Well, after a few weeks, we return to our study in the Sermon on the Mount, so I invite you to turn to Matthew chapter 6, Matthew chapter 6, and this morning we look at verses 19 through 24 of Matthew 6, found on page 964 in the Bibles that are in front of you. 64. I'll be reading at verse 19. Let's give our attention this morning to the holy word of the Lord. 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. May the Lord bless hearing of his word. Well, Jesus has been addressing in the Sermon on the Mount, at least in the section that was previous to this, especially chapter 6, which was a division in the Sermon on the Mount from chapter 5 that looked at the Christian's relationship to the law, especially as the Pharisees had corrupted it. In chapter 6, he's been dealing with our religious life. He's been looking at and helping us with what is the life of Christian piety, if you will, life of devotion to the Lord, what true devotion to the Lord looks like. Remember the opening verses of that new section in chapter 6 began with, beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have your reward in heaven. There has been an approach, there has always been a problem, it was a big problem among the Pharisees, that whatever they did, they were doing it to try to establish their righteousness before others and not God. In other words, they were trying to show themselves as righteous and find the approval of men, never sought the approval of God. And that's an approach to the Christian faith that has always been a problem of what we call a hypocrisy, where people put on the outward show, but that what is done on the outward is not true of what is on the inward, on the inside of somebody. That's what we've been looking at in the Sermon on the Mount, and so he gave very helpful instruction on those three practices of Christian piety. Remember what they were when he talked about giving, and he talked about prayer, and he helped us with fasting. We looked at those three practices of piety in the Christian life that expressed true and sincere devotion to the Lord, and Jesus cleared away all of the hypocritical moves of people in that section. What I thought was so beautiful about it was that Jesus was aiming to help us to understand what true devotion looks like, apart from the phoniness of how people approach Him, to actually enjoy what this is meant to be for us, a privilege to come to God and to talk with Him in prayer, and to give from the heart, and at times to fast when there are serious situations happening in life that we might learn to trust the Lord more. He was pulling down all the superficiality and the false approaches of people, saying to them, especially as we looked at prayer, come to your Father. Talk to your Heavenly Father. False approaches is prayer wanting to be heard by others, giving to be seen, fasting for the praise of people, none of which comes from the heart, you see? None of which comes from the human heart. And that exposes the problem that people are far from God. Jesus, in his very concern, was describing here in the Sermon on the Mount something that was true of all devotion and must come with an understanding that he is, in his very presence, the Savior has given us direct access and fellowship with the father. That's beautiful. You can come to your heavenly father. You don't need, think about this, Jesus is the mediator. You don't need a different mediator. You don't need to go to a priest. He is the high priest, and he gives you direct access. You are God's children, And you really get a sense in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus is very concerned here that his people would understand, God's children would understand how much the Father loves them, how much the Father cares for them, how much that his people mean to him. Think about our Heidelberg, which captures this when it comes to prayer. why do we pray? Think about this basic statement in our Heidelberg, because Christ wants to kindle in us what is basic to our prayer when we say our Father in heaven, the childlike awe and trust that God through Christ has become our Father. See, everything's backwards to what we naturally do in religion. From the beginning, it was Satan's lie who tried to present God's ways as hard and God as oppressive, and his great lie led all of us into bondage, and that is exactly what Jesus is freeing us from here. This fellowship should never be what the Pharisees did to it, making it something that's unattainable, something that cannot be enjoyed. Jesus has in his work given us direct access, so he is saying to you, you can go right to your father. He loves you that much. You can trust him. You can lean on him. You can pray to him. You can talk to him, and he will not turn away his children. Well, Jesus now continues this concern. I wanted to set that up a little bit so you understand And he continues this concern. And as I said, this is still a tender section in the Sermon on the Mount. Not because it's easy, what I'm about to preach. All of you are going to be somewhat uncomfortable with what I'm about to preach. I was in the study writing it, so you have to go through it. But Jesus is very protective of the children of God. God is a jealous God, we read. In other words, he is training us and he is teaching us now, what are the hindrances? What are the stumbling blocks to enjoying fellowship with the Father and the Son? What are they? We're looking at Jesus' great caution that keep us from that true piety that should be in our lives, prayer, fasting, giving, that we might treasure in this life what is most important. And the goal is not to burden us. I have to say that up front. In a sense, it leads us all, as Machen says, to the foot of the cross. But the goal in this is not to burden us as much as it is to liberate us from our own burdens that we create. So we're looking here today at the great distraction that Jesus calls us to consider, a sad consequence when that distraction is pursued in this