The Time Exchange

Message S03042018

What we value most, we will invest time. If time is limited, then what do we believe holds the most value to exchange that time for while we have it? Matthew and Luke wrote some of Jesus' Words dealing with this issue.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(Message Bible) “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moths and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

Two Main Ideas

There are a lot of simple common teaching on these verses, however, most focus on the end result. It would be easy to look at the result - the treasure - but the real issue is at the beginning of the verse - and it affects the end of the verse.

There are two main ideas Jesus wants us to address.

IDEA ONE

The beginning of the verse deals with "laying up or storing". Before we even consider "where" things are laid up or stored, we need to consider the time invested in laying up and storing what it is we are trying to save. 

Jesus is asking us to review our personal investment of our time alive on earth and what we use it for. 

Ask yourself, "what investment is worth my limited time? Since it is limited, what do we find holds the most value to exchange that time for while we have it? 

IDEA TWO

The verse deals with location. Where are we storing these things that we invest our limited time?

Jesus is talking about storing things in the Kingdom of Heaven and that storing process will inevitably reveal the location of our heart. Our heart holds our identification. God talks about it revealing who we are.

Listen carefully with your spiritual ears. 

You have heard it taught and said that these treasures are put in the heavens, and they are for future use.

But these treasures are not for future use - they are used continually as we move and breathe here on planet earth. 

Our treasure inevitably reveals our character - the person we are and what we value. 

You may say, "that's not what the verse says." However, if you only read those verses, you could miss the explanation.

How do I know that these treasures are used and revealed daily rather than hoarded in the heavens for future use?

Jesus was clear - "Store it in the Kingdom of Heaven."

As humans, it is easy to simply "reason" about things the same way the Pharisees did. Jesus accused them of that thinking process often. However, He also stated, "He didn't reason like them, He perceived truth." Perception is to "know and already understand" the answers.

Luke 17:20,21

20 some Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. His answer was, “The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. 21 No one will say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’; because the Kingdom of God is within you.”

The Kingdom of God is within you.

It's easy to read the verse "where your heart is so is your treasure and somehow transport our hearts into the heavens where God is. But it doesn't say that. 

If you will go and read all the versions about these verses, you will notice that they are all written in present tense.  It's about things happening right now - today.

Investing time and storing in our hearts "happens now."

The Amplified Bible breaks it down to show it can't be future events because it's what your life is centered around right now and in this moment, we are living.

Just take a moment and think through it.

The kingdom is within us. Our heart is within us. Our treasure (our time investmenets) are within us.

What we invest our time in - what we store in our hearts - should not be things this world can destroy. 

It's interesting - because if you keep Jesus words in context - He's talking about storing up things in the Kingdom of Heaven in your heart because even though you are in this fallen world, the world cannot get into your heart.

It's your safe place, well secured, holding the most precious commodity we have - God's Words to life's answers.

For additional support - read Matthew 6:22, 23

Jesus immediately discusses what we allow in us and put in us - affects who we are.

The treasure we store in us - the time we invest in storing - affects who we are. 

Our treasure is not being stored for future eternity - it's being stored for use now.

It's stored so we can be

the move of God on earth.