How does Luke 21:5 connect with Matthew 6:19-21 on storing treasures? Setting the Scene: Two Moments, One Message “Some of His disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’ ” “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” A Shared Warning: Temporary Splendor • In both passages, Jesus confronts the allure of earthly beauty. • The temple’s glittering stones mirror the “treasures on earth” Jesus warns about in Matthew 6. • What impresses the disciples in Luke 21:5 is the very thing Jesus says will crumble—just as moth and rust eat earthly wealth. Why the Temple Illusion Matters • The temple was the pinnacle of religious and cultural achievement; its destruction would seem unthinkable. • By announcing its downfall, Jesus exposes how even our most “secure” investments are fragile (cf. 2 Peter 3:10). • The lesson: if the temple can fall, so can every other earthly monument, account, or possession. Earthly vs. Heavenly Portfolios • Earthly Treasures – Vulnerable to decay, theft, economic swings (Matthew 6:19) – Tie the heart to passing things (1 John 2:17) – Can foster pride and false security (1 Timothy 6:17) • Heavenly Treasures – Imperishable inheritance kept in heaven (1 Peter 1:4) – Grow through acts of love, generosity, and obedience (Matthew 19:21; 1 Timothy 6:18–19) – Anchor the heart where Christ is seated (Colossians 3:1–2) Connecting the Dots 1. Visual Illustration (Luke 21): The temple stones glitter before the disciples’ eyes, but Jesus lifts their gaze to a coming day when none of it will remain. 2. Verbal Instruction (Matthew 6): Jesus explicitly commands a shift from earthly accumulation to heavenly investment. 3. Unified Theme: Whether looking at a grand building or a personal savings plan, the principle holds—only what is stored with God endures. Living This Out Today • Evaluate what dazzles you—homes, gadgets, portfolios, reputations. Ask whether they would survive the “no-stone-left-on-another” test. • Redirect resources toward eternal purposes: supporting gospel work, caring for the needy, cultivating Christlike character. • Guard the heart: affection follows investment. Pour more into God’s kingdom, and your heart follows upward (Matthew 6:21). Echoes from the Rest of Scripture • Hebrews 11:10—Abraham “was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” • Proverbs 23:4–5—“Do not wear yourself out to get rich… riches surely sprout wings.” • Revelation 21:22–27—The New Jerusalem, not any earthly temple, is the final, unshakable dwelling of God and His people. Takeaway Luke 21:5 gives a real-time example of earthly glory destined to crumble; Matthew 6:19-21 supplies the principle behind it. Together they urge believers to loosen their grip on fading treasures and invest in the only bank that never fails—heaven itself. |
    |