Homecoming - Part 5 [Notes]

Many learned the children’s song “Heaven is a Wonderful Place” in Sunday school. The song begins, “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace. I want to see my Father’s face. Yes! Heaven is a wonderful place.”  Although the song is simple, it captures a remarkable truth. The most wonderful aspect of heaven will be seeing the face of the One who loves us so much. But this is only the beginning...

Today's Takeaway // We need to invest in eternity.

In the beginning, Lord, You established the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain. They will all wear out like clothing.
– Hebrews 1:10b-11 (HCSB)

Look up to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment,
– Isaiah 51:6a (HCSB)

“Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal."
– Matthew 6:19-20 (HCSB)

Stuffed his suitcase with as many bars of gold as he could. 

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
– Matthew 6:21 (HCSB)

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So, if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!
– Matthew 6:22-23 (HCSB)

The eye here speaks of the outlook of the heart. A single eye means one that is fixed on the spiritual. It is the opposite of the double-minded person...Jesus clearly tells us that we cannot look in two directions at one time, serve two masters, and live for God and material wealth.¹
– Warren Wiersbe
_{¹ Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 33). Victor Books.}

“...the widely held ancient conviction [was] that the human eye has its own light that shines on the dark surroundings and thus makes it possible for the person to see...”
– H. Koester

“The hearers are completely startled when they realize that the eye mentioned in verses 22-23 shines not outwardly but inwardly, into the ‘body.’”²
– U. Luz
_{² Luz, U. (2007). Matthew 1–7: a commentary on Matthew 1–7 (H. Koester, Ed.; Rev. ed., pp. 332–333). Fortress Press.}

“No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money."
– Matthew 6:24 (HCSB)

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."
– Luke 12:33 (HCSB)

Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.
– 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (HCSB)

"But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
– Matthew 6:6 (HCSB)

A verb used to describe giving payment in return for something. This word refers to a reward that is given as an appropriate compensation for a particular action.³
– J.A. Crutchfield
3 Crutchfield, J. A. (2014). Reward. In D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Press.

"But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
– Matthew 6:17-18 (HCSB)

"But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
– Matthew 6:3-4 (HCSB)

“Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done.”
– Revelation 22:1 (HCSB)

1. What do you think most people are living for? How should a Christian’s approach to life differ from that of those who are notChristians?
2. Read Matthew 6:19-21. What do you think it means to store up treasure in heaven? What are some specific things you think we can do to make heavenly investments?
3. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Why do you think we worry so much about money? How can money be a problem for those who are wealthy and for those who are poor?
4. Read Matthew 6:33 again. What are some practical things we can do to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?”
5. What are some things we can do to make sure our love for God is greater than our love of “things?”

Battle Belongs / Canvas and Clay / How Great is Your Love / The Truth / God I Look to You

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