Sermon Notes: "Where Your Treasure Is" (Luke 12:32-34)

Where Your Treasure Is ~ Luke 12:32-34
January 10, 2015 ~ New City Church of Calgary ~ Pastor John Ferguson
Intro: If you know the comic strip, Calvin & Hobbes, you know they like to wax eloquent about their lives,
meaning in lives, while offering a subtly critique of our lives. Eg., This snowman doesnt look very happy.
Hes not. He knows its just a matter of time before he melts. The sun ignores his entreaties. He feels his
existence is meaningless. Is it? Nope. Hes about to buy a big screen TV.
You and I are immersed in a culture that is continually bombarding us with the message that we simply need
more to be happy. Sometimes we find something that distract us, but nothing seems to fill that void, at least
not for very long. And so our quest for the good life continues on.
And then people like Leonardo DiCaprio wreck everything.
The London Telegraph yesterday ran a feature interview with Leonardo DiCaprio. The headline, Leonardo
DiCaprio: wealth and success dont make you happy.
Weve been looking at the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as they were recorded for us by Luke. And
were in a section of teaching by Jesus that was prompted by someone asking Jesus to get involved in a
dispute about an inheritance. And so Jesus has been talking about possessions, greed, anxiety, and purpose.
And his response contained these two bombshells.
Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for ones life does not consist in the abundance
of possessions. Jesus tells us that our souls are more important than our stuff.
I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. Instead seek first his kingdom, and all these things will be
added unto you.
I want to invite you to listen in on what Jesus says next b/c he is going to tell us that the Father wants to give
you something that not only will flood your life with meaning, but will also transform your understanding of the
good life and what it means to be human. And it all has to do with what your heart treasures.
Where Your Treasure Is ~ Luke 12:32-34 // Context 12:13-31
32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
1. Fear not, little flock.
(1) This is a comforting command. Sheep are easily frightened, but they find comfort in the reassuring
presence of their Shepherd.
(2) This is a logical command b/c of what he says next.
2. to give you the kingdom.
(1) How does that statement strike you?
(2) To the original disciples, this would have stirred them as nothing else would. Thats because they
understood themselves to be a part of a larger story that was all about the kingdom.
Shalom in the Kingdom: life lived under the kind rule of God; life as it was meant to be
Rebellion in the Kingdom: people now build their own heavily fortified kingdoms of the self.
Restoration of the Kingdom: God coming to restore creation: New Heavens & New Earth.
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(3) Thats why the kingdom of God was the theme of the message of Jesus.
Mark 1:14, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.
Matthew 9:35, And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
Luke 4:43, he said to them, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns
as well; for I was sent for this purpose.
(4) The good life is found in the gift (!) of the kingdom that the Father wants to give you. You dont have to
earn it, you dont have to convince a reluctant God to give it to you, its a gift that comes wrapped up for
you in the person of Jesus Christ.
3. for it is your Fathers good pleasure.
(1) Parents love to give good gifts to their children. Exhibit A = Mirandas gift.
(2) The Father delights in giving you good gifts, preeminent among which are the Kingdom & the King.
(3) And if you get this, nothing will be the same. After being on the receiving end of such a kind and
generous God, his gifts actually transforms and changes us into radically kind and generous people.
33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow
old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no moth destroys.
1. Divest.
(1) Jesus says, I want you to envision making yourselves poorer so that others can flourish. I want you to
buy into the fact that life does not consist in the abundance of things. In fact, in a world that uses people
and loves things, I want you to use things to love people.
What I find fascinating about this is that the disciples were poor. They didnt have much, but the little
they did have, Jesus says Use it! Ive already told you that your heavenly Father knows your needs
and has already promised to provide it. Seek his kingdom because hes giving it to you. So use what
you have in order to be a blessing to those in need.
For most of us, we have disposable income. We dont have to sell our stuff in order to be able to
give freely to others. Thats certainly an option, but we have so much with which to be generous.
And because we have been blessed beyond measure and have been given the kingdom of God
our lives should in turn be marked by a radical generosity.
Kent Hughes, The king is close enough to put his hand into your pocketbook and, for most
Westerners, that is far too intrusive and impolite.
Most of us like some things about Christianity like God is love, and Jesus died for our sins. We
will even say Jesus, I want to follow you more intentionally. Jesus says, Ok, lets talk about your
bank account.
(2) Acc. to Jesus, this makes absolute sense. Freely you have received, freely give.
In fact, the new way of being human in the kingdom of God includes a re-evaluation of how we look at
every part of our lives including our time, talents, and treasures. Jesus is calling us to a life that is not
simply concerned with our welfare, but with the welfare and flourishing of others.
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2. Invest.
(1) To be a Christian is to understand that you have been blessed to be a blessing. #JoyfulGiver. We aim at
the agenda of the Kingdom which is to glorify the King by aiming at human flourishing.
(2) 1 Timothy 6:17, As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set heir hopes
on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do
good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves a
good foundation for the future, so they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Exhibit A: Someone from NCC who had been blessed financially this past year gave $$$ to NCC to
distribute anonymously to people who had lost their job.
Exhibit B: Someone from NCC who was so overwhelmed by Gods goodness to him that he left
church and went downtown and spent the afternoon with a homeless person, buying him lunch and
listening to his story, talking about life and the gospel.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(1) David Gooding, Store up your treasure on earth and it will inevitably pull your heart in the direction of
earth. Store it in heaven, and it will pull your heart, and with it, your goals, ambitions and longings,
toward heaven.
(2) Make no mistake about it: You put your money where your heart is. We always spend our wealth on the
things we love the most. If life is about a treasure hunt to fill your own little kingdom with stuff, then
thats where your heart is. But if you get what Jesus is saying, and you buy into the fact that life is about
him and his kingdom, then you will invest your treasures accordingly.
Why does Luke record this account in his historical biography of Jesus?
Because we all by nature are treasure hunters. We all seek treasure. And another way to say that is that we all
seek a kingdom. Were all looking for the good life. But we seek it in all the wrong places.
When you become a Christian, there is a radical reorienting of your nature along the lines of the Kings radical
generosity toward you. And so instead of investing in your own little kingdom, you begin investing and living for
the kingdom of God.
Where your treasure is, there your heart is.
The Good News of Jesus the King and the Gospel of the Kingdom transforms our hearts and transforms our
treasures. How does it do that?
1. 2 Corinthians 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your
sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
2. Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods, When you see him dying to make you his treasure, that will make him yours.
Money will cease to be the currency of your significance and security, and you will want to bless others with
what you have. to the degree you grasp the gospel, money will have no dominion over you. Think on his
costly gracehow he poured out his wealth for you.
3. Evidence of Gods kingdom ruling our hearts and lives is that we will make ourselves poorer that others
might become richer.
Application: How about a line item in your budget that is your Blessing Fund.
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Where your treasure is, there your heart is. We always spend our wealth on the things we love the
most.
NCC, may you be so transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ

and the fact that he died to make you his treasure,
that you will gladly and willingly and joyfully
invest your treasures in his kingdom
because he has captured your heart by his grace.
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Sermon Notes: "Where Your Treasure Is" (Luke 12:32-34)

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What does Jesus say about not being anxious and seeking God's kingdom?

How does Jesus say we should view and use our possessions?

Where Your Treasure Is ~ Luke 12:32-34

NCC, may you be so transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ

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