Treasure in Heaven

Footdee Mission

Sunday 29^th June 2025

Treasure in Heaven

Reading: Mark 10:17-31

In this gospel passage we read about a very rich man. A person of great wealth, we are told, and we might be tempted to think that he had no needs at all. But he did have a need, and moreover he knew that he had a need, and that’s why he came to Jesus, with great humility. And I love Jesus’ response. It is so delightful, so full of gentle humour. Not mocking, not sarcastic, but full of fun as well as full of love. “I’ll tell you how to find treasure,” he said. Think of it, he was advising this extremely wealthy young man how to get rich! But it wasn’t earthly treasure Jesus was speaking about, that will fade and fail, but lasting treasure in heaven. And on this occasion the young man went sadly away, because he couldn’t accept what Jesus told him to do. I like to think that maybe he met Jesus again, and another time perhaps he responded more positively to Jesus’ call.

Now, lest we are tempted to think that Jesus was saying that he could earn his way into heaven by giving lots of money, this clearly wasn’t the case. Otherwise Jesus would have been teaching everyone to accumulate as much money as they could in order to buy as much treasure in heaven as they could. No, Jesus wasn’t saying that we can buy our way into heaven. He was saying to this young man that he had a great obstacle in his life that was preventing him from becoming a follower of Jesus. He loved his wealth, depended on his wealth, and thought he couldn’t manage without it. And Jesus said to him, just as he says to each one of us, “Whatever is more important to you than loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, you need to give it up; don’t let it possess you and destroy you.

Now, on this subject of heaven, and more particularly treasure in heaven, I wonder what thoughts it stirs up in you. On another occasion Jesus said about those who did God’s will, “Great is your reward in heaven.” But if you’re like me when thinking about the prospect of heaven and a reward in heaven, it’s with mixed feelings. When we’re young the idea of heaven is very distant and remote and all our focus and ambition is set on this life: building for this life; my education; the work I’m going to do; who I’m going to meet; who I’m going to marry; the home we’ll set up together; things we want to accomplish in this life; what we would like to accumulate; what kind of house we’ll live in; what the garden will look like; so many ambitions and visions in mind. But as you advance through life gradually the realisation dawns upon you that this life is not all that there is; that there is a life to come and the things of this life are but passing and transient. I think it’s true to say that when we are young our hope and aspiration is not usually very much on heaven and what God plans for us there. It’s real. We acknowledge it. It’s something we think about. But not too much! And when we do think about it we’re a bit bewildered anyway. We’re not too sure what we’re going to do for eternity. When I was young I distinctly remember singing the Christmas carol “Once in royal David’s City.” The last verse finishes, “When like stars his children crowned, all in white shall wait around.” I remember thinking, “I’m not quite sure if a lifetime standing around dressed in white clothes really appeals to me.”

And so as youngsters we focus more on this life. But as we get older, or perhaps more afflicted by trials and tribulations, increasingly the light of that eternal home becomes more attractive. And indeed there are some, nearing the ends of their lives, for whom their longing is that they would be there. But even then if you were to say, “Would you like to go now?” most would probably reply, “not yet, not yet. There are still things here that attract me, things that I want to do.” Even the apostle Paul expressed sentiments like these. In his letter to the church at Philippi he said, ”I’m betwixt two views. I really want to go and be with the Lord, but actually I realise it’s better to remain here” (Philippians 1:23-25). His focus actually wasn’t so much on the things of this life that were attractive to him. It was more that he realized that by remaining here he was able to have a great influence on others to bring them also to that eternal home.

The Bible uses many different ways to describe what heaven will be like. We are told we will receive a reward there. Jesus said great is your reward in heaven if you are persecuted. He spoke about treasure awaiting us in heaven, as we have seen. On another occasion he described heaven as a kingdom prepared for his people. Paul talked about a crown of righteousness prepared for him. Peter also talked about crown of glory, along with an imperishable inheritance. On another occasion Paul spoke of an eternal house in heaven, and of course Jesus himself spoke of his going to prepare a mansion for us. Then in the letter to the Hebrews it says of Jesus that it was for the joy that was set before him that he endured the cross and despised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). So heaven is a place of great joy, and in fact in a parable Jesus described entering heaven as “entering into the joy of your Lord.”

