Because my treasure is Jesus, my heart is with Jesus.

Because my treasure is Jesus,

my heart is with Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with a treasure in heaven that never fails, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:33–34).

 

 

 

(1)    As I meditated today on Luke 12:33–34, the refrain of the hymn “I’m Pressing on the Upward Way” came to mind: “Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith on Canaan’s tableland; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”  The reason is that Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v. 34).

 

(a)    While meditating on these words of Jesus, I noticed that the word “treasure” appears twice in the passage, which made me curious about the Greek terms: “θησαυρὸν” (thēsauron) (v. 33) and “θησαυρὸς” (thēsauros) (v. 34).

 

(i)      Both of these are inflected forms of the Greek word “θησαυρός” (thēsauros), meaning “treasure” or “storehouse,” and they carry this biblical meaning and lesson (Internet):

          

·         “In the Bible, treasure refers to Jesus Christ Himself and all the labor of love done for His kingdom.  Earthly treasures pass away, but treasures stored in heaven are kept safe forever” (Internet).

 

-          Therefore, as I meditate on Jesus’ words, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” I apply them like this: “Because my treasure is Jesus, my heart is with Jesus.”

 

n    “The confession, ‘Because my treasure is Jesus, my heart is also with Him,’ is a deeply spiritual interpretation of Luke 12:34. It goes beyond simply ‘what I possess materially’ and clarifies ‘whom I value most.’

 

A life that makes Jesus its treasure is accompanied by the following grace:

 

1.    Unshakable peace: Earthly treasures (money, fame, health) can disappear, but because Jesus—who is eternal—is our treasure, our hearts remain secure in any situation.

 

2.    A naturally fixed gaze: The heart follows its treasure. Since Jesus is most precious, our eyes are drawn to Him without forced effort.

 

3.    Proper priorities in life: When our hearts are set on Jesus as our treasure, everything else in the world finds its rightful place according to its true value.

 

The Apostle Paul also described Jesus within us as ‘treasure in jars of clay’ (2 Cor. 4:7).  As in this confession, a life centered on Jesus is already a life that enjoys the abundance of the kingdom of heaven” (Internet).

 

-          And I believe that the “labor of love” (1 Thess. 1:3) done for the kingdom of God (Lk. 12:31–32) is to obey Jesus’ second commandment—“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:39)—by living a life that gives to those in need (Lk. 12:33).

 

n   Here, the word “labor” in “labor of love” (1 Thess. 1:3) comes from the Greek “κόπος” (kopos), which means not just ordinary work but exhausting toil or sacrificial effort that involves hardship.  The driving force of this labor is not obligation but love.  Because we love Jesus, who is our treasure, we willingly pour out our energy, time, and resources for the neighbors He loves (Internet).

 

#   My greatest treasure is Jesus. Therefore, all my heart is with Him.  Because my heart is with Jesus, a life of loving labor—spending myself for what pleases Him (loving others)—should naturally be evident in my life (Internet).

 

(b)    Through the word “treasure” used in today’s passage, Luke 12:33–34, Jesus teaches the proper attitude believers should have toward wealth (Internet):

 

1.       Eternal and secure value: Earthly wealth can be destroyed by moths or stolen by thieves, but the treasure stored in heaven has eternal value that never wears out or disappears.

 

Here, the Bible presents three proper attitudes toward wealth (Internet):

 

a.       Acknowledging ownership: not an ‘owner,’ but a ‘steward.’

 

The most fundamental attitude is recognizing that God is the true owner of all wealth. What I have is not truly mine, but something God has entrusted to me for a time.

 

Attitude: Let go of the attachment to “my possessions” and adopt the mindset of a manager (steward) who uses them well according to God’s will.

 

b.       A shift in values: from ‘earth’ to ‘heaven.’

 

Earthly wealth is limited and vulnerable to moth, rust, and thieves. The right attitude is to invest what is temporary in order to gain what is eternal.

 

Attitude: Do not treat wealth as an end to be accumulated, but as a means to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness. It is the wisdom of exchanging perishable wealth for imperishable reward (heavenly treasure).

 

c.       Independence of the heart: not an object of trust.

Jesus said that one cannot serve both God and wealth (mammon). Wealth is a useful tool, but it must not become the object of trust that guarantees the security of our lives.

 

Attitude: Whether having much or little, maintain contentment—neither becoming proud in abundance nor discouraged in lack. Believe that your security and future depend not on your bank balance but on Jesus, who is your treasure.

 

Ultimately, the right attitude toward wealth is this: “Handle wealth faithfully with your hands, but do not bind your heart to it—place your heart only in Jesus, your true treasure.”

 

2.       Storing up treasure through giving: Luke 12:33 emphasizes that “selling your possessions and giving to the poor” is the practical way to store up treasure in heaven.

 

As I meditated on verse 33, I looked up the phrase “make money bags that do not grow old” in the Greek Bible: “ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς βαλλάντια μὴ παλαιούμενα” (poiēsate heautois ballantia mē palaioumena).  Literally, this means: “Make for yourselves purses that do not grow old” (Internet):

 

a.       Meaning of the words

 

““ποιήσατε” (poiēsate): an imperative meaning “make.” It conveys urgency—not merely waiting, but actively preparing through giving and sharing.

