Earthly or Heavenly Treasures

Some parts of Jesus’ teaching about this lifetime which Luke places with the journey to Jerusalem are covered by Matthew in his Sermon on the Mount. Luke’s lessons on seeking treasures in heaven rather than security on earth (Luke 1: 22-34) are parallel in Matthew’s Sermon (see Mt 6:1). Others, including the parable of the rich fool, appear only in Luke (Luke 12:13-21). The message of all these teachings is the same: people should not concern themselves excessively with their material needs, but should concentrate on their spiritual development and worry about answering for themselves at the final judgment. They should not worry as much about this life as about the next.

 

Luke 12:13-21 (NKJV)
¹³  Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
¹⁴  But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
¹⁵  And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
¹⁶  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
¹⁷  And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
¹⁸  So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
¹⁹  And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ‘
²⁰  But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
²¹  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

 

Some of you may not know this but my father first heard the Salvation message in his twenties while stationed at Fort Lewis Washington, a place I was to be stationed for a time many years later. In his eighties after a lifetime of struggle and fighting God the seed planted sixty years early finally grew when he came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

Over the years we had conversations about being saved so I was very happy when he called me one night to tell me he was saved.

Everyone makes the choice where they will spend eternity. Those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will spend the rest of eternity with Jesus, those who do not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will end up in the Lake of Fire.

For those who are Saved the passing from this side of Eternity to the next is a celebration. If you have not yet…won’t you join the celebration?

Remember….Jesus loves you!

 

Rev Paul N. Papas II