Thirty Days to Live / Message #2 Sermon Notes

July 15, 2012
Sermon Notes
Series: "Thirty Days to Live" / Message #2
"The Treasure of an Eternal Perspective"
Matthew 6:19-34
Pastor Scott Howard

Series Passage: "Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away.  My life is no longer than the width of my hand.  An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath."  ---Psalm 39:4-5

Sermon Passage: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth 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."  ---Matthew 6:19-21

• Where is your treasure?

The greek word for treasure is THESAUROS, meaning deposit or wealth; the place where good and precious things are collected.

• Where are you putting your Best, your Energy, your Wealth, your Resources, your Time?

Three Internal Promises:

1. I must guard against materialism. 

Luke 12:15--- "Then he said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"

What is the measure of your happiness?  Do things measure happiness, money, family, hobbies?  Just keep yourself in check and make sure you are "rich" in the right things, the things that really matter, (earthly realm, or heavenly realm?).

   2.    I will be generous

• Radically generous, Agressively generous, Extravagantly generous.  (with time, focus, love, hope, etc.)
• You cannot love without giving
• What does love do? Love Gives:  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave..."
• We give our lives.  It's the only reasonable response to what Christ gave.
• If you don't give to God, you don't love God.  (time, energy, gifts, ambitions, dreams, life, etc.)
• We can give to people who are in need:  Matthew 25:35, 40 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in....I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
• Give, because we can't keep it, or take it with us when our life on this earth is over.

   3.   God help me to focus on what matters

• People matter