CHILDREN OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER

Lesson Five

WHERE OUR TREASURE IS, OUR HEART IS ALSO

Burden to Impart:

As children of the heavenly Father, we must consider, what do we value?

Facts to Teach:

1. What is a "treasure?" A treasure is something of worth, deserving special value and attention. It is something very dear and precious to us. It is something that is so dear to us that we would not want to lose it for anything in the world.
2. For many centuries the greatest treasure of the people of this world was gold, silver, and jewels--diamonds, rubies, etc. The more treasure they had the richer they were. Many people today consider money, dollars, as their treasure. Some people consider their favorite things as treasures--their houses, cars, bikes, skateboards, toys, clothes, etc
3. When things of this world become our treasures, then our heart will be very involved with them and consequently, with this world. Our heart is made up of our mind, emotion, will, and conscience. When something on this earth becomes a treasure to us, our heart (thoughts, feelings, and choices) becomes filled with concern for those things, even to the point of worrying about them. This makes our heart selfish, not wanting to share with others.
4. As children of the heavenly Father, what is our treasure? Where is our treasure? We can easily know, for where our treasure is, there is our heart also--our thoughts, desires, choices. The greatest treasure in the universe is the Lord Jesus. We should love Him above all things; with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Also, the Lord's Word is a great treasure. King David said that the Lord's Word was more to be desired than gold, even the finest gold (Psa. 19:10).
5. When the Lord is our treasure we will enjoy spending time to be with Him (in children's meeting, in the home meetings), to talk with Him (to pray), and to please Him (by doing the things that make Him happy and give us a good conscience). When the Lord's Word is our treasure we will enjoy reading the Bible and learning from the Word of God.
6. Lastly, the Lord's people are a "special treasure" to Him (Exo. 19:5) and should also be a treasure to us. We should treasure the church; all the brothers and sisters and children in the church. The Gentile churches showed their love and concern for the Jewish churches when they were very poor by sending them gifts and money (Rom. 15:26). Also, the brothers and sisters shared all their things with each other (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35).
7. As we give our time to the Lord to be with Him and to learn of Him, and as we share what He has given to us with His other children, we will begin to highly value both Him and them. Then the Lord and His people will become a treasure to us.
8. A story on the negative side, a warning: There was a young man who was very diligent and hard working. He made a million dollars. The next year he made two million dollars. Each year his money increased until he had many millions of dollars. He had no love for the Lord and had no care for God's people. He used all of his "treasure" just for himself, for his own pleasure here on the earth. One day Death knocked on his door. "Wait," he said, "I'm not ready." Death said, "Come along," and took him. This man had no treasure stored up in heaven, for all of his heart's love was for his own richness here on the earth. He lost everything.
9. An illustration on the positive side, an incentive: A person whose treasure was completely with the Lord is the poor widow who gave all her living to the Lord (Mark 12:41-44).