 

“βαλλάντια” (ballantia): “money bags” or “purses,” like the leather pouches people wore on their belts in those days.

 

“μὴ παλαιούμενα” (mē palaioumena): “not growing old.” Leather purses wear out and develop holes over time, but spiritual purses never do.

 

b.       Spiritual meaning: the certainty of preservation

 

Earthly money bags have two fatal weaknesses: they wear out over time and can be stolen.  But the “purses that do not grow old” that Jesus speaks of refer to God’s system of keeping.  The acts of giving and helping others done in the Lord’s name on earth are deposited into an “eternally secure account” managed by God Himself.

 

c.       “For yourselves” [“ἑαυτοῖς” (heautois)]

 

Paradoxically, Jesus teaches that helping others ultimately benefits “yourselves.”

 

When you give to others, it may seem like your own purse is being emptied, but in reality, it is being filled in heaven. Therefore, giving is not only an act of grace toward others but also the wisest form of self-investment and preparation for the future.

 

In summary, this passage is a powerful exhortation: “Do not cling to earthly purses that wear out (wealth), but prepare your eternal future through the heavenly system that never fails (giving and sharing).”

 

A person who has Jesus as their treasure does not fear their earthly purse becoming empty, but instead rejoices as their heavenly purse is being filled.  Jesus clearly teaches that selling possessions and helping the poor (giving) is the very way to “store up treasure in heaven.” It is the most direct way to exchange earthly wealth for heavenly value.

 

3.       Indicator of the heart: Luke 12:34 (“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”) points out that the human heart is inevitably drawn toward what it values most (its treasure).  In other words, where one places their treasure determines that person’s spiritual condition.

 

What does it mean that the location of one’s treasure determines their spiritual condition? This can be understood through three aspects of spiritual condition (Internet):

 

a.   What do you trust? (State of security)

 

A person who places their treasure on earth seeks their security and future in their “balance” or “possessions.”  In contrast, a person who places their treasure in heaven (Jesus) finds their security in “God’s faithfulness.”  Thus, the location of one’s treasure clearly reveals whether one trusts God or wealth.

 

b.   What do you long for? (State of love)

 

The heart always flows toward what it treasures most.

 

When treasure is on earth: The heart responds first to worldly gain and reputation rather than spiritual matters.

 

When treasure is in heaven: As in your confession, because Jesus is the treasure, the heart responds first to hearing His word, loving neighbors, and walking with the Lord.

 

c.   Where do you belong? (State of citizenship)

 

Where one stores up treasure becomes that person’s “home.”  Those who store treasure only on earth live as if this world is everything (citizens of the world).  But those who store treasure in heaven live as strangers passing through this world, preparing for their eternal homeland (citizens of heaven).

 

Ultimately, “determining one’s spiritual condition” means this: although we may confess with our lips, “I love the Lord,” the true state of our heart cannot be hidden when we look at where our time, resources, and energy most consistently flow—our treasure.  That is why Jesus exhorts us to move our treasure to the secure place of heaven first (through giving and sharing), in order to guard our hearts.

 

(c)    Conclusion: In today’s passage, Luke 12:33–34, the two words for “treasure” [“θησαυρὸν” (thēsauron) in verse 33 and “θησαυρὸς” (thēsauros) in verse 34] remind believers not to be bound by the temporary wealth of this world, but to invest their values in God’s kingdom and in loving their neighbors (Internet).

 

(i)        How can believers invest in God’s kingdom and neighborly love without being bound by temporary wealth?  The key is not simply “spending money,” but “shifting the center of life (our treasure).”  Here are three practical ways (Internet):

           

1.       From “mine” to “entrusted to me” (stewardship mindset)

 

We become attached to wealth because we believe it is “my possession” earned by my effort.

 

  Practice: Confess at every moment that God is the owner of all things and that you are merely a steward managing them temporarily. Being ready to give whenever the Owner calls for it is the beginning of a life free from attachment.

 

2.       From “consumption for myself” to “investment for life” (value transformation)

 

Worldly investment aims to generate more profit, but heavenly investment aims to “save lives.”

       

Practice: When using money, ask not, “Does this make me look better?” but “Does this comfort a soul or reveal the Lord’s reign?”  Giving, missions, and meeting the needs of others are the surest ways to convert earthly resources into heavenly reward (treasure).

 

3.       Guarding the heart with contentment and gratitude

 

Wealth constantly demands “more,” binding our hearts.

 

Practice: Cultivate genuine gratitude and contentment with what you have.  Contentment is a powerful defense against becoming a slave to wealth.  When your treasure is not money but Jesus Himself, wealth becomes not a master over you, but a tool in your hands.

 

In conclusion: The confession “Jesus is my treasure” is the answer.  Trust that your treasure is already in heaven (in Jesus), and live today by using earthly wealth as a channel to bless the neighbors whom the Lord loves.