10.26.2025. – Sunday Sermon by Rev. Jeungbok Lee
Scripture: Matthew 6:19–21
Title: “Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also”
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Matthew 6:19–21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
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1.
This passage reminds me of a testimony I once heard from a well-known pastor during a retreat held by the missionary organization I belonged to. The impression it left on me and the resolution I made at that time are still vivid in my memory.
That pastor said that shortly after building his first church, the summer monsoon season came. Because the roof had not yet been completely finished, rainwater leaked into the sanctuary. He said he was so heartbroken that he tried to protect the church by covering the leaks with his own back, letting the rain fall on himself. He then said he believed God had seen his heart at that time and later allowed his church to grow into a large congregation.
When I heard that, I remember thinking to myself, “I should also dedicate my body to serve the Lord.” However, I no longer feel the same inspiration from his testimony now—because when he retired, he forcibly passed his church down to his son and received a very large sum of money as retirement pay.
I share this story to emphasize that our devotion of faith must remain consistent throughout our lives. In other words, it is far more important to continue running the race of faith to the end with the same first love for God than to show only temporary devotion.
His act of devotion—protecting the leaking church roof with his body out of love for God’s house—was indeed praiseworthy. Yet his later actions, showing greater love for material possessions at the end of his ministry, are not worth imitating. His behavior at retirement revealed that he had lost the faith he once had. In the end, his heart appeared to be set on the treasures of this world rather than on God.
Therefore, believers must run the race of faith to the end with the passion of their first love. From beginning to end, our hearts must be set on heaven, where our true treasure lies.
The apostle Paul, at the end of his life, told his spiritual son Timothy that he had kept the faith and finished the race, and he encouraged Timothy to do the same:
2 Timothy 4:6–8
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
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2.
In today’s passage, Jesus clearly commands His disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”
2.1
A treasure represents what a person values most dearly—it reveals one’s attitude toward what they hold precious. A treasure might be fame, material success, or even one’s own children. People devote their hearts to their treasures, striving to obtain and protect them.
However, all such earthly treasures will vanish like morning mist when this world comes to an end. In the kingdom of heaven, these earthly treasures will have no value.
There is a story of a foolish rich man who wanted to enjoy his wealth even after death. He decided to take gold with him to heaven. He was buried in a gold-lined coffin wearing a gold shroud. But when he arrived at heaven’s gate, he discovered that the streets there were paved with gold. The gold he brought was worthless.
Earthly treasures can never become treasures in heaven.
2.2
Sometimes, even religious acts done with the wrong motives become earthly treasures rather than heavenly ones. For example, when one performs acts of giving, prayer, or fasting to be seen and praised by others as a “pious person,” that praise becomes their reward.
Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting should be done before God, within a relationship between God and oneself. Likewise, a pastor who preaches seeking the congregation’s approval—striving to make sermons enjoyable to gain compliments—stores up treasures on earth rather than in heaven.
Those who seek human praise as their treasure become spiritual hypocrites, and the Lord will rebuke them as such.
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3.
Our Lord tells us not to store up treasures on earth and clearly explains why:
because moth and rust destroy them, and thieves break in and steal.
3.1
At that time, silk and wool garments were symbols of wealth—they were people’s treasures. Yet when moths infested those garments, they were eaten and ruined. Even the finest earthly treasures can be damaged by small insects. Knowing that worldly treasures decay and lose value over time, Jesus commanded His followers not to store them up on earth.
3.2
Coffins made of gold or other earthly treasures can corrode. Rust represents decay or corrosion—the natural process by which metals or even grains perish and lose their usefulness. Earthly treasures are unstable and temporary; with time, they corrode or rot away.
3.3
Some people hide their treasures in their homes, but thieves can dig through walls and steal them. Houses in ancient Israel were often made of clay, so it was easy for thieves to break in and take hidden valuables.
3.4
In short, unlike heavenly treasures, earthly treasures naturally deteriorate and become useless. Moreover, because worldly treasures are desired by others, storing them in one’s house on earth only invites theft.
Jesus wanted His disciples to understand this clearly. Therefore, the wise and discerning disciple will seek to store up treasures in heaven.
