HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN

Passage: Matthew 19:16-30

Key verse: 21

NIV

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(A)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(B)?”(C)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(D)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(E) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a](F) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”(G)

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(H) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(I) and you will have treasure in heaven.(J) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(K) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(L)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(M) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(N) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(O) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(P) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(Q)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  2. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Rich Young Man

16 (A)And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to (B)have (C)eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. (D)If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, (E)“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, (F)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, (G)“All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be (H)perfect, go, (I)sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (J)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 (K)When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, (L)only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 (M)Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter (N)the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus (O)looked at them and said, (P)“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, (Q)we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,[a] (R)when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me (S)will also sit on twelve thrones, (T)judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 (U)And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold[b] and will (V)inherit eternal life. 30 But (W)many who are (X)first will be last, and the last first.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Matthew 19:28 Greek in the regeneration
  2. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts manifold
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

When the rich young man asked what good thing he must do to get eternal life he assumed that eternal life was something he had to earn. The young man was rich, smart, moral and had a passion to attain eternal life. It seemed that there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish if he put his heart towards it. Yet Jesus challenged him in a way that shook his worldview.

“Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Most people cannot obey this command because it is hard to deny a good thing we possess that we can actually see, touch and consume. Treasures in heaven and eternal life seem immaterial to us right now. What are they anyway? When Apostle Paul experienced the grace of Jesus, he experienced a surpassing worth that made everything he previously accomplished seem like garbage. When we experience true eternal life, even now, we know what is most valuable, and what is not so important.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to seek and experience eternal life and heavenly treasures. If there are obstacles, help me to live by faith to let go of my own notions of value and worth.

One Word: Let go to find heavenly treasures.