Treasure in Heaven: Living with Eternal Perspective

Scripture Texts: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23, Colossians 3:1-11, and Luke 12:13-21

August 3, 2025 – Ebenezer UMC & Black Creek UMC

Introduction

Grace and peace to you this morning. Today, the Word of God confronts us with important questions: What is our life for? What gives it meaning? Where do we find purpose in a world driven by work, wealth, and worry? Through our scripture texts today, the Spirit is inviting us to examine our priorities—and to reorder them under Christ.

We live in a world obsessed with accumulation. From the moment we wake up, we’re bombarded with messages telling us that happiness is just one purchase away, that security comes from our bank account, and that success is measured by what we own rather than by who we are. But today, through the wisdom of Scripture, God calls us to examine our hearts and ask a fundamental question: Where is our treasure?

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes cries out in frustration, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!” Paul urges the Colossians to “set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” And Jesus tells us about a man who thought he had everything figured out, only to discover in his final moments that he had nothing at all. These passages don’t merely criticize material pursuits — they reveal the deep longing of the human heart for something more, something eternal, something that truly satisfies.

I. The Vanity of Earthly Pursuits – Chasing the Wind

The Teacher’s Lament

The writer of Ecclesiastes speaks from a place of profound experience. He had wealth, wisdom, pleasure, and power—everything our world tells us we need to be happy. Yet his conclusion is startling: “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.”

This isn’t pessimism; it’s realism. The Teacher discovered what many of us learn too late: that earthly pursuits, when they become our ultimate concern, leave us empty. The promotion we worked so hard for may bring only temporary satisfaction before we start eyeing the next rung on the ladder. The house we saved for can become a burden of maintenance and mortgage payments. The retirement account we’ve carefully built can disappear in a market crash.

But notice something crucial here — the Teacher doesn’t say work is meaningless or that planning is wrong. He’s pointing out that when these things become our ultimate source of meaning and security, they will inevitably disappoint us. The key is not rejection of earthly concerns, but rightly ordering them under the lordship of Christ.

The Rich Fool’s Miscalculation

At the beginning of Luke 12 we see Jesus us walking in the midst of a crowd that had gathered by the thousands, and that they were trampling on one another.

From the crowd someone yells out to Jesus while he was teaching. He interrupts Jesus to ask him to intervene in a family dispute, saying “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Rather than getting involved in this matter, Jesus declines saying “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

He uses this moment as a teaching opportunity, addressing not just the questioner but the entire crowd with a warning: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” Jesus then explains the deeper principle behind his refusal to get involved in the inheritance dispute, stating that “life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

It reminds me of the temptations of our Lord in Matthew 4. After fasting for 40 days, the devil tells Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus responds by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

This sets the scene for the parable that follows, showing how Jesus redirects a practical legal question toward a more fundamental spiritual truth about the proper relationship between people and their material wealth. Jesus’ parable of the rich fool illustrates this perfectly. Here was a man who had achieved what many consider the American dream — so much success that he needed bigger barns to store his wealth. His plan seemed reasonable: “I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

But God’s response cuts to the heart: “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”

The man’s error wasn’t his success or even his planning—it was his assumption that his security lay in his possessions rather than in his relationship with God. He was, as Jesus puts it, not “rich toward God.”

II. The Call to Set Our Minds Above

Paul’s Radical Reorientation

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul presents us with a disciple’s way of thinking. “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Now, some might read this and think Paul is calling us to be “so heavenly minded that we’re of no earthly good,” to quote Oliver Wendell Holmes.[i] That is, to ignore our responsibilities, quit our jobs, and wait for Jesus to return. But that’s not what Paul means at all. He’s calling on us to reorient our priorities and to make a fundamental shift in what drives our decisions and defines our identity.

When Paul says “set your minds on things above,” he’s talking about having an eternal perspective that shapes how we live in the present. It’s about asking different questions: How does this decision honor God? How can my work serve his kingdom? How can my resources be used for his glory and the good of others?

The New Self

Paul goes on to describe what this looks like. He calls for us to “put to death” the earthly desires that once controlled us — greed, impurity, anger, malice. Instead, we’re to “clothe ourselves” with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. This isn’t just moral improvement; it’s a complete transformation of what we value and pursue.

III. Living with Eternal Perspective in a Temporal World

The Tension We Face

I remember one summer at Annual Conference some time ago when a retiring preacher got up and denounced Social Security and the pension plan of the church. He made the argument that these things would destroy our trust in God.

But does that really make sense? Does God really expect us to not plan for the future?

Here’s where many of us struggle. We hear “set your minds on things above,” and we may wonder: Does this mean I shouldn’t plan for retirement? Should I not save for my children’s education? Is it wrong to work for a promotion or buy a house?

