34). He didn’t just send a rescue plan—He sent His Son. Judas traded this love for silver, but Jesus still washed his feet. Even betrayal couldn’t stop God’s giving.

You’re not an afterthought. Write your name beside Deuteronomy 10:15. When insecurity whispers, “You’re unnoticed,” declare: “The Maker of Orion calls me ‘Mine.’” When did you last feel chosen by God?

“The LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples.”
(Deuteronomy 10:14-15, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one lie about your worth—ask God to replace it with His choice.
Challenge: Text someone: “God reminded me today He specifically picked you.”

Day 4: From Riches to Rags for You

Jesus left heaven’s throne to become a homeless preacher. He owned no land, carried no wallet, and died stripped naked. Paul says, “Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The cross was history’s greatest act of generosity—God paying our debt with His life.[26:55]

Every gift we give echoes Calvary. When we tithe, serve, or forgive, we proclaim: “My God supplies all needs.” Judas’ kiss hid greed, but our open hands can reveal Christ’s love. The widow’s two coins mattered more than rich men’s piles because she trusted God’s math.

What if you gave something costly today—not to earn favor, but to mirror Jesus? Skip a meal to feed another. Donate a prized jacket. What have you withheld that Jesus might ask you to share?

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
(Romans 8:32, ESV)

Prayer: Hold a coin while praying—offer God one resource you’ve clung to.
Challenge: Give $5 (or equivalent) anonymously to someone stressed about money.

Day 5: Rooms Prepared With Nail-Scarred Hands

Hours before His arrest, Jesus told His friends, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). For 2,000 years, He’s been building a home for us—not a temporary tent, but an eternal city. Every hammer strike on Calvary’s nails shaped your future room.[28:56]

Heaven’s inheritance can’t fade. No termites, market crashes, or thieves. Our earthly generosity trains us for that reality. Giving isn’t loss—it’s rehearsal for a kingdom where we’ll reign with Christ. Like the Macedonians who gave beyond their means (2 Corinthians 8:3), we practice trusting our true Home.

Plan one act of “kingdom investing” today. Tip a server double. Buy groceries for a single parent. What earthly worry shrinks when you picture your prepared room?

“In my Father’s house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you.”
(John 14:2-3, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for preparing your eternal home—ask Him to widen your generosity.
Challenge: Schedule a “generosity date”—bake cookies for neighbors or write a generosity check.

Sermon Summary

Jesus calls followers to a countercultural way of life that locates true life in self-denial, cross-bearing, and radical generosity. Matthew 6 frames the argument: earthly treasures decay and breed anxiety, while treasures invested in God shape the heart and free the soul. Money functions as a moral thermometer—where a person places resources reveals allegiance and narrates identity—so generosity becomes both confession and therapy: it declares what God is like and trains the heart to trust him. The Bible presents God as fundamentally generous from creation, through election, incarnation, atonement, indwelling presence, and the promised inheritance; that generosity costs God everything and orients the whole story toward restoration.

The Old Testament’s financial practices—tithes, festival giving, and care for the poor—were designed to make dependence on God visible, not merely to manage budgets. The New Covenant intensifies that ethic: the gift of Christ replaces animal sacrifices and calls for even more dramatic stewardship because God now dwells in his people. Money thus becomes a primary means of witnessing: it either tells the truth that God provides and redeems, or it tells a lie that security lives in possessions. Generosity delivers practical benefits: it lightens the soul, anchors trust in God rather than in assets, transforms affections toward people, and opens God’s blessing for faithful stewardship.