Now all of these ways are used to describe something that the Bible repeatedly refers to as “our reward.” So what does that reward really consist of? Well the first time the Bible talks about a reward, right back in the book of Genesis, it tells us that our reward is God himself. The promise and the call that God gave to Abraham was accompanied by this incredible statement, “Don’t be afraid, Abram: I am your shield and your very great reward” (Genesis 15: 1). I am your very great reward. This association between a shield to defend you and a reward to experience and look forward to is reflected by Peter in his first letter when he said that we are destined for an inheritance never to perish spoil or fade kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power (1 Peter 1: 4,5). And so God expresses to Abraham in one of the most wonderful revelations that both the reward to come and the protection of God in the present are effectively the presence and the blessing of God himself: I am your very great reward. And this should always be our first thought when we consider our reward in heaven. Now that very same promise of reward that was given to Abraham is one that we inherit through Christ. If you’ve ever wondered why it is that we can take these promises of the Old Testament, that were expressed to a different nation to us, a different people altogether, and just take them on board as our own, it’s because the Bible says they are all fulfilled in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1: 20), and He redeemed us so that the blessing given to Abraham might come to us through Christ (Galatians 3: 14). Having believed, the scripture says, we are marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1: 13,14). So the Holy Spirit is God’s presence here with us – even now as we worship together and with us each individually if we belong to Christ – and He is the guarantee, He’s the down payment, of an experience of the presence of God that will blow our minds when we get to heaven. God is our reward and right now we have a down payment through the Holy Spirit.

Now one of the things that will happen as we enter into the joy of God’s presence and experience his embrace is that he will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” for all that we have accomplished for him in this life.

On that day everything we have done for him and in his name will be tested and revealed for what it is. Some of it, like wood, hay and stubble, won’t stand the test. But other things will stand the test (1 Corinthians 3: 11-15). In all of our service and activity we need to ask ourselves, am I seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness, or am I building my own little empire and advancing my own reputation? Am I lifting up the name of Jesus or lifting up my own name? Am I building his church or am I advancing my own cause?

Then another thing that will happen as God welcomes us into his presence is that he will compensate us in some wonderful way for the sacrifices we have made for Jesus. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “no-one who has left brothers or sisters, or mother or father or children, will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this life, and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10: 29.30). “Blessed are you,” He said, “when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of the gospel, because of Me. Rejoice, and be glad – great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5: 11,12).

Jim Elliott, who was martyred in South America, many years ago now – halfway through the twentieth century I guess – he said these words that have always resonated with me, and with many others. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. He was reflecting a little bit of what Jesus was saying here, about the compensation for those who make sacrifices for Him.

Our reward will also compensate for affliction and loss in this life. You might say, “It’s much the same thing, isn’t it,” but it’s not quite. We may get afflictions that are not directly – at least not so far as we are aware – because we belong to Jesus, or because we’re witnessing for Him. Many indeed are afflicted and suffer great loss, and don’t really know why it has happened. But, again, God’s word says our momentary, light troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4: 17). Understand again that when He says “achieving” He’s not saying that we’re somehow earning it. The scripture has already made clear that God Himself is our reward, and it is He who is shielding us and bringing us to it. But nevertheless the scripture says there is value in these afflictions, because of the link there is between them and the reward God has prepared for His people.

I find it fascinating that very often the things that make us doubt our reward in heaven are these very afflictions that beset us, and indeed sometimes even life itself. Sometimes when we have to endure trouble and turmoil we begin to feel that things are just not worthwhile. We start to doubt whether anything we do will ever achieve much for God’s glory, and certainly mothing that merits any reward. And we are even tempted to doubt whether God loves us at all. But actually the scripture makes a very strong link between affliction, trouble, trial and sacrifice and the glory that is to come; almost to the point where James implies that we should welcome afflictions. He says, “Count it all joy when all of these troubles come upon you, because they are achieving for you a greater weight of glory in heaven” (James 1: 2-12). There was a popular song many years ago, with a chorus that started, “Pack up your troubles in your old kitbag and smile, smile, smile.” James seems to be saying, “gather all these troubles and afflictions together in a large bag and swing it over your shoulder after writing on it in large letters, JOY, JOY, JOY.

Life here on earth is described like living in a tent (2 Corinthians 5:1). But the scripture says, “If the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven.” Those of us who have camped know a little of what it’s like to live in a tent, and for a short while it can be good fun. But home: a warm, dry, solid building and a hot bath, is always beckoning, and before too long you’re saying, “Oh, I’m looking forward to going home.” And, although we shouldn’t be wishing this life were over, there should be within us a firm understanding that what happens here is like living in a tent on a campsite, but that soon we’ll be going home. That’s where the house is, that’s where the home is, the real home.

And so, I come to this point that I think is so crucial. Our reward comprises all that our Father has. I’m referring to the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Older Son, and to the words that the Father said to the oldest son. Now these are words that we often gloss over, because the main part of the story seems to be about the younger son. We tend to miss what the Father said to the older son. But He says, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours” (Luke 15: 31). My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. Now this is almost exactly what the book of Genesis spoke about as our inheritance. “I,” said God to Abraham, “I am your great reward.” Looking at the words “You are always with me” I’m struck by the fact that I tend to say something slightly different: “God is with me.” And that thought, of course, is comforting and helpful. But what an incredible thing it is instead for the Father to say, “You are always with Me.” And that’s what He is saying to us. Because in this parable we are the older son. Each one of us who belong to Jesus. And the Father says to us, “You are always with Me.” And then He says, “Everything I have is yours.” Now that is what heaven and heaven’s reward is all about.