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4.
What we must do is store up treasures in heaven—because there, moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves cannot break in or steal.
But we should not think of “heaven” merely as a physical contrast to “earth.” It is not simply the sky above us or a spatial opposite to this world. We must understand what kind of place heaven truly is.
4.1
Heaven is the realm where God’s unchanging rule is perfectly established. There is no decay or corruption of nature and no passing of time. Therefore, moth and rust cannot exist there.
Heaven is “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).
4.2
Heaven is also a place without sin.
Revelation 21:27 says:
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Because earthly treasures have no value there, there is no reason to steal, and no thieves can even enter.
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5.
How, then, can we store up treasures in heaven?
5.1
Heavenly treasures are not the things that people on earth consider precious—gold, jewels, money, houses, or cars. The treasures we can store in heaven are the things God considers precious.
A life that bears fruit according to God’s will and character in the place where He has called us to live—that is what it means to store up treasures in heaven. The eternal God delights in our obedience that flows from such a life.
Therefore, to store up treasures in heaven, we must daily read and meditate on God’s Word and pray. Only those who know what pleases God through His Word can store up heavenly treasures.
5.2
How can we reveal God’s will and character through our lives? God’s attributes are often abstract and invisible, but they can be expressed through tangible acts of love—such as helping the poor with a warm heart, forgiving enemies, and loving others.
However, such love cannot remain only in the heart; it must take form through practical acts. To do that, we must use what the world values—its “treasures.”
When we use worldly possessions to practice God’s love, we are storing up treasures in heaven. Those who receive our help will be truly thankful because what they receive is valuable in worldly terms.
Yet if we, like the world, regard money as our treasure, giving it away to help others will be painful—because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
By contrast, those who desire to store up treasures in heaven will gladly use their material resources to help others, because their hearts are already set on heaven.
This is the practical way to store up treasures in heaven—through acts that bring real help and are precious to those who receive them.
Matthew 19:21
“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
Luke 16:9
“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
Another example appears in Matthew 25:31–46, where the sheep, who are commended at the final judgment, give water to the thirsty. The water they gave was not from a nearby well—it was precious water in a place like a desert, where water was scarce. Because they gave what was precious, they stored up treasures in heaven and were commended.
The same applies to welcoming strangers. Today, preparing a meal might take just an hour with store-bought ingredients. But in ancient times, hosts had to prepare everything themselves. When a traveler suddenly arrived, they had to serve him with the food they had prepared for their own next meal. Thus, welcoming strangers was an act of obedience that stored up treasure in heaven.
Visiting and caring for those in prison was also such an act. Modern prisons provide food and shelter, but in ancient times—especially in Roman prisons during the days of Jesus and Paul—prisoners received no provisions. To survive, they relied on family or friends to bring food, clothing, blankets, and medicine.
Those who cared for the imprisoned did so at personal cost—of time, effort, and possessions. Such concrete acts of help are examples of storing up treasures in heaven.
5.3
Yet some people, though citizens of God’s kingdom, fail to store up treasures in heaven. Everything we possess has been entrusted to us by God, our true Owner. But some treat their possessions as their own, forgetting that they are merely stewards. Such people cannot store up treasures in heaven.
Those who fail to do so also tend to think of this world as their permanent home. They forget that living in this world is like staying as travelers in a hotel. They decorate their rooms, buy TVs, and install computers, thinking it is their home. But when the hotel staff comes one day and says, “Your stay is over; it’s time to leave,” everything they acquired becomes meaningless.
Those who fail to store up treasures in heaven will one day leave this world behind and face eternity empty-handed.
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Conclusion
Let us remember always that we are living in this world as pilgrims and stewards. Our time on earth is short and temporary. Yet it is precious, because it is the only time we have to store up treasures in heaven.
As travelers passing through this world, let us strive to lay up heavenly treasures. The more treasures we store in heaven, the greater our longing for heaven will grow. Conversely, the more treasures we store on earth, the stronger our attachment to this world will become.
Let us close with Luke 12:33–34:
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Let us pray. (End)