TREASURE IN HEAVEN.

“WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO,” (Matthew 6:19-21). Jesus told His followers to make sure their treasure is in the right place. Our hearts will follow our treasure.

Treasure may mean money and possessions or time and effort. If we invest these things in becoming rich, our hearts will follow riches. If we invest them in pleasure our hearts will seek pleasure. Invest them in Heaven and our hearts will find their home in Heaven.

BUT WHERE IS GOD’S HEART?
God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son - gave what He valued most. We are not our own, we are bought with a price - and what a price! The Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for us to win our forgiveness.

God’s heart is in what He spent His treasure on - people - you and me - and others. He died for our sins - and not for ours only but also the sins of the world. God has put His treasure into redeeming human beings - and where His treasure is, there His heart is also.

THE GREAT COMMISSION
“He told them, It is written that Christ must suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness will be declared in His Name to all nations,” (Luke 24:46-47).

“Go into all the world and tell the good news,” (Mark 16:15).

This command by The Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus Christ to His followers is the great turning point of history. Everything before it led up to it. All that has happened since flows from it.

God’s heart is in The Great Commission.

OUR FINAL EXAMINATION.
People work hard at their studies because they want to pass examinations. But when careers come to an end, the certificates lose their importance. One final examination all must face. That examination has a reward which is unending.

Unlike earthly examinations we know in advance what questions we shall be asked. Our Lord will say, “What did you do with the life I gave you? Did you deliver the message I sent you to tell? How were you involved in carrying out The Great Commission?”

All will face the judgment seat of Christ. It is good to face it knowing that our sins are already forgiven. But Heaven’s great award is to hear Christ’s own voice saying “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This will not be for everyone who enters Heaven. Some will go in, glad to be forgiven and saved, yet ashamed of having wasted their lives.

The day we meet Our Lord will be the great climax of our lives. Let us not be ashamed on that day.

OUR TREASURE
Time, effort, money or goods - these are treasures we have in this life but unless we invest them as God directs us we shall enter Heaven like someone rescued from a fire - alive but bankrupt.

God’s heart is in The Great Commission. We are entrusted with the task of telling others how much God loves them; how greatly Christ suffered for them and the new life He offers them. What we spend on spreading this Gospel will not be wasted. It will last for eternity.

FOUR CORNERS OF THE MAT!
The Bible tells of four men who brought their paralysed friend to Jesus. They laid him on a mat and took a corner each to carry him. They saw Jesus heal their friend.

There are four ways we can share the task of bringing together the Saviour and the people who need Him.

FIRST CORNER - THOSE WHO TELL.
The first corner of the mat is held by those who speak of Christ to others. They may share in private conversation, friend to friend. They may proclaim it from a pulpit or write it in a letter. They may tell their nearest neighbour or go to a far off land. Some must learn new languages and different cultures. Those who travel with the message normally work in teams or with mission organisations.

All followers of Christ are called to tell others - but some are specially called, trained and appointed to make it their main work.

SECOND CORNER - THOSE WHO PRAY.
Prayer strengthens the hosts of Heaven. Prayer weakens the forces of evil. Prayer renews and protects those who are serving. We need to pray for families, for teams, for churches and for the communities in which we live and serve. Let us make it a habit, whenever we think of a person or a need, to offer a brief silent prayer to bless that person or meet that need. At other times, we need to come together to pray. It may be two or three, or a whole team, or a whole church.

And there are some great issues which can only be resolved if churches pray together. To win great victories churches must put aside all differences and meet together, resolute and determined, to concentrate on overcoming evil and accomplishing God’s purposes.

All followers of Christ are called to pray - but some are specially called, powered and anointed to make it their main work.

THIRD CORNER - THOSE WHO ASSIST.
Organisers, administrators, helpers, cleaners, mechanics, drivers, secretaries, builders - the list is endless. These carry out the routine tasks which enable others to go and tell the Gospel. We read in Acts chapter 6 how the apostles appointed seven wise and spirit-filled helpers to do the routine tasks.

