You’ll notice that in Luke 6:45 Jesus not only emphasizes the heart that must be changed if we are to bear good spiritual fruit, he also mentions treasure.
Luke 6:45 [ESV] The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
The heart that has been changed by Jesus; the heart that produces good spiritual fruit is a heart that treasures Jesus above all else.
Forrest Fenn is an art dealer and author in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but his biggest claim to fame is the treasure (an estimated $2 million dollars in gold nuggets, rare coins, jewelry, and gemstones) that he supposedly hid in the mountains somewhere north of Santa Fe.
In 2011 Fenn wrote a self-published memoir called, The Thrill of the Chase, and included in it a poem that he said contained clues to the treasure's location, but so far no one has reported the treasure found, although four people have died searching for it.
Randy went missing while hunting for the treasure in January 2016. His body was discovered in July that year.
Jeff was found dead in Yellowstone National Park. His wife told park authorities that he was searching for Fenn’s treasure when she first reported him missing.
Paris was a pastor from Grand Junction, Colorado. His body was found 5-7 miles from where he parked his car to search for the treasure.
Eric moved to Colorado in 2016 to search for the treasure. He was last seen alive rafting on the Arkansas river; the raft overturned and Eric’s body was found in July 2017.
Here we have all these men dying (as so many others have) for temporary treasure; treasure that would have disappeared like straw in the wind even had they found it. But Jesus is an eternal treasure; and what’s more, he is an eternal treasure that died for us!
Jesus is an eternal treasure; and what’s more, he is an eternal treasure that died for us!
Besides Jesus, Solomon was the wisest person to ever live. And he may have been one of the wealthiest as well. But listen to what Solomon says about all his temporary, earthly treasure...
Ecclesiastes 2:8–9 [ESV] I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
Ecclesiastes 2:11 [ESV] Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Solomon knew what many people will be astonished to discover when they die—earthly treasure means nothing when you’re facing eternity.
Everyone of us is facing eternity. It may not feel like that to you if you’re feeling good. Maybe you’re in the prime of life, a long way from having to think about frequent doctor visits and multiple medications. For some of you, however, frequent doctor visits and multiple medications have become facts of life. You understand better than most that eternity might only be one missed heartbeat away.
But the truth is, life could be over for any one of us in the blink of an eye. Marathoners die of heart attacks. People in their 20’s and 30’s die of strokes. Children have go to sleep never to awaken. Your life is a vapor that will vanish in an instant and then comes the judgment! And at the judgment, what will matter most is your treasure!
Your life is a vapor that will vanish in an instant and then comes the judgment! And at the judgment, what will matter most is your treasure!
You know, James talks about this in James 5.
He mentions the rich and how they should weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon them because they’ve stored up for themselves the wrong treasure. He says in light of the eternal judgment of Jesus, their riches have rotted and their garments are moth-eaten. Their gold and silver have corroded. They have laid up treasure in the last days, but it is the treasure of greed, fraud, luxury, and self-indulgence (James 5:1-4). James said they have only fattened their hearts for the day of slaughter, the day of judgment at the coming of the Lord Jesus (James 5:5).
If your heart treasures the wrong treasure, you won’t produce good spiritual fruit and you’ll end up in hell.
In Luke 12:33-34, Jesus says...
Luke 12:33–34 [ESV] 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 thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Where is your heart? Is it with Jesus in heaven? Or is it here on earth?
In Luke 18, we have the record of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking about eternal life. Jesus laid out the commandments related to the love of neighbor and the young man said, “All these I have kept from my youth,” (Luke 18:21).
Jesus knew, however, that the rich young ruler didn’t have a neighbor problem, but a treasure problem. Jesus said, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me,” (Luke 18:22).
And there it was—the moment of judgment. Would the rich young ruler trade the temporary treasure of earth for the eternal treasure of Jesus? Or would he cling to a treasure that would fail him in eternity?
Luke 18:23 gives the answer...
Luke 18:23 [ESV] But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
Jesus is the treasure of heaven. All those whose hearts have been changed by Jesus treasure him above all else! And because we treasure Jesus the treasure of heaven, we store up treasure in heaven, which is also known as bearing good spiritual fruit.
Are you bearing good spiritual fruit?
If not, perhaps your heart hasn’t been changed by Jesus.
Or perhaps something has replaced Jesus as the treasure of your heart.
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