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For some of you this may be a question whose answer is far off in the future while for others it is a question that is nearer than we would want to admit. How have you planned for life after retirement? Have you made or thought about investments that would give you the security you want when you retire? What would you like to do when you retire? Will there be enough resources for you to do so?
Many young folks today don’t look at this question closely enough and find that life has passed them by so quickly that they are unprepared when the reality of retired life hits. Hopefully you are not and will not be one of these by taking hold of this issue seriously before it takes hold of you.
So, let’s say you have prepared or are preparing for life after retirement but what about life after we retire from this earth to be in heaven with the Lord, have you begun to prepare for that?
This is what we are going to be looking at today, life after we retire from this world and go to the next. Will we be prepared for it?
When we come to a passage like this one, do you ever wonder what Jesus meant by it? If we are honest about it we would have to answer yes. I believe this because we are all at different levels of maturity in our walk with the Lord. For some we think, “Yeah I can do that” and for others, “I am doing that.” But take heed that when we say this the Lord will always test us on what we said we believe. Phil. 3:16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Is what we believe a reality in our lives? Peter is a good example of one who did not understand what Jesus was teaching about this and asked because he wanted to raise his level of understanding and maturity. Matt. 19:16-30 Jesus tells the rich young man to give all he has to the poor and then he will be perfect and then come and follow Jesus. In doing this he would have treasure in heaven, prepared for his retirement. All this conversation prompts an honest question from Peter, vs 22. We know it is an honest question because Jesus doesn’t rebuke Peter for it but answers it directly. He tells Peter that he and the other apostles will be put in charge, ruling over, the 12 tribes of Israel because they have invested their lives in His kingdom here.
Jesus goes on to say that everyone who has given up treasure on earth, family, homes, parents among other things, to invest it into the kingdom will receive 100 times as much in heaven. That is I am told a 10,000% return on investment for retirement. I believe the point Jesus is making is that when we truly have our hearts set on what God wants for us here, He will reward us extravagantly there. This is why Jesus tells us in Matt. 6 not to be in such a hurry to invest here, on earthly treasures, but that we will get a greater return on what we invest in the kingdom in heavenly treasures.
Youth group kids spiritualize everything. A lot of people like to spiritualize this by saying that Jesus isn’t really talking about actual treasure, money or important possessions but Spiritual things. But Jesus is talking about treasure because He uses the same word that is used for treasure, money or possessions, in both sentences. He uses the Greek word thesaurus treasure, both times meaning money or possessions. Now realize that He doesn’t tell us what the treasure in heaven will be but makes it clear that it is valuable and will be highly valuable in heaven. Gold is what is used for pavement there.
Let’s say you go to an investment counselor to invest for life after retirement and they tell you not to invest in stock A because it will loose money, but stock B will bring a great return in the long run. Which one will you choose? Who’s the wisest in investments? Jesus is telling us that if we invest here, in our own earthly pleasures, it will bring no return in heaven, but if we invest in kingdom things here it will bring great return in heaven after we retire from this world. Which is the better investment?
In 6:20 Jesus shatters 3 common misconceptions about how we should view treasure; 1. What should we do with our treasure here and now? We don’t have to worry about what we will have in heaven; God will take care of us. True, but Jesus says to store it up in heaven. This is in the form of a command, it is God’s plan that we store up treasure for ourselves in heaven and we should always obey His commands. John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.
2. Who should we store it up for? Isn’t it selfish if we store up there? Jesus tells us we should store it up there. We are the only ones who can invest in our heavenly retirement; no one else can do it for us. Luke 12:16-21 God will never reward earthly selfishness. If we are to store up treasure in heaven for ourselves we must give up ownership of it here and help others with it as we are directed. Location, location, location. 3. Where must we store it up? If I hold onto it here it will be safe and I will not loose it. Jesus says we must store it up in heaven. If we try to store it up here it is vulnerable to the corruption of the world, moth, rust and thieves. Heaven is the only place where our retirement treasure will be truly safe. That’s why God tells us He is keeping our salvation there so we will not loose it. 1 Pet. 1:3–5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. This leaves us with a question; “Why would treasure matter in heaven?” My simple answer is, “I don’t know but if Jesus says it matters greatly in eternity should it matter to me? Yes.”
When we retire from this world and enter into eternity all the sinfulness of the world will be gone and we will be able to enjoy our treasure in perfection and greatest of all be able to serve God there with it, in pure and meaningful purposes. Through it we will somehow be able to enjoy God more and accomplish more for Him. Internet bank transfers. In order for us to use our treasures in heaven we need to transfer out treasures from here to there. God has set up a plan for us to transfer them now and for the rest of our lives. Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. What we do here can and does have a clear affect on what happens in heaven, Give here and it is stored up there. Jesus is making it clear that if we give here it will make a difference there for us. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to teach the rich in his church this same principle. 1 Tim. 6:17-19
God is asking us to be rich in good deeds using what He has given us for His purposes here and see a great return on them in heaven. By the way, do we really own anything here now? Remember the rich fool. Everything we have comes from God and is given to us to manage for His kingdom purposes. We will be judged on how well we managed it for the Lord. It does not matter how much or how little we have, what matters is how faithful we are to Him with it.
So, this leads us to ask some questions; 1. What is the treasure God has entrusted to me and you? God will evaluate our faithfulness based on our potential, how much we give of what He has entrusted to us. Remember, Jesus doesn’t look at the amount but the heart; Luke 21:4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
2. What is God asking us to do with our treasure? Who should be the 1st to receive what we have been given? Who after that? We can trust God to give us insight on where to give but one good test is, what will it be used for, growing the kingdom or something else? We need to be careful though because the very thing God gives us to use for Him can be a trap to threaten our loyalties to Christ. This is why Jesus warns us not to let money become our God. Vs 24.
When we use His money to serve Him, He will be our God, but when we use what God has entrusted us with for our purposes then it has become our god. Doing so will show whether there is light in us or darkness. Vs 22-23.
So, where are our hearts at this very moment? Are we purposely and intentionally investing in our life after retirement in heaven? If so then that is where our hearts are now. If our hearts are not there then don’t wait for them to catch up to what our mind and spirit is telling us is right, now. Instead apply Jesus words to our lives in obedience and begin storing up in heaven, then our hearts will follow. Don’t misunderstand I am not saying we must give all we have away but give to the Lord what He would have us give.
Benediction: Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
