6:19-24 | Treasure in Heaven
Introduction
Shifting Away from Earthly Treasures
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Strive for God's reward
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When we practice our righteousness to be seen by men, we forfeit God's reward
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If we are going after earthly treasures, it's all we will ever get
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What are we committing our hearts to?
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The problem is not having personal possessions, but laying up treasures
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We need to think about what we value above all else
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Are we seeking for the rewards of this life, or from God?
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Pitfalls of Earthly Treasures
Temporary in Nature
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We think that many of our possessions are forever
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Catastrophes are rare
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Even when they do occur we have a solid safety net
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We have fooled ourselves into a false sense of security
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The ancients were very aware of how temporary things were
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Houses were literally broken into by tearing down walls
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Famines and poor harvests were felt by everyone
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Foreign nations could invade at any moment and carry you away captive
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We are in just a precarious position
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Vilonia's been hit twice by tornadoes
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2008 financial crisis
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The Enron scandal
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We ourselves are temporary in nature | Luke 12:13-20
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This man assumed his own long lasting
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You could just be shot and have everything taken away from you
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Of what use will any of our earthly possessions be?
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It Cannot Satisfy
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There is no upper limit on what we want to possess | Ecclesiastes 5:10; 6:7
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Why haven't all the billionaires retired?
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At most, it gives us a temporary high
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What was once so satisfying has become dull and uninteresting
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We get distracted by the newest and shiniest toy
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It Will Cost Us Everything
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We have just been warned about pursuing the treasures of earth | Matt. 6:1
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Our earthly treasures are poor substitutes for God's reward
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This is their reward in full - nothing else is granted
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When we pursue temporary things that give no satisfaction, it is no wonder why we are left disappointed
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We are sacrificing the eternal for things that will perish
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We are seeking real meaning when it isn't found in material objects
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Laying Up Treasures in Heaven
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How do I make a deposit in my heavenly account?
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Committing fully to Christ | Matt. 19:16-22
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Focus on things eternal
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What are things that can be brought into the next life?
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We are to strive for obedience, justification, and righteousness
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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
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We must dwell on God and his righteousness
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What are the things we are passionate about?
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Will our heart live eternally in heaven, or pass away with this world?
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The Lamp of the Body
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A simple illustration - our eyes affect our bodies
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A healthy eye that looks to God will fill us with light
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An evil or unhealthy eye will fill us with darkness
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The World's Attraction
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We are bombarded by advertisements
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The billboards on Hwy 64
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They deceive us | Food advertisements
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They try to convince you that they can make you happier
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Social media
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We feel compelled to constantly compare our lives to the people around us
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We only see their highlight reel while we're stuck with our own behind-the-scenes
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We are in constant competition with our neighbor | Ecclesiastes 4:4
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These messages constantly tell us to lay up treasures on earth
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We consistently fall for it
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We want to lay hold of more, rather than laying hold of Jesus
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Keeping a Healthy Eye
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Be careful with what you look at
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It's a reflection of what we want
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It influences what we want
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We must avoid "window-shopping" in life
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The more we look the more apt we are to practice
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This is why Jesus says adultery begins in the heart
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It is better for us to remove our eye than continue to desire evil
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Keep an eye on your eyes
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Be aware of what your shows and ads are telling you
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When we aren't looking at God, we forget him | Deut. 4:9
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Keep your eyes on Christ | Hebrews 12:2
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We Cannot Serve Two Masters
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We can only give our hearts to God or the world, not both
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Our love of one will lead to our hatred of the other
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The world would have us reject Christ
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Christ tells us to deny ourselves and the world, and follow him
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Who is your master?
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Possessions won't die for you. They'll die with you.
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The eternal Christ who will give you true satisfaction
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