All followers of Christ are called to serve - but some are specially called, and skilled to make it their main work.

FOURTH CORNER - THOSE WHO GIVE.
The Great Commission costs money. Those who carry out the task may be willing to serve for very little, certainly for much less than they could earn in other work. But they still need to live and care for their families.

Translating the Bible costs money. Producing literature costs money. It is good and right to produce low-cost booklets (that is what Grow & Go does) but still there is some cost. Travel costs money. Learning languages costs money.

All followers of Christ are called to give - but some are specially called, to make giving their main work. These are people with skills to earn or business ability to make honest profit. If you have money or can earn, giving may be your vocation.

Christ told us to pray for God to send “labourers into the harvest” and if we obey that command He may use our money to help answer our prayers.

WHAT HOLDS THE WORK BACK
Ask anyone who is trying to form a team for Christian work - “Is it easier to recruit people or to raise money?” Nearly always the answer will be that willing and enthusiastic people are ready and available - even if they need training. But money is short; so fewer people can be trained; fewer sent into action. Often experienced workers have to give up after a few years for lack of money.

Ask any mission worker - “Is it easier to raise a single gift for a special project, or regular support for day to day work?” Nearly always the answer is that people or organisations will give once willingly, but the ongoing support on which everything depends is much harder to raise.

Therefore - if you want your giving to be the maximum use to God’s kingdom, give something (even a small amount - what you can afford) and give it regularly each month. Give it to a person, or a team, or an organisation which is doing the work nearest to God’s heart.

JOY.
Giving is joyful. It brings joy to those who receive it, because it enables them to go on with their task. It brings joy to those who hear their message. There will be people in Heaven who thank those who told them the message of God’s love. They will also thank you whose gifts supported those messengers.

Giving brings joy to God’s heart, because He sees the love behind it and because He knows the use He will make of it.

And giving brings joy to the giver. It brings joy now while we see the joy it brings others. It will go on bringing joy in Heaven, where it will be treasure. God loves a cheerful giver.

GIVE QUIETLY.
Jesus told us “Let your giving be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” Matthew 6:4. It may be necessary to share the knowledge of our giving with our families, or the church treasurer, but always in confidence. It is not public.

St Paul also told us to give “with simplicity” - that is without imposing complicated conditions on the receiver. Just give.

GIVE THOUGHTFULLY
Our giving must not leave us unable to pay our debts or keep our families. Think carefully about how much we can give regularly. Think carefully about which mission or team or worker or translation project we will support. We cannot support them all. There are many worthy causes, but we have to choose. Let it be one which delights God’s heart by promoting The Great Commission. Then we shall share His delight.

MATURE CHURCHES.
New growing churches or rapidly expanding churches are likely to need resources themselves. They may be subsidised for a short time by givers outside themselves - just as children need their parents to support them before they are old enough to earn for themselves.

As churches mature they must first learn to support their own needs, and secondly to support mission outside themselves. That is one of the marks of a mature and lively church.

Some churches support mission directly from their own funds. Others encourage their members to choose which mission to support. Either way is good - provided the church does indeed teach its members to take their share of mission.

If you are in a church which leaves the choice to you, then think carefully about how you divide your giving - some for the church, some for mission.

Some churches appoint a mission secretary who provides the congregation with information about mission work. (You might consider volunteering for that task).

Some churches send and support their own members to join mission teams. That is a special privilege and includes support by prayer and help and letters of encouragement as well as regular finance.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN 2000 YEARS.
Jesus formed a team and it needed funds. Some of its supporters are named in Luke 8:3 (Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many others who “supported Him with their property” - “ministered of their substance” - KJV).

Paul formed several teams which planted many churches. His letter to the Philippians is a letter of thanks for financial support. Not only had the Philippian church collected money for him, it had sent a messenger on a long journey to carry it to him.

Now as then, workers, helpers, prayer supporters and givers share in The Great Commission and will share Christ’s triumph when it is completed.