Finally, generosity participates in the joy of the Father and advances the kingdom. By giving, believers embody the Gospel, join the cosmic hope of creation, and anticipate the generosity that awaits—an imperishable inheritance kept for those whom God calls and preserves. Communion serves as a moment to remember divine generosity, confess misplaced trust, and reorient life around the self-giving God whose story redefines wealth, security, and joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Treasure reveals the true heart Where a person stores treasure exposes ultimate loyalties; money points to what governs thought, choices, and peace. Investing in temporary things produces chronic anxiety because those investments cannot guarantee tomorrow. Redirecting treasure toward God reshapes desire and measures faith by action rather than words. [02:25]
2. Money tests genuine allegiance Financial choices operate as loyalty tests: money asks for devotion and demands a response about who provides and protects. Judas’s betrayal shows how love of money can eclipse attachment to Christ and undo witness. Giving uncovers whether God or a bank account commands the heart. [09:46]
3. God’s generosity frames the story Creation, covenant, incarnation, and atonement reveal a God who gives at cost; that narrative makes every life a received gift. Understanding salvation as an act of extravagant giving changes stewardship from obligation to grateful participation. Responding with generosity reenacts the central gospel truth that God’s love precedes and sustains faith. [13:26]
4. Generosity unlocks joy and freedom Practical generosity reduces anxiety, enlarges others-centered love, and places trust in God’s provision rather than possessions. Faithful giving trains the heart, opens opportunity for stewardship, and aligns daily life with the coming inheritance. The posture of giving prepares creation for the revealing of God’s children and their shared delight. [50:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Way of the Cross: Series Overview
[01:46] - Matthew 6: Anchor Passage
[03:18] - Money and Rising Anxiety
[08:19] - Judas: Money’s Spiritual Power
[12:39] - Money as Life Narrative
[14:28] - God’s Generosity in Creation
[20:09] - God’s Generosity in the Present
[26:25] - Generosity in the Future Hope
[32:10] - Generosity as Testimony
[34:52] - Old Testament Giving Practices
[49:59] - How Generosity Changes Hearts
[54:40] - Communion Invitation and Response

Bible Study Guide

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... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and money.”

Deuteronomy 10:14-15 (ESV)
“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples.”

Romans 8:32 (ESV)
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

Observation Questions

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money. What specific contrast does He draw between earthly and heavenly treasures in the preceding verses (19-23)?
The sermon mentions Judas’ betrayal as an example of how love for money can eclipse loyalty to Christ ([09:46]). What details from his story illustrate this tension?
According to Deuteronomy 10:14-15, what two truths about God’s character are highlighted (His ownership of all things vs. His specific love for His people)?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus connect anxiety about material needs (food, clothing) to misplaced trust in earthly treasures in Matthew 6:25-34? How does generosity combat this anxiety?
The Old Testament tithes and festivals required Israelites to “blow” resources lavishly ([36:38]). How did this practice reflect trust in God’s provision rather than mere financial management?
Romans 8:32 argues that God’s sacrifice of His Son guarantees His future generosity. Why is this foundational for understanding our call to radical stewardship?

Application Questions

Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). What practical step could you take this week to “audit” your spending or giving to see what story it tells about your priorities ([33:22])?
The sermon describes money as a “moral thermometer” revealing our true allegiance ([02:25]). Where do you feel tension between trusting God’s provision and relying on financial security? How could generosity act as “therapy” for that area?
Judas’ betrayal began with small compromises ([09:46]). Are there ways you’ve allowed money to subtly shape decisions (e.g., career, relationships, time) that conflict with Christ’s values?
The Old Testament festivals required celebrating God’s provision with intentional joy ([36:38]). How could you intentionally celebrate God’s generosity this month—even in a season of financial strain?
Romans 8:32 says God will “graciously give us all things.” What fear or hesitation holds you back from radical generosity? How might surrendering that fear align you with the “cosmic hope” of creation ([53:18])?
The sermon warns that hoarding communicates a “lie” about God’s character ([43:30]). What is one area of your budget (saving, spending, or giving) that could better reflect trust in God as your provider?

Sermon Clips

33s

#TreasureRevealsHeart

“And his point isn't by comparing earth and heaven of saying, hey, where you invest will be where your your heart goes someday, as though like if you invest on earth, that's your lot. If you invest in heaven, you'll go there someday. It's not about where you end up ultimately, it's he's really explaining how you'll experience life, how you'll experience your days here. He says, where you invest your money, where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be. And so, the question he's asking is, is the place you're investing actually safe for your heart?”

26s

#GivingAnchorsFaith

“The second thing is this, when we give, our hearts and minds become anchored to the provision and protection of God instead of our money acting as our provider and protector. When you give generously, like, you're taking the thing that you believe is my protection, you're giving it away, and you're like, well, that's gone now, and so I have to rest in the provision of God. And so it's a way of anchoring yourself into God as your provider, and when we give, we become less anxious people.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Treeline Church This sermon · AI assistant

What is the connection between money and worship

How does God's generosity define Christian identity

Why does giving reduce anxiety and increase joy

Lent | The Way of the Cross - Generosity