Treasures That Endure: Storing Up in Heaven
We turn our hearts and minds to a profound and challenging encounter in the Gospels, one that forces us to examine our deepest loyalties and priorities. Our base text comes from Mark 10:21, part of the familiar account of the rich young man who approached Jesus.
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.In Mark 10:17-22, we see this earnest young man, perhaps a ruler, coming to Jesus with a pivotal question, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Outwardly, he appeared to be a model of godliness. He claimed to have obeyed the commandments from his youth (v. 20), seemingly living a morally upright life.
But Jesus, with His penetrating gaze, saw beyond the external facade. He revealed to this young man what truly held his heart captive: he loved his riches more than God. The Lord's invitation was clear and radical: "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." But when Jesus asked him to sell everything and follow Him, the young man went away sad (v. 21-22). His vast possessions were an insurmountable barrier to his heart's true devotion.
Herein lies a profound truth: Jesus offers treasure in heaven, a treasure that far surpasses anything this world can offer. But there are conditions to obtaining it. These conditions are not merely intellectual assent but a radical reorientation of our lives: we must follow Him, and we must be willing to leave behind anything that prevents us from doing so.
As we reflect on this timeless encounter, we will look at two key aspects:
1. How can we obtain this heavenly treasure?
2. Biblical examples of those who have achieved it.
May the Holy Spirit illuminate our hearts and minds, challenging us to truly evaluate where our treasure lies.
I. HOW CAN WE OBTAIN THIS HEAVENLY TREASURE?
The rich young man's encounter with Jesus reveals the demanding, yet incredibly rewarding, path to storing up treasure in heaven. It’s a path marked by wholehearted commitment.
A. Following Jesus Without Reservation: Jesus calls us to a singular loyalty, a commitment that places Him above all else, regardless of the circumstances. There can be no divided heart when it comes to following Christ. In Matthew 10:37, Jesus declares, "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." This is not a call to despise our families, but to elevate our love for Christ to the supreme position in our lives. If family, career, reputation, or anything else takes precedence, we are not truly worthy of Him.
B. Being Willing Even to Give Up Our Life: The call to follow Jesus is so profound that it demands our very lives, if necessary. Matthew 10:38-39 states, "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." To "take up one's cross" means to embrace suffering, self-denial, and even death for Christ’s sake. Our own lives, our self-preservation, our personal comfort should not be an obstacle. If necessary, we should be willing to lose our lives for Him, knowing that in doing so, we will truly find eternal life.
C. Renouncing Our Possessions: This was the sticking point for the rich young ruler, and it remains a challenge for many today. Luke 14:33 makes it abundantly clear: "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." This is not a symbolic renunciation; it is a real willingness of the heart to hold everything loosely, to recognize that nothing we possess is truly ours, but rather a stewardship from God. It means being ready and willing to lay down our material wealth, our status, our comforts, if Christ calls us to do so, or if they become an idol in our hearts.
D. Application: The rich young ruler refused to let go of what he loved, and thus he missed the greatest invitation of his life. We must ask ourselves: What things are preventing us from following Jesus wholeheartedly? Is it our money, our career, our desire for comfort, our reputation, our relationships, our hobbies, our personal plans? If we do not let go of these earthly things, if we cling to them more tightly than we cling to Christ, we risk losing the eternal. The temporary will obscure the truly valuable.
II. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO GOT THIS TREASURE
The good news is that throughout history, many have answered this radical call and received the heavenly treasure. Their lives stand as powerful testimonies to the wisdom of choosing Christ above all else.
A. Moses – Hebrews 11:24-26: This great leader of Israel demonstrated incredible faith. "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Moses rejected the privileges, power, and vast wealth of the Egyptian palace. He preferred suffering and identification with God's despised people, because he was looking toward the eternal reward, the heavenly treasure.
B. Abraham – Hebrews 11:8-10: The father of faith is another prime example. "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." He obeyed, not knowing where he was going, because his ultimate hope was not in an earthly dwelling but in the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem.
C. Other examples in Hebrews 11: The "hall of faith" is filled with those who renounced the world to live by faith. Noah, Abel, Enoch, and countless others mentioned throughout this chapter "lived as strangers and exiles on the earth," seeking a better, heavenly home (Hebrews 11:13-16). They placed their hope and their treasure in God and His eternal promises.
D. The Apostle Paul – Philippians 3:4-8; 2 Timothy 4:7-8: Paul, perhaps more than anyone, embodies this principle. Despite his impressive earthly credentials—his heritage, his legalistic righteousness—he declared in Philippians 3:7-8: "But whatever were gains to me I now consider as loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." He considered everything that once brought him earthly prestige and gain as mere rubbish, so that he might gain Christ. At the end of his life, he could confidently declare in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, "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." He received his heavenly treasure.
E. Peter, Andrew, James, and John – Matthew 4:18-22: These humble fishermen represent the immediate and radical response. When Jesus called them, "Come, follow me…," they immediately left their nets, their boats, and even their family to follow the Master. Their reward was not earthly wealth, but direct service in the Kingdom of God and an eternal inheritance.
F. Application: What united all these biblical figures? They obtained heavenly treasure because they consistently put God and His eternal kingdom first. Their lives demonstrate the truth of John 12:26: "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." God Himself honors those who wholeheartedly serve and follow His Son.
- What Happens When We Resist the Holy Spirit? Acts 7:51
- Five Decisions We Must Make as Christians
- How to Be an Exemplary Young Christian Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15
Conclusion
My dear friends, today, right now, you too can have treasure in heaven. But it is entirely up to you. It is a choice we each must make.
What will you do with Jesus' profound, challenging, and infinitely loving invitation? "Come, follow me… and you will have treasure in heaven." (Mark 10:21).
You only have one life, one precious opportunity to make this choice. Don't waste it clinging to fleeting earthly things that will one day perish. Don't be like the rich young ruler, who walked away sad from the greatest offer ever made.
Choose to follow Christ today. Remember, earthly things are temporary, subject to decay, theft, and loss. Heavenly things are eternal, secure, and infinitely valuable. To reject Christ, to cling to the world, is to lose everything that truly matters. But to follow Him, to surrender your all, is to gain everything—eternal life, true purpose, and an incorruptible treasure in heaven.
May God give us the grace and courage to make that choice today. Amen.
