January 12, 2020
Am I Sacrificing for the Kingdom?
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" – Matthew 6:21
Commentary
Our heart follows our values. If we value college football, our heart follows with elation when our team wins or exasperation when our team loses. In the Old Testament, Moses understood what it meant to follow one's values. He grew up in Egypt, and upon reaching adulthood, he could have remained in Egypt and enjoyed a privileged life as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. But he chose differently. Why? Moses chose to identify with the Hebrew people because he valued God more than Egypt's earthly comforts. God was Moses' treasure. The author of Hebrews wrote, "He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward" (11:26).
Interestingly, the term for "treasures" in Hebrews 11:26 is the same word used in Matthew 6:21. Moses did not "treasure" Egypt's comforts, so he was willing to leave them behind. He followed God into the wilderness because God was his treasure. When God is our treasure, our hearts will follow with abandon for the things of God. We will sacrifice our time and finances to invest in God's Kingdom work in our city and around the world. So, what is your heart chasing after today? Is it sports? Money? An upwardly mobile career? Whatever our hearts chase after reveals what we truly treasure. Decide now that God is your treasure, and then watch as your heart begins to chase after Him.
Application
• Identify what upsets you and what gives you great joy. It is likely those things are what you truly treasure.
• How can you sacrifice time for God's Kingdom this year? Would you be willing to forego that dream vacation to go on a mission trip so others can hear about Jesus?
• What personal budget adjustments can you make this year so that you can invest more of your finances into God's Kingdom? How could you lower your electric bill each month so you could give more to God's Kingdom?
Prayer Points
• Pray for God to be your treasure.
• Pray for God to show you what you can sacrifice so that His name and His renown may be praised throughout the earth.
• Pray for God to provide opportunities for you to invest your time into His Kingdom.