The answer is both yes and no. The issue isn’t whether we engage with earthly responsibilities — Jesus himself worked as a carpenter, and Paul made tents. Even from the cross, Jesus made arrangements for his mother to be taken care of. (John 19:26–27)

The issue is the spirit in which we approach these things and the priority we give them in our lives.

Right Priorities: Seeking First the Kingdom

Jesus gives us the key in Matthew 6:33: “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Notice he doesn’t say ignore these earthly needs—he says seek God’s kingdom first, and trust that God will provide what you truly need.

This means approaching our planning and working with kingdom priorities. When we’re considering a job change, we ask not just “Will this pay more?” but “How will this enable me to serve God better?” When we’re saving money, we consider not just our own security but how we can be generous toward others. When we’re making decisions about our time, we remember that our ultimate calling is to love God and love our neighbors.

Stewardship, Not Ownership

As disciples, we understand that everything we have is a gift from God, entrusted to us for faithful stewardship. This changes everything. Our money isn’t just our money — it’s God’s money that he has entrusted to us. Our time isn’t just our time — it’s God’s time that he’s given us to use for his glory. Our talents and abilities aren’t just ours — they’re gifts to be used in service of his kingdom.

James reminds us to approach our planning with humility: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring... Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13-15)

This isn’t fatalism — it’s faithful recognition that we’re not ultimately in control. We can plan wisely while holding our plans loosely, ready for God to redirect them according to his will.

IV. Practical Kingdom Living

Working for God’s Glory

Colossians 3:23 tells us, “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters.” This transforms our work from mere drudgery into worship. Whether you’re a teacher, a mechanic, a nurse, or a CEO, you’re called to excellence — not to impress people or advance your career, but to honor God with your efforts.

This means showing integrity in your business dealings, treating colleagues with respect, doing your best work even when no one is watching, and looking for opportunities to serve others through your profession.

Generous and Detached

The kingdom-minded person can save for the future while remaining generous in the present. They can enjoy God’s good gifts without being enslaved by them. They can work hard without being consumed by ambition. They understand that their security comes not from their bank account but from their relationship with the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.[ii]

This doesn’t mean being careless with money or ignoring practical needs. It means holding our possessions with an open hand, ready to share when God calls us to generosity, ready to sacrifice when his kingdom requires it.

Daily Faithfulness

Perhaps most importantly, the balanced disciple doesn’t get so caught up in planning for the future that they miss God’s call in the present moment. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” — not “Give us enough bread stored up for the next forty years.” While planning is wise, worry is sin. While saving is prudent, hoarding is idolatry.

Each day brings opportunities to love God and serve others. Each day offers chances to demonstrate kingdom values in a world obsessed with earthly treasure. Each day is a gift to be received with gratitude and lived with purpose.

Conclusion: Where Is Your Treasure?

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19) We will be looking at the Lukan version of this text next week.

The question before us today is simple but profound: Where is your treasure? What are you really living for? What gets you excited, keeps you up at night, drives your decisions?

If your treasure is in earthly things — your job, your possessions, your reputation, your security — then you’re building on shifting sand. Like the rich fool, you may find yourself with full barns but an empty soul.

But if your treasure is in heaven — if your greatest joy comes from knowing God, serving others, and advancing his kingdom — then you’re building on the solid rock that cannot be shaken.

This doesn’t mean becoming a monk or giving away everything you own. It means approaching every aspect of your life with the question: How can this bring glory to God and good to others? It means planning wisely while trusting completely. It means working hard while resting secure in God’s provision. It means enjoying earthly blessings while keeping your heart set on heavenly treasure.

A Personal Rule of Life

I challenge you this week to develop your own rule of life for these matters — a set of guiding principles that help you maintain this balance. Perhaps it includes:

Starting each day by surrendering your plans to God
Making generosity a regular practice, not just an occasional impulse
Regularly examining your motives in work and spending
Setting aside time for prayer and Scripture study, no matter how busy you are
Looking for ways to serve others through your unique gifts and circumstances

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes concluded his reflections with these words: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.” Paul urged the Colossians to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts. Jesus promised that those who seek first God’s kingdom would find everything they truly need.

Brothers and sisters, you have been raised with Christ. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. Set your minds on things above, and let that eternal perspective transform how you live on earth. Store up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Amen.

[i] The quote "Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good" is commonly attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., though it does not appear in his major published works.

[ii] Hymn "God Owns the Cattle on a Thousand Hills" by John W Peterson, drawing on Psalm 50:10, "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." See hymn at https://hymnary.org/text/he_owns_the_cattle_on_a_thousand_hills

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