January 14, 2020
Luke 12:32-34
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
New International Version (NIV)
Where do you keep your treasures?  People used to bury them.  I mentioned in my sermon on Sunday about the Saddle Ridge Hoard.  Seven years ago a California couple, walking their dog, literally stumbled on a buried metal can.  Inside were gold coins.  Eight cans in all provided wealth of $10 million in gold coins.  So what did they do with the coins?  For a season, they buried them in an ice chest under a woodpile. We hide things which we fear we may lose.  In safes and safety deposit boxes we try to protect our valuables against theft or loss. 

So what do we value most?  How do we keep it safe?  I am reading a book about managing money well.  The plan makes sense:  give to God, save for the future, do not go into excessive debt.  All these things makes sense, as far as they go.  But what becomes of our money when we are gone? 

Jesus tells of the “barn-builder” whose barns could not contain his abundant harvest.  So he tore down the barns, built bigger ones and then suddenly died.  God asks the foolish man, “Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself.”  Good question.  Think about how many people rent storage units to protect things which we never use. 

In these verses Jesus points us to a higher treasure.  Instead of worrying or setting our hearts on possessions or running after the material things of this world, Jesus suggests we seek first the kingdom and trust that God will give us what we need.  The kingdom God has given to us can never be taken away.  With our treasure in heaven, we give less thought to storing treasures here.  No thief can steal God’s good gift of salvation.  No moth can destroy our eternal inheritance.  One thing is for sure:  if we can find out where our treasure is, we will find our hearts there also.  We can’t protect the best things God gives us.  Best of all, we don’t need to!
Pray with me:       
Father, our eternal King, thank you for sharing your kingdom with us.  Let us live our lives under your rule today.  Give us deep contentment with your provision for us.  Help us not to worry about or run after possessions like pagans do.  Remind us again of our inheritance which can never perish, spoil or fade.  In you we place our trust and we have nothing to fear.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  
Join us in memorizing the Word.  Scripture for this week:    
Matthew 5:5-6
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan.  Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG 
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week.  In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year.  Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.  
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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