I am still processing the Sermon on the Mount. I have gone through the 25 posts and edited them for clarity and to revisit them for myself. Now I want to look at the applications I should be making for myself.
Jesus has just finished talking about prayer and fasting. He makes the point with both of these that they should be driven by a desire to draw closer to God, and not to have things go our way or to impress those around us. He continues this thought in these verses by talking about our treasure. I am reminded of these words that I heard spoken by a preacher a few days ago, he said, "Don't focus on the problem, focus on the solution." Focusing on the problem often means focusing on the present. It leads to things like worry and greed. It's not that we should ignore the present or the problem, but it should not be our focus. Jesus says, lay up for yourself treasure in heaven. In other words, focus on your future. If your heart is focused on the problem, then you are focused on self. If you are focused on your future in heaven, you are focused on God. (Now that might be an oversimplification, because first you have to have at least somewhat of an understanding of what it means to be given a future in heaven, and that is what I believe Jesus is addressing in so many aspects in the Sermon on the Mount.)
Take Away: What drives me? It is self-preservation? Is it material things? Or do I really have a heart that is responding to the salvation of God? Where is my treasure? This is something that I must continually ask myself, because I am human and because I continually fall short. It is so easy, even for Christians, to take our eyes off of our goal just for a moment, but that is when the problems start. The Psalmist said, "I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word." (Psalm 119:15,16) The writer of Hebrews said it this way, "
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Notice that one thing we see as we focus on Jesus is that He too was focused. Focused on the joy set before Him, the joy of doing His Father's will. I want that focus. I want that joy.
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