Sermon Wednesday February 22, 2023
Matthew 6:19–21 19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Have we lived our lives for ourselves or have we lived our lives for God? Sometimes. Sometimes we live our lives for God, but most of the time we live our lives for ourselves. Sometimes people are afraid of the world, losing their loved ones not through death but through being rejected by them. We think sometimes, if we don’t do what our loved ones want, they will reject us. Sometimes we fear we will not have the things we desire. Sometimes we just become complacent and bored. And sometimes we hang on to our anger, our sadness, and settle into our unhappiness.
Most of our lives are spent in an energy to get through each day, striving for our desire’s demands. But sometimes, not much, but sometimes, we live our lives for God. Sometimes we crawl to God for help through the mud we plunge into. The mud we call life in this world. The mud we let the world talk us into jumping in, not realizing the world does not care.
Do you know that God cares for all of us? Or do you believe in the world who cares nothing about your true wellbeing. Yes, we have a God who cares, a God who loves, a God who is grace and mercy to all.
Where is the grace and mercy of the world? When does the world forgive. Do you know that God has forgiven you for everything you have done, every sin that you committed, every time you have turned your back on Him.
Jesus Christ suffered pain, anguish, humility, and even death to assure you that you are forgiven. Is your treasure still in this life, in this forsaken world, or is your treasure with the one who loves you to life everlasting?
The Father said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well Pleased. LISTEN TO HIM. Jesus said on the cross you are forgiven. Jesus said in all of His pain and humility, “Father FORGIVE THEM, for they know not what they do.”
2 Corinthians 5:20b–21—6: 20We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It is that time that we should be compelled to listen to our Savior. We can now acknowledge that we have a Savior who stores His treasure in heaven. And Jesus Christ looks to store you as a treasure to the glory of His Father and our Father too, as a living treasure.
We come to church to worship our God and recognizes all He does for us. This world is indeed a test of our faith as the world tests our faith each and every day. But the passing of this test is not what we do, it is what our Lord Jesus Christ has already done.
Children of God, Jesus Christ has completed the work to save as many and all who believe in Him as He suffered and died for our sin. Rejoice in the Lord! For you are saved by Him and through Him
2 Corinthians 6:1–2a 1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says,
“In a favorable time, I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
This is that favorable time, God has listened to all of our prayers, and they will be answered as He says in His own Holy Word. You are being saved daily to an eternal life that is full of joy. Think about this no pain, no sorrow, no sin, no sadness or tears. We will receive the joy of His salvation forever and ever. Amen.
Written by Pastor Curtis A. May