life, and the better pursuit that he calls us to as followers of the Lord. We have just looked at prayer, we've just looked at fasting. We've just looked at giving. Jesus called us to practice them from the heart. I don't know that there's anyone here who does not struggle with these things and who we might say is a warrior in these things. This has often been incredibly confusing for you. Let me say this right now. This has been one of the most confusing aspects of Christian life. Why is prayer so difficult? Why do I find that it's really hard for me to give from the heart? God loves a cheerful giver. And I'll be honest, I don't always feel cheerful giving. Why do I never fast? Why is that such a foreign concept to me? Well, it's because these things require great discipline. And they require great and sincere devotion from the heart, don't they? If I were to ask you, why don't you do them the way that you should? It would be really interesting to survey the congregation and get the answers. There might be different reasons for that. What do you think they are? Why don't I pray more? Why don't I give cheerfully more? Why don't I ever fast? What if I said right here in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives you the two reasons? Two reasons. I was very excited this week to see an answer to this so clearly that I haven't given much thought to, and I'm a pastor. What are the two reasons that hold us back from true devotion and piety? Well, the problems that we are constantly assaulted with might be different than you think. There are two constant assaults in your life, very, very real assaults that are happening in your life that keep you from true devotion, that attack true devotion. Jesus wants to unburden you. That's the beauty of this. He wants to unburden you of this. But you have to understand first that that's what he's doing. He's not burdening us. What are the two things? Let's start with the second one. That's next week. All of you will be back. Because it's about anxiety. Isn't it? We live with constant fret, constant worry, and constant anxieties in life. Isn't it something that there's a major section in the Sermon on the Mount of our Lord dealing with us? He cares so much about us that he is dealing with our anxieties. I don't want you worrying. You think he's burdening us saying that? We all know this. We worry about everything. We have so many anxieties in life. There are most of them at times aren't even realized by you of how heart, how anxious the heart is and how detrimental Jesus is about to say that is a problem that hinders you and distracts you from true devotion. To trust him in everything. You know, you don't have to worry about a thing. Who's free from it? All right, that's next week. I better stop. That's next week. But today, we come to the first thing. What is it? Two problems that attack the heart. Verse 19, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. We all know that there are three sworn enemies that attack us. We talk constantly about our own sinful nature. We talk constantly about the devil constantly assaulting us. But this is really helpful because Jesus is really accenting and focusing on the temptation of the world here. Worldliness. When it comes to true piety and devotion to the Lord, one of the greatest attacks is the world itself. Jesus speaks of treasures here. It's a powerful word. It actually has the meaning in some of the old literature of a casket. Do not casket your treasures. I'll come back to that. I think that's interesting. It's a receptacle where we store our treasures. Well, I could go into many applications of that, and I will in a minute. Jesus will most certainly reference money. But the term he uses has a very broad meaning. You see the brilliance of Jesus' way by using this word because he will apply this saying, notice the great application of this, where your treasure is, where your casket is, there your heart will be also. The great temptation that he's speaking of is giving your life to treasure something that belongs to this world that is passing away. And it besets you and me all the time. To a degree that you don't even realize it. Your life is consumed with this. There's a reason so many are actually pulled away from truly coming to the Lord. valuing him and treasuring him, it's because in the big analysis, their heart is given to treasure that which is worldly. There's a reason John said, if you really want to follow the Lord, do not love the world or the things in the world. Lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, all these things are not from the Father, but they're of the world. Now, see, we have to come to this sort of agreement here that Jesus is not burdening us. That Jesus is unburdening us. That the burdens that we carry around are burdens that often, like anxieties, not always, they are things that we bring on ourselves. He's addressing the whole approach to how we look at the world and are constantly being offered this way to find happiness in this life, fulfillment in this life, completeness in this life. It's not wrong. It is wrong to single out any one thing here, like money. It's a whole way that Jesus is talking about how we look at the world, how we live in this world, how we function in this world, what our purpose in this life is. Does it come down to what you have in this life? is that really what you're about? Does it? Be honest. Jesus is essentially saying, what is the thing that, that one thing that if your heart was opened up that you're living for, what is your great interest? What is driving you? What motivates you to rise in the morning? What do you get up for? What is it that drives your ambitions and your hopes? Now, I could mention many things. I read this to my family last night, and I said, it's open time. You name what you think the treasures are. And they probably went after me more than anyone else. What is it? we could have gone on for an hour. Family, is that what I live for? Money, home, position, status. Maybe