MOTH, RUST, AND THIEF

MATTHEW 6:1

A. "LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON THE EARTH WHERE MOTH AND RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL; BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURE IN HEAVEN WHERE NEITHER MOTH OR RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK THROUGH NOR STEAL; FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO"
  1. Here, our Lord states the conflict of interest:
    1. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" - Matt. 6:24
    2. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"
  2. Our Creator and our Redeemer:
    1. Counsels us to look ahead, beyond our mortal and temporary confines
    2. Place our earthly treasures where they are secure and most profitable to us in the world to come B. MOTH, RUST, AND THIEF AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR PLACING OUR TREASURES WITHIN THEIR REACH
  3. The moth:
    1. We are all familiar enough with the figure the invasion of a living intruder into garments that have been laid aside, an unsuspected, noiseless ruin going on
    2. Until when the time comes to take out the garments they are all moth-eaten
    3. The moral is clear; the moth stands for a living thing harbored in our life and which gradually but surely destroys its true fiber, the spiritual nature
  4. Rust:
    1. The second thing Jesus speaks about is rust, and that too, is familiar enough
    2. For what is rust? It is simply the product of atmospheric conditions combined with neglect
    3. Our Lord warns us against carelessness and neglect; Examples: The man with the one pound - Matt. 25:24-28; the slothful farmer - Prov. 24:30
    4. Writes Paul, "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" - Rom. 12:11
  5. The thief:
    1. Jesus warns of the thief; it moths stand for some living thing harbored in the life which gradually but surely destroys the spiritual nature; and the rust for carelessness and neglect which eat into the soul, for what does the thief stand?
    2. The thief stands for alienation of our heart's affections from God to the carnal pleasures of this life; Examples: Absalom went daily to the gate where people came in and went out; and with flattery he sought to alienate their affections from his father the king - "He stole the hearts of the people" - 2 Sam. 15:6 C. THE GREAT ASSIGNMENT OF THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
  6. "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven":
    1. The focus of Christ's emphasis is "heaven"
    2. In most every one of his discourses our Lord placed the emphasis on "heaven"; Examples: "Great is your reward in heaven" - Matt. 5:12; "Thou shalt have treasures in heaven" - Matt. 19:21; "Your reward is great in heaven" - Luke 6:23
  7. How then can we place our treasures in heaven:
    1. By investing our treasures in the cause of heaven; Examples: The men with the two and five talents, who invested them for their Lord and doubles - Matt. 25:14-23
    2. Said Jesus, "For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath" - Matt. 25:29
  8. The lesson is crystal clear:
    1. If our heart becomes attached to the accumulation of material wealth, it has become detached from the interests of the kingdom of heaven
    2. How sad it is that so many of us are in danger of losing interest in the great project of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven
    3. We become involved in the cares of this life and thereby lose interest in the work of the Lord
    4. There is no wrong in using industry and hard work to care for our temporal needs; not to do so would be bad judgment - I Tim. 5:8


Design © John Bryant 2011