Treasures in Heaven (Part II)

Hi. Hey, I told you that the next time that we were together, I wanted to unpack a neat little verse. In this little verse, I think, are the secrets of treasure-seeking. This is Dave Scherrerrer, and we've been working our way through the kingdom disciplines here at the podcast side of 100 Fold Ministries. We call it Kingdom Offerings. These disciplines that we've been talking about are the habits or practices that help us grow up, help us mature in our kingdom walk. Things like prayer and generosity and fasting, contentedness. These are the lifetime pursuits that help us disconnect from the things of the world and help us to connect more fully, more deeply to kingdom thoughts and kingdom priorities. We've been drawing our list from the kingdom disciplines listed in the famous teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. We're actually on part two of a curious idea that treasure-seeking, or laying aside treasures in heaven, is a discipline that we should be practicing. You'll remember in this famous sermon that Jesus says to the seekers, the followers, in Matthew 6, he says, don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth. That's in verse 19 of chapter 6. Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moths and vermin destroy, where thieves break in and steal. Don't do that. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy, where thieves do not break in and steal. He then later in the chapter goes on to say, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. You know, there's another parable that's similar to this teaching where treasure-seeking seems to be so important. It's the parable of the man who sells everything to buy a so-called empty field. He sells everything that he had because he found buried treasure there, a buried treasure of suppressing value. So that makes us think of this little idea of treasure-seeking as a kingdom discipline. So I want to unpack a little verse about offering a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus. This verse, rightly understood, I believe gives us a couple, maybe three, great insights into the prospect of laying aside treasures in heaven. All right, so here's how this verse reads. In Mark chapter 9, verse 41, Jesus talking. He says, truly, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose your reward. Anyone who gives you a cup of cold water in my name because you belong to the Messiah, you will certainly not lose your reward. First, I want to remind us that the last time that we were together here at Kingdom Offerings, I said that the things that count as treasures in heaven are different than the things that count as important here on earth. They're just completely different. The idea of earnestly seeking treasures or kingdom profits is a lot the same in heaven and earth in that you can put your whole mind and heart into it, but how they are earned or laid aside are categorically different from each other. Treasures in heaven and treasures on earth are different. God's economy of what is important and valuable in heaven is so different than the world. So, that's the important thing first. Second, the behavior that earns a heavenly reward is different than earthly effort. The very behavior is different. This verse is making a very specific point that the simplest gifts can also be the most precious. A cup of cold water, in and of itself, is not expensive or even especially creative. But to someone who is parched, water is indeed a treasure and cold water, in that case, priceless. Jesus is saying in this little verse that a gift offered with an attitude of other-centeredness makes the reward great in heaven. It is truly laying aside a treasure in heaven in this simplest act of mercy. And finally, third, Jesus also makes the point of noting who is supposed to get the glory here. He says, quite intentionally, whoever offers a cup in my name. It seems to be pretty important. That's part of the formula. It is who is offering the gift that transforms the gift. You see, the person who gets the thank you in this brief little parable is Jesus. It's as though it's not really me who is giving the water. It is, in fact, Jesus himself who is giving it. Jesus has made the gift of cold water possible, so he, therefore, gets the glory. I'm just the delivery system of this gift of Jesus. And so that then constitutes a treasure that is indeed laid aside in heaven. It's Jesus' actions being known before the Father. So, real quick, let me contrast that with a very expensive good deed on earth, building a university building so that the students can use it. A very expensive earthly gift, but I do it in my name. I do it so that my name is on that wing of that university hall. And that treasure is very expensive, but no treasure is laid aside in heaven because it's in my name, not in the name of Jesus. And so, good deeds done in Jesus' name lay aside treasures in heaven. With all this being said, here's the bottom line. Treasure-seeking is a discipline. Our acts of kindness done in the name of Jesus with the purpose of serving and blessing others lays aside treasures in heaven that glorify and exalt our King. Weirdly, or maybe not so weirdly, this constitutes the kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. That should sound familiar to you. It's right from the Lord's Prayer. This sacrificial act of mercy constitutes the kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. We become the answer to the Lord's Prayer. That's cool, huh? All right, I invite you to a prayer, a personal prayer, that equips and motivates you to be a treasure-seeker. Not a treasure on earth, but to lay aside treasures in heaven. You know what? You'll be the richer for it. This is Kingdom Offerings. I'm Dave Scherrer. Peace.