How material things does not last, but we can store treasure in heaven by investing in people.

<p>How material things does not last, but we can store treasure in heaven by investing in people.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Hendersonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, NC

David Wright

The Best Investment

Lived in New York City, 7 total, 1 brother, 6 sisters, and the brother convinced all of his sisters to never marry.

The last sister died in 1931 in the same old run-down house that they all lived in.

Her only dress was 1 she made herself and she wore for the past 25 years.

Never married, never had kids, never traveled, never fixed up her house or herself.

And what no 1 knew was that when the last of the Wendells passed away, that they had received a huge inheritance from their parents, valued at more than $100 million, mind you, in 1931.

This week I got on to online and found an inflation calculator and if you plug it in and put the year 1931, that's equivalent to 1.4 billion dollars today.

That's so much money that if I inherited that much money today at age 33 and had 6 sisters to divide it with, and we all lived to be 100, each of us would only be able to spend our allowance of just 3000000 a year, just each of us.

I read that story and I think to myself, what a waste to have had all of that tucked away, dug in a hole in the ground somewhere, or I don't know where they had it.

Jesus counsels us to have a different approach.

To whom much is given from him much will be required.

And so this morning I want to turn to the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapter 5, 6 and 7.

He's done some preaching and he's done some healing But this Sermon on the Mount is in many respects Jesus inaugural address To a very large crowd from the capitalist Jerusalem Judea and beyond the Jordan Scripture tells us in a few verses right before.

And as Jesus speaks, they are drawn in because it is contrary to all that they have heard from the priests and the rabbis.

Up until now only the healthy and the wealthy and the Jewish race, they were the only ones that were blessed.

But rather Jesus' first words of this sermon Took everyone by surprise, took them back.

Blessed, it says in chapter 5, verse 3, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The complete opposite of what the priests and the rabbis taught.

In fact, in verse 20, Jesus goes as far as to say, unless your righteousness exceeds that righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

You see, the letter of the law was strictly enforced, but the spirit of the law.

That was a different story, completely neglected.

And while we'll not be taking the time to look at each 1, 6 different times in chapter 5, Jesus says, you have heard it said, but I say to you." They think they're so self-righteous because they do not murder or commit adultery or divorce improperly, but Jesus gives them and us a much deeper understanding of each of those things and how all of us can be guilty of yes murder and adultery.

Jesus further outlines how we should turn the other cheek and not just love our friends but our enemies as well.

You have heard it said, but I say to you." And in the heart of this sermon on the mount we find today's passage that still I believe speaks volumes for our time in 2012.

In a time of materialism and self-indulgence, where people live to work and work to possess.

In a world obsessed with fashion and entertainment and sports.

Where the wealthy and affluent are idolized.

Where pride is called self-confidence and greed is called providing for your family.

Where extravagant vacations have become the absent father's attempt to buy back the affection of his children, where the smartphone is king and all social interaction is crippled by that blank stare to that 2 by 3 inch screen.

In fact, I have thought about creating an app.

It's going to be called How to save your marriage.

And you'll download that app and you'll click on it and in bright big red letters it'll say, put it down!

Yes, I believe these words from the lips of Jesus are more pertinent today than they were 2, 000 years ago.

Matthew 6, reading verse 19 and 20, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal?

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal." What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear that phrase, treasure?

Do not store for yourselves treasure on earth.

When you think of treasure, do you think of a treasure chest perhaps buried at the bottom of the ocean, filled with coins?

You think of money or wealth or a big bank account?

1 study I came across this week showed that the top concern of college freshmen, 78% of college freshmen, when choosing their major, the number 1 thing they look at, well, I just don't ever want to have to worry about money.

Sounds like they're already worried about it.

The reality is you have to live within your means.

The numbers on your paycheck are ultimately irrelevant because you'll have bills that will match it, right?

In other parts of the world, all of us would be rich for the simple fact that we're not hungry.

It's estimated that 1000000000 out of the 7000000000 on the planet today are hungry and malnourished today.

That's equivalent of all of North America and Europe combined.

Mothers who have nothing to feed their starving children.

In fact, hunger is the world's number 1 health risk.

It kills more people every year than AIDS and malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Yet in the face of that, here in America, Consumers spend an enormous amount of money on non-essentials.

48 billion on the pet industry expenditures.

You ever traveled overseas and seen how pets are treated?

20 billion for video and computer games, 19 billion on home entertainment products, and the list continues.

We've Adopted that motto, he who dies with the most toys wins.

New houses, cars, furniture, electronics, not because the old 1 has worn out, but because it's no longer top of the line.

We need the newest and the latest and the greatest.

The reality is most of us could live on half of our income if we had to.

Together we put in 100 hours a week while someone else raises our kids and enjoys all the firsts.

The first words, the first steps, the first time riding a bike.

And society has told us to invest in stocks and bonds and CDs and mutual funds, but if you really want to play it safe, invest in the housing market.

We're not going to take the time this morning, but I came across study after study after study that showed Americans get their self-worth from how much they make.

Americans are very willing to give up personal time just so they can make more money.

Americans spend even when they can't afford it.

And at the number 1 issue, couples fight about finances, But you already knew that.

And as a result of our desire to make more money, we are stressed out and severely sleep deprived.

You might be sitting there in your smug complacency and say, okay, okay, okay, I get your point.

I'm in high school or I'm in college and I'm just trying to pay my bill.

And buying a house, that's the last thing on my mind.

I'm just living off of ramen noodles and cereal.

Well let me ask you, is time a treasure in our society today?

I know I should get up and read in the morning, but I really need my rest.

Daddy will read you a story later, sweetheart.

I know the church needs my help with this evangelistic campaign, but I have to go to work to support my habits and the lifestyle I enjoy.

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The Best Investment

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