Audio Download

Matthew 6:16–34 Laying up our Treasures in Heaven

[Study Aired April 14, 2025]

Introduction

In today’s study we will focus on what the Lord said about fasting, having our treasures in heaven and the fact that we should not be anxious about anything. In the last study, it was mentioned that we should not carry out our righteousness before men in the issue of alms and prayer. Today, we shall look at the issue of fasting where we have the propensity to carry it out in a manner that robs us of any reward. 

Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (ASV)

In addition to fasting, we shall look at how we can lay up our treasures in heaven which is firmly secure. What may rob us from laying up our treasures in heaven is anxiety over our day-to-day living. Here the Lord is assuring us to focus on having our treasures in heaven as He takes care of our daily needs. 

Fasting

Mat 6:16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 

Here in verse 16, we are told what is not a fast before God – appearing to men to fast. If our motive is to please men such that it becomes obvious for people to know that we are fasting, then we have received our reward already. That means our reward is for people to see that we are spiritual. In this case, we miss out on what the Lord has in store for us. If we are to be rewarded for our fasting, then we must make fasting a lifestyle, just like prayer. 

To understand the issue about fasting, we need to look at the sum of the Lord’s words to know the truth regarding the issue of fasting.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth forever. (ASV)

Spiritually, fasting means denying ourselves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in order to walk in Christ’s righteousness. This becomes clear from the following verses: 

Isa 58:5  Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 
Isa 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isa 58:7  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 
Isa 58:8  Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

In Isaiah 58:6, loosening the bands of wickedness or undoing the bands of the yoke to let the oppressed go free in our lives entails going through the Lord’s judgment which results in the dying of our old man or flesh. That is when we are free to walk in the newness of life of the new man after the image of Christ. In this way, we are able to give our bread (the word we have received) to the hungry (those in need of the word). Bringing the poor that are cast out to our house means bringing those who have started to know the truth, to become part of the church of the firstborn or the heavenly Jerusalem. 

Heb 12:22  but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, 
Heb 12:23  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24 and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel. 

Covering the naked in Isaiah 58:7 is a process which starts with feeding those who are under the dictates of the flesh with the truth of the word of the Lord. As they pay heed to the word, they are judged, resulting in the gradual destruction of the deeds of the flesh. That is when nakedness is covered. Not hiding ourselves from our own flesh means coming to know the capabilities of our flesh and the strength it receives from the devil to bring us into bondage.  

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

We can see therefore, that fasting is a lifestyle just as giving alms and praying is a lifestyle. As indicated, fasting is walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Walking in the spirit is to live by the word of God. As we all know, it is the spirit that profits, the flesh or doing things according to the letter does not profit us. This means that living a lifestyle of obeying the word of the Lord is what fasting is all about, spiritually. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

As Jesus said, fleshly fasting is also needful in a particular circumstance, when the bridegroom is taken away. This is what the Lord told the disciples:

Mat 9:14  Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Mat 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 

The question is, “When is the bridegroom taken away?” When we were in the physical churches of this world, we were told that the time Jesus ascended  to heaven was when the bridegroom was taken away, and therefore we must fast. This is what happened on the ascension day:

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

When Christ was taken up, He ended up being hidden by a cloud. We know from the word of the Lord that clouds represent the Lord’s elect as witnesses. 

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

What this means is that Jesus is hidden within His elect and therefore the bridegroom is still with us.  However, when we go through certain situations, it appears as if our bridegroom has been taken away. Under such circumstances, we can fast and in this case, the objective is to afflict the soul. An example is when Jesus was being crucified. It was as if the bridegroom (God) had been taken away.

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

Another instance was when Paul experienced a storm lasting for several days  on a ship to Rome. It was as if the bridegroom had been taken away from Paul. 

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. 
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. 
Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 
Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 

Act 27:33  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 
Act 27:34  Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 

Mat 6:17  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

In verse 17, we can see that Jesus admonished us that when we fast, we must anoint our head and wash our face. Knowing that the words of the Lord have spiritual significance means that it is not a matter of anointing our head and washing our face physically. If we are to fast spiritually, then it behooves us to be able to be anointed just like Jesus. It is when we are anointed that we can be endued with power consistent with spiritual fasting. It is Christ who anoints us.  

Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Washing our face while fasting means that to fast spiritually, we must be sanctified and cleansed by the word of the Lord. This involves being given  to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 

Mat 6:18  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.   

Here in verse 18, we are being told that we should not appear to men to be fasting. As we are aware, fasting spiritually is not seen by men or even by our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. It is only the Lord who sees, and because spiritual fasting is a lifestyle or shows itself in our works here on earth, it has a reward, both for the present time and for the future. 

Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.   

