Matt. 6:16-26, Heavenly and Earthly Storage Units

A sign of our problem with worldly lusts is the widespread construction of storage units.  They are all over the place.  And I say “worldly lusts” because while they often hold things of value or potential usefulness, they usually hold some of our excess toys, and things we may never use but just can’t let go of.  One of the great cartoons I have seen lately is the aged father and his son standing in front of a two-car garage, doors open and packed to the gills with stuff, and the father telling the worried son: “some day all this will be yours.” 

The problem is not the storage unit but the one who owns it.  So what are you storing up?  And for what purpose?  “Thèsauros” is the noun, the place where something is kept or the thing that is being kept; “thèsaurizō” is the verb (to store up, gather or store; we will note the verb; the other uses are the noun).  By the way, in English a “thesaurus” is a reference book with words listed in groups.

·       Mt 2:11: The wise men open their treasures: gold, frankincense, myrrh.

·       Mt 6:19, 20,21: don't lay up (v) treasures on earth but treasures in heaven where no moth, rust, thief is a problem. For where your treasure is there is your heart.

·       Mt 12:35; Lk 6:45: A good man out of good treasure of his heart brings forth good, the evil man brings forth evil from the evil treasure of his heart.

·       Mt 13:44: Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in field.

·       Mt 13:52: A teacher of the Kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out treasure, things new & old.  Ah, different kinds of treasure!

·       Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22: The rich ruler told to sell all, give to poor, have treasure in heaven (what he treasured on earth hindered him from loving God).

·       Lk 12:21: We’re rich fools if we lay up treasure (v) for self and aren’t rich toward God.

·       Lk 12:33,34: Seek a treasure in heaven that does not fail; for where treasure is, there is your heart also.

·       Ro. 2:5: Hard-hearted ones treasure up (v) wrath in the day of wrath, judgment.

·       1 Cor 16:2: Believers to give on 1st day from what was stored up.

·       2 Cor 4:7: We have this treasure (Christ, the Spirit, New Covenant blessings) in earthen vessels (our physical body).

·       2 Cor 12:14: Children don't lay up (v) for parents but parents for the children,

·       Col 2:3: In Christ are hidden all treasures of wisdom, knowledge.  Amen!!

·       Hb 11:25: For Moses, riches of Christ better than Egypt’s treasures.  Amen!!

·       Jas 5:3: To the rich, have you heaped up treasures in the latter days?

·       2 Pt 3:7: heaven and earth which are now preserved (v) by the same word, are reserved for fire until day of judgment.

We ought to check the earthly storage unit from time to time to see if it is consistent with our heavily storage unit.  Where is my heart?  What do I treasure?