Sermonette for Saturday
But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Matthew 6:20
Special soldiers called Beefeaters, or Yeoman Warders, are assigned to guard the British crown jewels, perhaps the most expensive collection of jewels in the world. Beefeaters, with their elaborate uniforms and fuzzy hats, are not just for show; their weapons are loaded and the Beefeaters know how to use them. These highly trained men are just part of the elaborate security system to protect the crown jewels, which are held in a special building within the London Tower complex. Many of the security features are kept secret, so potential thieves have no idea what they would need to do to break in and take the jewels. They would be worth stealing! Although there is no official estimate, some have valued those jewels at 2.5 billion dollars. The Star of Africa diamond in the royal scepter is worth $400 million. There is not a jewel thief in the world who hasn’t dreamed of breaking through and stealing those gems. Although highly unlikely, such a theft could happen. But we have more valuable and more enduring gems than those awaiting us in the Glory.
Each of us has our treasures, whether it be lovely homes, savings, art, jewelry, and any other item or commodity you could mention. But all of these things are temporary, like the vast fortunes accumulated by brilliant businessmen that are wasted and lost by spendthrifty heirs. Nothing endures here, not even the British crown jewels. That’s why the Lord Jesus advised His disciples to put their investments into an eternal stock account. No thief has ever robbed the Bank of Heaven. Our inheritance is totally safe from all robbers, scams, and unwise investors. Any losses we experience in our material possessions can cause a temporary discomfort or discouragement. But if we keep in mind that the treasures we lay up in Heaven are for eternity, we can endure a little loss here.
How do we lay up treasure in Heaven? The Word of God is full of promises, many of them for us. Those promises include rewards for faithful service. Heroes of the faith are guaranteed crowns. Those who are lesser than heroes are still eligible for God’s great program of rich compensation for service and devotion to our Lord. It is worth our while studying Scripture to see what all God has in store for us if we will honour Him faithfully.
In God’s own time, in God’s own way, who does God’s work will get God’s pay. -Jim MacIntosh