What Is Treasure?

What does treasure mean to you? Is it money you save up? Is it valuables
you hide in the rooms and closets of your home… or put on display for
others to admire? Is it good grades, or likes on a screen? There are lots
of things we can treasure. But in Matthew 6:20, Jesus invites us to a
different way. He says, “Store your treasures in heaven.” But what does
that mean?

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Jesus explains, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth” (verse 19)
where everything falls apart or gets stolen. Instead of being devoted to
earthly treasure, our loving God wants our hearts to be devoted to Him
(verse 24). He is our true treasure. Knowing Him is the only thing that
will fill our deepest longings—He treasures us, and we don’t need to do
anything to earn His love.

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If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we are God’s people, and now everything we
do out of love and service to Him builds on the treasure we already have in
knowing Him and being part of His eternal kingdom (Ephesians 1:3-8; 3:8;
Colossians 2:3). Basically, as Christians, it’s not what we do that stores
treasure in heaven, but who we do it for. As we follow Jesus with our
lives, He helps us store up heavenly riches that will last forever. Through
His Holy Spirit living in us, Jesus is making us more like Him and
empowering us to show others His amazing love.

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Things like money, success, and popularity come and go, and they can only
last as long as our lives on earth—or even shorter. But the treasure found
in Jesus lasts for all eternity. In other words, anything we build can be
torn down, but the kingdom of God cannot be torn down. As Christians, our
hope isn’t in our possessions or our status in society or our
accomplishments. Instead, our hope rests in the work of Jesus: how He died
on the cross and rose from the grave… and how He promises to return and
make all things new and dwell with us forever.

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Maybe right now you don’t have much earthly treasure, or maybe you have a
lot. Just know that all of that earthly treasure is temporary, and it won’t
satisfy you anyway. Jesus is the true treasure. He is inviting you to come
to Him and live a life that is truly meaningful by loving God and loving
the people around you (Matthew 11:28-30; 22:34-40). • A. W. Smith

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• What things in your life do you consider to be treasure? Why are these
things important to you?

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• How could the good desires associated with these things (desires for
safety, strength, relational closeness, knowledge, wisdom, beauty, etc.)
point us to Jesus, the One who ultimately satisfies these desires through
His kingdom and His family?

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“Store your treasures in heaven.” Matthew 6:20 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Matt.6.19-Matt.6.34|Matt.13.44-Matt.13.46|Matt.19.21