Matthew‬ ‭6:19

““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;” – Matthew‬ ‭6:19

The sermon of the LORD Jesus on the mount, when we look at it carefully. He exposes all the issues that are dwelling within our hearts. It is very opposite to the ways and teachings of the Pharisees of His time and even to the ways of the world today.

The LORD Jesus speaks of the blessings of those who are poor in spirit, are pure in heart, and are meek. He teaches that murder and adultery begin in the heart. He also teaches that giving to others should be done in secret, not to be seen by men. Praying to God should be done in secret, not for display. Fasting should not be outward and for attention but inward before God.

Then the LORD Jesus turns to the matter of money. He says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” Laying up treasures or building wealth is not careless work. It requires focus and careful planning. It requires vision and wisdom to carry out that vision. It demands strategy, patience, strength, and determination. A person must devote much of their time and talent in order to gather and build wealth.

Wealthy people often appear to live easy and comfortable lives now. As it is written, “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem.” (Proverbs‬ ‭18:11‬) What we see today is the fruit of their labor. But in the beginning of their journey for many years, they walked through a difficult and uncomfortable path. They labored with focus, gave up comfort, and endured much in order to build what they now have. Even after the business is established, they do not cease from their efforts. They set their minds to expand it and to increase it further. Their time and their talent remain centered on it. Because of this, they guard what they have built. They protect their treasures by securing them and insuring them. That’s why wealthy people are obsessed with all kinds of insurance, for they fear losing what they have been pouring out their time and talent for.

This kind of life is not only for the wealthy but for us also. How many of us are consumed with work just to pay for our house, our cars, and our many bills? Even we give our time and strength to maintain what we have built. And like them, we also seek to protect it. We insure what we have, and we try to secure our lives against loss. Because the more a person treasures something that can be lost, the more their heart will be troubled by the thought of losing it. And without knowing it, our hearts become tied to these things.

When something costs us years of our life and strength, it becomes very precious to us, and it begins to bind us. That is why it is so hard to let go of the things we have gathered. We become servants of what we have created and stored up. We become servants of things where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

In the time of the LORD Jesus, wealth was measured differently than it is today. Abraham and Job were considered very wealthy because they had many flocks and herds (Genesis 13:2; Job 1:3). People stored garments or produce that could be eaten by moths, and the currency they used, such as silver and gold, could also corrode. They can also be stolen. Even the places we trust to protect it are not without risk.

How many of us trust in banks, yet those same banks use the money we entrusted to them to lend to others. Sadly, throughout history, there have been times when banks have failed, and people have not been able to recover what they had stored.

The message of the LORD Jesus for us is very simple. Do not spend our lives building something that is subject to decay, loss and that binds us. I want to remind you of God’s purpose for mankind when He decided to create us. As it is written, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion… (Genesis 1:26). We were created to have dominion over possessions, not for possessions to have dominion over us. For when possessions rule over us, we have lost the very purpose for which we were created.

Let us build something that abides forever. For all these things of the world are temporary and passing away. As it is written,

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (I John‬ ‭2:15-17)‬ ‭

And it’s appointed to be burned. As it is written,

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10)

Neither can these things help us in the day of judgment. For it is written,

“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.” – Proverbs‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭

“Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.” – Zephaniah‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭

The LORD Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) So the call of the LORD Jesus fos us is not to chase after possessions but to seek God first. For when God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

So why should we spend our lives on what will not remain and trust in what cannot save?