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Laying our treasures up in the earth means becoming worldly minded in our walk here on earth. Worldly mindedness shows itself in the love of money which is the root of all evil, which drowns men in destruction and perdition. 

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

In other words, when we become fixated on having our reward here on earth, then we are laying our treasures on earth. The reason we focus on our blessing here on earth is because we see the wicked being blessed and we become envious especially as we, His elect, are undergoing the Lord’s judgment. 

Psa 73:2  But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped. 
Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

Psa 73:12  Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 
Psa 73:13  Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.  

The consequence of wanting our reward here on earth is that moths and rust corrupt our treasures and thieves also break through and steal. The following verses give us insight into what the moth represents:

Psa 39:11  When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. 

Job 4:19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? 

Our beauty that consumes away like a moth is our flesh. Our foundation being in the dust means that we are dominated by the flesh. Because the flesh is enmity to God, and nothing consists without God, our treasures become corrupted or ruined.  

The interaction between oxygen and water with a metal is what causes corrosion or rust. We know that we need oxygen and water to live. The statement that rust corrupts our treasures here on earth is therefore telling us that when our focus here on earth is on the very things that we need to live, we tend to be destroyed by it.   

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 
Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  

The thieves who come to break through and steal the treasures which we store here on earth are the devil and his cohorts. This implies that if our mindset is focused on the things of this world, we end up being destroyed by the devil. That means being dispossessed of any reward.

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  

The story of the prodigal son shows us that when we focus on our treasure here on earth, we get disappointed as our treasure is stolen by the devil.

Luk 15:11  And he said, A certain man had two sons: 
Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 
Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 
Luk 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

When our mindset is to please the Lord, it is like storing our treasures in heaven which cannot decay or be stolen or destroyed by the devil. In other words, if our hearts and minds are focused on the Lord, then our reward is secure. On the other hand, if our attention is on the things of this world, then our reward is stolen by the devil. All this implies that the condition of the hearts determines where our treasure is, as stated in verse 21.

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 
Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 
Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

The light of the body is what shines within us in the midst of the darkness or our flesh. When Christ, who is the light, sits on the throne of our hearts and minds, then our whole body is full of light. In other words, our body is dominated by the new man, who is after the image of Christ. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 
Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

On the other hand, if we are dominated by the flesh, which is powered by the devil, then our eye is evil, and our whole body is full of darkness. 

In verse 24, the Lord is telling us that we cannot serve Him and at the same time serve mammon. According to Strong’s Dictionary, the word “mammon” means wealth. So, what the Lord is saying is that we cannot serve Him while focusing on the wealth of this world. 

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV)

There are examples in the word of the Lord which show us that those who focused on mammon while serving the Lord, ended up being disappointed. An example is as follows:

2Ki 5:16  But he (Elisha) said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he (Naaman) urged him to take it; but he refused. 

2Ki 5:20  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 
2Ki 5:21  So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 
2Ki 5:22  And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 
2Ki 5:23  And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. 
2Ki 5:24  And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. 
2Ki 5:25  But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 
2Ki 5:26  And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2Ki 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. 

Do Not Be Anxious

Mat 6:25  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 
Mat 6:26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 
Mat 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Mat 6:28  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 
Mat 6:29  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 
Mat 6:30  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 
Mat 6:31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 
Mat 6:32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 
Mat 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 
Mat 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 

When we are anxious about our lives, it shows that we are not trusting the Lord. Anxiety is therefore an indicator of our lack of trust in the Lord and our fixation on the cares of this world. Here in these verses, the Lord gives us examples of His care, citing how the birds of the air are fed and how the lilies of the field grow, which are less important than mankind, to show us His maternal role for all creation, especially His elect. When Elijah was running away from Jezebel, the Lord miraculously gave him food twice to give us a witness of the fact that the Lord will provide our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. 

Php 4:19  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 
Php 4:20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

1Ki 19:5  And he (Elijah) lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 
1Ki 19:6  And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 
1Ki 19:7  And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 
1Ki 19:8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 

Again, the Lord miraculously fed Elijah through ravens, when there was famine in the land of Israel. 

1Ki 17:2  And the word of the LORD came to him: 
1Ki 17:3  “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 
1Ki 17:4  You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 
1Ki 17:5  So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 
1Ki 17:6  And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

All these examples are written for our admonition to show us that the Lord is the provider for our physical and spiritual needs, and therefore we must trust Him that He will bring us to an expected end.

1Co 10:11  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 
1Co 10:12  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 
1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  

Jer 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 
Jer 29:12  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 
Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 

In conclusion, we must be fully assured that He who has begun a good work in us shall see to its completion. 

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

May the Name of the Lord be praised. Amen!!