Treasures in Heaven
“Store away stores for yourselves in heaven.” That is the rendering — in one of the carHer English translations of the Bible — of our Lord’s injunction in His Sermon on the Mount. He had just told His hearers that the treasures laid up on earth were liable to be consumed by the moth and the rust, or stolen away by thieves. If they wanted to put what was dearest to their hearts out of the reach of the rust and the robbers, they must lodge them in God’s keeping; there they would be safe. The shrewdest business man may often lie awake in uneasiness about the absolute security of his investments; the Master declares that what we invest in heavenly treasures can never be lost.
Did Christ mean to recommend a large 141 bestowment of money for charitable purposes in order to secure a place in heaven? Some have twisted this passage into a selfish direction and insisted that almsgiving in this world would purchase salvation in the next world. But our Lord never descended to such a mercenary morality; God is not to be bargained with for gold or silver. The scope of this divine injunction is infinitely wider, higher and holier than any pecuniary transaction for selfish purposes; it has an intensely spiritual significance. The treasures to which he refers are all those objects for which an immortal being ought to live, and the possession of which are the most pleasing in the sight of God. When any man gives his heart to God, and sincerely aims to give his life to the service of God, he then makes God his trustee. His property may vanish in the flames, or be swept away by commercial hurricanes, but what is dearest to him is secure. “I know whom I have trusted, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” This 142 precious passage covers more than the sallation of a believer’s soul. It embraces all the results and the fruits, and the outcome of a genuine Christian life. The moment that you are truly converted, that moment you begin to make spiritual investments, you begin to lay up heavenly treasures.
The servants of Christ have a different arithmetic from the worldling. He counts his gains by the earthly possessions that he accumulates. The Christian often gains by the losses of earthly things. “He that loses for my sake finds,” is an assurance full of good cheer to many a tried and afflicted child of God. Grasping after earthly wealth or honor costs very often a sad loss of grace and godliness. It is not what we take up, but what we are ready to give up, that makes us spiritually rich. Giving up for the sake of our Master honors him, and adds to our treasures in heaven. Therein is the peculiar glory of the martyrs; they counted not even their lives as dear, so that they might honor their crucified Lord, and 143 glorious will be their reward among the crowned conquerors up yonder.
It is impossible to compute what treasures every faithful Christian may be storing away for that celestial storehouse. There is a constant accumulation. There is a “laying up” day by day. God is a just accountant and a generous rewarder. A “book of remembrance” is kept, and God will give to every one as his work shall be. That record on high will read very differently from the assessor’s tax-books in this world. Plutus and Midas arc assessed in New York or London as millionaires. Up yonder a “certain poor widow” will outshine many of these colossal money-mongers because she put into the Lord’s treasury the two mites that were all her living. That box of alabaster which Mary broke over the feet of her beloved Master will not lose its fragrance in heaven. Every act of self-denial for Christ is an investment for heaven. Every word spoken for him here will echo there. A precious encouragement is this for faithful parents 144 and Sniiday-school teachers and city missionaries and the whole army of hard toilers in the service of the best of Masters. Do you sometimes get discouraged, my brother, because you do not see more immediate results of your efforts? Don’t worry. You are responsible for doing your whole duty; God is responsible for results. His “reward is with him” to give to every servant according as his work shall be.
It goes without saying that, as they who turn many to righteousness will shine as stars in that celestial firmament, there are some favored servants of Jesus who will come into magnificent inheritances in heaven. We can imagine Robert Raikes surrounded by a multitude of those who were the spiritual trophies of his Sunday-schools, and Spurgeon welcomed by the happy souls whom he led to Jesus, and our own Moody finding his heaven all the more joyous for the number of those whom his untiring labors won to the life everlasting. Consecrated talents will then blaze as crowns of rejoicing. What an induce-MSment is this to every young man and woman who is raising the questions: How shall I employ my brains, my culture or my money to the best advantage? Even one talent, if not hidden or wasted, shall make some very humble Christians rich and radiant when they come into their heavenly inheritance.
In these days, and especially in our own country, there is an astonishing increase of men of immense wealth; the word “million” is almost as common as the word “thousands” was in the days of my childhood. Haste to be rich is the prevailing mania; yet only a very, very small proportion of all the most eager seekers after wealth will ever attain it. But every one of my readers may become “rich toward God.” The secret of it is to get by giving. This is the true paradox in the economy of grace. He that refuses to give his whole heart to Christ is doomed to perish without Christ. He that saves for self only loses; he that loses for Christ’s sake is sure to save. Would you secure treasures in heaven? Then 146 learn to give, and give bountifully. God loveth the cheerful giver. This is not to be limited to gifts of the purse; for the offerings of silver and gold are only a part of what our Master has a right to; we must freely give of everything that WQ have freely received.
If you have the heart to pray, give your prayers; answered prayers will be part of your heavenly inheritance. You that have acquired wisdom and experience, give your counsels to those who need them. Give your personal labors for Christ and the salvation of souls; no wealthy Christian ought to compound with his Master by drawing a bank check in lieu of personal Christian work. Those who have not much money or counsel, or Christian work to bestow, can afford the blessing of godly living and a holy example. And so a Christly life may be a constant expenditure; even as the noonday sun overflows his golden urn of radiance, and is none the poorer in warmth and brightness.
Such a life is a constant accumulation of 147 heavenly treasures. It is a laying-out here for Christ, and a laying-up yonder. Every good deed is recorded; every victory over sin has its crown; every service for our Lord is remembered; for he hath said, ‘’The reward is with me to give to every one as his work shall be.” Labor on, pray on, suffer on, battle on, O faithful servant of the crucified Jesus! Every day will add to vour treasures in heaven.