your husband. Maybe your wife. Maybe your children. Maybe your health, maybe your car, maybe your muscles. They said that about me, so I just want you to know I'm taking the hit just as much today, okay? I do like to exercise. Look at the election right now. If truth be told, in our great political season, truth be told, what does everyone really want? Everyone's afraid of losing treasure on earth right now. That, I suggest, is the crucial issue that people are really stressed about. Be honest. And there you'll find your heart. What is everything to you? What if it were taken away? Would you find meaning to life anymore? And this is why when that one thing is taken away, some no longer know how to function in life. You see, this is what it exposes, that in that one thing, your treasure was found in a casket. your treasure was found in a casket. It's what's behind it that Jesus is addressing. Think of the parable of the man who had many goods. He did well in life. Profitable. And I'll say to myself, soul, you have many, plenty of grain laid up for many years. This is a successful farmer. Take a life of ease. This is what it's about. Eat. Drink. Be merry. What is evident in that is that the man found his ambition, his sense of purpose, his identity, his drive, his happiness in this life and these things. And Jesus says, you might die tonight. You think you're taking any of that with you? Jesus says here, they can be stolen. So you have to hide those things, don't you? And you're constantly looking on the computer at your bank account. Make sure money wasn't lost, aren't you? The world is always subject to moths and decay and to rust, says Jesus. The whole thing is decaying. The whole thing is going away. The whole thing is passing away. And I want to unburden you from this. You see? And I think if we pause and ask the question, why is it that I struggle so much with prayer? And why is it that I struggle so much with trusting? And why do I feel so little strength to treasure the Lord? It's because in life, there are many things that our hearts are going after. And Jesus is concerned to explain what that's doing to us. What does this do to the heart, says Jesus? Jesus says people can easily attempt in this life to serve these things. And he says openly, it's impossible to serve two masters. You can't do it. You can't, listen, it says your heart will be either given to one or the other. You will either hate the one or love the other. You will be either devoted to the one and despise the other, he says. You can't serve God in money. But it comes down to what we serve in this life. This is what Jesus is concerned to address in God's children. And I want to emphasize that right now. There may be great levels of conviction with this. That's okay. That's good. That's healthy. You're his children. And he wants to unburden you from this. Because he loves you. you have access to your heavenly father. This is what he just said in prayer. You have access to your heavenly father who loves you and who cares for you. And he says, I will be your treasure. And I've given you the greatest treasure in my son. But do you see what's pulling you away? Not only all these worries in your life that you give so much attention to. Says Jesus, it makes no sense for you to do any of this when you have a heavenly father who's going to give you all that you need. He's the one that determines the allotments of what you have anyway. He gives and he takes. He makes rich and he makes poor. Did you know that? Hannah said that. He cares for you. He loves you. but do you know what you're doing, says Jesus? Have you not read Psalm 115? Those little things made by men, they have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see. Those who make them, listen, become like them. So do all who trust in them. Jesus doesn't want that for us. In other words, at the heart of it is an idolatry of the world, and what it does is, just as those idols are dead, it makes the human heart has a deadening effect. That's why it's hard to pray. That's why at times it's hard to unburden yourself. There's great power, and there's great control that these things have in people's lives. Just look at our world. Look at the control of what everyone rises for every morning, and how they're living, and what they're pursuing. Remember Achan? The Babylonian garment got in his head. Again, this is true of all of us. There is nothing, there is not one of us who doesn't have this problem. I want to make that clear. The Babylonian garment gets in his head. What happened to that Babylonian garment? He never cared about the Babylonian garment, but because his heart lusted after him, because his heart wanted it, his heart was given to it, and there was nothing that could stop him in going and getting that until he had it, and then he wouldn't put it in a casket. Remember? It's true, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I've done. When I saw the plunderer of the beautiful robe from Babylonia, 200 shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and I took them. There they are, listen, hidden in the ground inside my tent. I wonder if Jesus was thinking about this. With the silver underneath. They didn't even get to enjoy it. But his heart was with it. It's a sad image of the control this has over people. His heart was set on it in a casket. This is why Jesus references the eye. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is the darkness? He's using eyes to describe here how we look at the world. How are you looking at the world? What do you see when you look at the world? What are you looking at? What are you looking at? What are you seeing? Do you see it's all passing away? Remember what Jesus said, Luke? I think it's 22. Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. And that day, listen to this, will close in on you suddenly like a trap. I don't want that for you. Beware of that. James Boyce told the story of preaching. He was called to come to a man who was dying and the man was unwilling to take the preacher's hand. And so the preacher talked about the afterlife, Boyce did, and what are you trusting in? And as he was breathing his last, he said, Pastor, I confess I can't let go of these keys to my storage cabinets. He feared that his money would be taken from him when he died. So there's the hand of the preacher or the hand of the cabinet. And he wouldn't take the preacher's hand. The grip of the world or the grip of Christ. See? And after all this, what does Jesus say to us? Lay and store up your treasures in heaven where moths don't do what they do. What do the moths do? I don't know. Eat things, I guess. Rust wrecks everything, doesn't it? This is what the New Testament is encouraging us. Set your minds on things above where Christ is. Colossians 3.1. Set your minds there. He's seated for you. You're going there. The whole message of the Bible is what was said of Abraham from the beginning. Abraham looked, what, for the city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. He had a heavenly mindset. Moses did not esteem all the treasures of Egypt, but he esteemed Christ greater than all of it. Now, I don't think for a minute in preaching this, any of you have the power to do this in yourself. I want to make that really clear. I don't think anyone here has the power to do this in themselves. That's why the Spirit matters. In fact, we all know, truth be told, we're way too earthly-minded. We seek for all kinds of treasures in this life, and we worry about it in retirement. This is why I continue to say the Sermon on the Mount does lead us to the foot of the cross, but then as we're raised up new, it's the power of the Spirit that begins in this life to give us a new heart so that we treasure what's most important. I keep going to that woman lately, but she's really moved me when she broke that alabaster flask and was wiped Jesus' feet with her hair, and Jesus makes such a moment of it and says she loves much because she's been forgiven much. Ah, there's the treasure. there's the treasure. Seek first, he will say, my kingdom and my righteousness all take care about everything you're worried about. I want to unburden you. The character of the Christian is that he begins in this life to treasure Christ and to love a God like this who has shown such care of him. The great realization in this life is that Christ himself is the pearl. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. Remember how much Jesus talks about this? Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. What's that pearl? The God of heaven and earth gave his son to die for you because he loves you that much. He loved me. I belong to him in body and soul, life and in death. I've counted, as Paul said, everything else rubbish for the gaining of Christ. He is my all in all. And what begins to happen is that we begin to live and seek for that which is truly heavenly. Think about this, DePaul. We'll close this here in a minute. Just this. Command those who are rich in this present world. Now, who's not rich in America? Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant, nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain. But to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Now, that's the strange twist to that statement, that he actually gives you good gifts when you're acknowledging him to enjoy in this life. But when you do this, you don't enjoy the good gifts in life. You're serving them. See with the eye. God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment, Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds. Here's your treasures in heaven. You're thinking of others. To be generous and willing to share. In this way, now listen, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age. Paul's looking at the Sermon on the Mount here. So that they may take hold of life that is truly life. storing up treasure in heaven means that the aim of everything we do is given not for the benefit of me, but we're thinking more of others, fulfilling my purpose as a traveler. As one pastor said, we're just custodians, we're just stewards. We use all these things to enjoy, yes, we can enjoy them, but not ultimately for us, or serving them. Like Monopoly, I won't play it. I hate that game. It just takes too long. And then it all goes back in the box, right? My kids always want to play it. I'm such a bad dad, I think. See what Christ just did, beloved? He freed you. That's how much he loves you. He freed you from worry. He freed you from anxiety. He freed you from serving earthly cares so that you might not be beset with these temptations that you will know so much, trust so much that your heavenly father loves you and cares for you and he gave everything for you in his son. You already have what you need and what you want. Remember Paul said that? Already you've become rich. You've already begun to reign. You are rich in Christ so that we may serve him as our master when you begin to live freely by the Spirit, free from these burdens, your piety, your devotion, it's going to begin to look a lot different. And Christ wants you to be free, that you might enjoy your status as children of the Heavenly Father, unburdened from what the pharisaical religion will do to you. Praise God. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for encouraging and blessing us today in your Word. Forgive us, O Lord, we pray together. Forgive us for worldliness in our lives, for serving things too much, even though we can enjoy these good gifts. May we have the right mindset of setting our hearts and minds on things above where Christ is. Thank you for blessing us and encouraging us in your gospel. May we be a cheerful people, a happy people, a people who walk with our God, and as that psalm says, whom have I in heaven but you? There's none on earth that I desire but you. My heart and my flesh may falter, but the Lord is the strength and portion of my life forever and ever. We bless your wonderful name in Jesus' name. Amen.