Treasure in Heaven

Hello Friends,

Well, the countdown for school has commenced. Schools have aisles and aisles of schools supplies: markers, crayons, colored pencils, notebooks, notebook paper, folders, pencils, and so much more. Teachers are getting their classrooms ready. Registration for classes is open. And back to school gatherings are happening in many ways. I’m afraid to say this, but summer vacation is coming to a close. Soon fall will be here. What are you doing to enjoy the last few days of summer vacation?

For several weeks now, we have been talking about heaven. We’ve talked about how Jesus wants everyone to get to heaven, how the prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven, how Jesus helps us get to heaven, how Jesus is the bread of heaven, and several other topics. So, today, we continue our look at heaven by thinking about “treasure.”

Do you like treasure? When I say “treasure” what comes to mind? Pirates? Buried gold? Treasure chests? Maps marked with an ‘X’? When I think of treasure, I think about the movie The Goonies, which was released in 1985. Here’s the plot of the movie:

Facing foreclosure of their homes in the “Goon Docks” area of Astoria, Oregon, to an expanding country club, a group of boys who call themselves “the Goonies”—Michael “Mikey” Walsh, Richard “Data” Wang, Clark “Mouth” Devereaux, and Lawrence “Chunk” Cohen—gather for a final weekend together. While rummaging through the Walshes’ attic, they come across a 1632 doubloon and an old treasure map purporting to lead to the treasure of legendary pirate “One-Eyed Willy”, believed to be located somewhere nearby. Seeing the treasure as their last chance to save their homes, the boys go on a treasure hunt. (You have to watch the movie to find out what happens!)

The treasure that the Goonies were seeking was going to help them save their homes, their community. It was going to be used to change their life and the lives of hundreds of people. Unlike the many treasures we have in our life–our favorite toy, doll, action-figure, tractor, outfit, picture, etc.–their reason for their treasure was to find something that would save them. You know, this all kind of reminds me of what Jesus said once.

Matthew 6:19-21 reads, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus is telling us that we shouldn’t want too many things while we’re here in this world because everything wears out or gets destroyed or stolen or lost. We can never keep what we have here. And we certainly can’t take any of our things with us when we die. So, the things in this world won’t last. But what will last are the good things that we do for God and for other people. Jesus says that our good things will last forever and that when we get to Heaven, he will reward us for all the good things that we do.

Although the Goonies sought a material item–like your favorite toy–to rescue their town, in the end what they really wanted to save was not their house or their school or their favorite place to gather. Rather, they wanted to save their friendship, their memories, their love for a place that brought them together. Those are the treasures that Jesus wants us to store in heaven: things and people that exemplify his love and care and kindness. What sort of treasures are in your heart?

So, let’s remember to always think about doing good things instead of thinking about all the things that we want. Let’s do things from the heart as we go on treasure hunts for Jesus!

Let us pray: Dear Jesus, we thank you that our forever home is with you. Help us to do good things here on earth that will last forever, and help us not to want the things of this world too much. And help us to focus on the treasures in our heart that get us closer to you. Amen.

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!

Message Borrowed from: https://ministry-to-children.com/lesson-treasure-in-heaven/