Imprisoned Hearts

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

Introduction

Many believers have forgotten the warning from the Lord Jesus found in our text, and go full steam ahead in setting their hearts upon earthly things. Whatever a person sets his heart upon will eventually enslave him and bring him into both spiritual and moral bondage. Millions of professing Christians have their hearts imprisoned by their possessions and wealth.

The heart of man at Creation

God created man with a heart that was made to commune and fellowship with Him. His heart had the wonderful privilege of soaring beyond the earthly into the Heavenly realm to meet God face to face. Before the Fall the human heart was pure and holy, so that man could walk in the presence of the Divine Lord. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Once sin entered man’s heart changed, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

The imprisoned heart

The heart that ought to worship the Creator in Heaven now worships the things of the earth. Instead of man possessing a free heart, it is locked up in some bank vault or jewellery box. The “treasure” that he man sets his heart upon does not have to be money, for it includes fashion, possessions and the things of this world. The person who locks away their jewellery, locks up their heart in the same box every night. “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

Possessions have the habit of robbing us of the true blessings that God has given us. Jesus once told of a farmer whose heart was imprisoned in his barn: “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21). He is called a fool because his heart was bound to riches instead of God. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, but when riches capture hearts they can drag us down to Hell with gold and silver chains. “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days” (James 5:3) ... “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” (1 Timothy 6:9) ... “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Our Heavenly treasure

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2) ... “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17) ... “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” (1 Timothy 6:10). Our Heavenly treasure cannot be compared with anything on this earth. The Bank of Heaven does not issue Pounds or Dollars, instead it is a storehouse of blessings that God had prepared for all who love and follow Christ.

How do we store up such treasures in Heaven? Before we travel to another land we convert our money into the currency of that nation. We can convert our earthly riches into everlasting treasure by supporting those in need, missionaries and others doing the Lord’s work. Our riches in Heaven is not made up of silver and gold, but in the wealth of human souls who have come to the Lord because we reached out to them in a tangible way. The heart that is set on Heavenly things is the heart that will be eternally secure. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

Until that day, as the apostle Paul says, we can be content in Christ and the things He has blessed us with now, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Conclusion

How many set their hearts on winning the lottery, owning a new car, and pampering themselves with the latest fashion accessory? That is when the heart is imprisoned by the things of this life. The believer’s heart must be on Christ. It ought to be filled with the desire to follow Him wherever He leads. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).

Our greatest treasure is found in Christ, but we can not receive it unless we die to ourselves, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), and laying aside the things of the world, “what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).

“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).