Introduction: Someone wisely compared life to the dash between the birth date and death date on a tombstone. That little dash encapsulates all that we do on this earth from birth to death. Thinking of life in this regard ought to motivate us to action.
Transition: Consider with me three actions which we ought to take as we think of leaving our ”-” behind.
The first action we ought to take as we ponder our dash is to
1. Think realistically (v.7).
A. We entered life with nothing.
(1) Each of us entered life as a helpless little babe.
(2) We had no clothes, no provisions of our own, no means of sustaining our own life, no name, no talents, etc. We had absolutely nothing.
B. We will depart life with nothing.
(1) We will leave behind everything including our physical body. Our spirit alone will depart at death.
(2) If we know the Lord, our spirit will instantly be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8) “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.“
(3) For those who do not know the Lord, their spirit will instantly be in hell, awaiting eternal judgment. (Luke 16:22-23) “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.“
(4) Sadly, many today believe that death ends all so they strive to enjoy their “dash” to the fullest and give no thought to eternity. (Luk 12:19-20) “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?“
C. We will leave behind all that we accumulate.
(1) Guzik: “The things which make a man rich in this world mean nothing in the world to come.”
(2) The richest person who ever lived and the poorest person who ever lived, both will leave the same when they die – they will leave all that they collected during their “dash”.
(3) For this reason, God is reminding us that life (the dash that we have on this earth) is not about collecting treasures.
The second action we ought to take as we ponder our dash is to
2. Be Content with what God gives us (v.8).
A. It is God who supplies our needs.
(1) God gives us our food and clothing and so much more (v.8).
(2) We may not have all that someone else has, but we have what we need.
(3) Because of this, we ought to count our blessings.
B. God urges us to be content with His provisions.
(1) When a person gains earthly treasures, he increases stress. He soon learns that treasures do not satisfy the longing of the soul. They do not give peace; in fact, they often rob peace. (Ecclesiastes 2:11) “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.“
(2) God reminds us that contentment with what he gives is the key to true fulfillment and joy. (Read v.6 again).
(3) How can we learn contentment? Consider our next point.
The third action we ought to take as we ponder our dash is to
3. Live a godly life with contentment (v.6).
A. The Lord tells us what is great gain.
(1) He said that godliness with contentment was great gain (v.6). The word “great” comes from the word megas. We sometimes use the word mega to describe things that are very large. Here it describes a very large gain. This is what God considers to be a mega gain.
(2) What is godliness? It is devotion, reverence or piety towards God. It is seeking to live a holy life to please the Lord. We might say that it is striving for “God-likeness”.
(3) What does contentment add to godliness? Adding contentment to such godliness is like saying, “Godliness is all I want and need.” I am satisfied with living a godly life for God’s glory. It is being content in God and his provisions.
B. Following this practice leads to great gain.
(1) This “great gain” must be in heaven.
(2) Jesus said a similar thing in (Matthew 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:” Accumulated possessions on this earth do not last.
(a) Some may be damaged by bugs or decay.
(b) Others may be stolen by thieves.
(3) The key is to live for things that are eternal. God’s promise of great gain will count and last for eternity.
C. What else can we do to lay up treasures in heaven?
(1) It begins by trusting Christ for salvation. Only a saved person can lay up treasures in heaven.
(2) Live for God’s glory instead of for self. Life is not about me, it is about God and serving others. Serve him with the “talents” that he gives you so that on judgment day he can say “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
(3) Financially invest in God’s work. (Proverbs 3:9-10) “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” These rewards are often in heaven.
(4) Share with the needy. Remember that Jesus said when we give even a cup of water in his name, it is as if we give it to God (Acts 20:35).
(5) Share the Gospel regularly. (Daniel 12:3) “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Pray for opportunities. Look for opportunities. Carry tracts. Be bold. The most precious treasure you can lay up in heaven is the souls of others you win to Christ.
Conclusion: One day, we will leave our “dash” behind. The dash, representing our existence from birth to death, will one day be history. All the “stuff” we accumulate in this life will mean nothing in eternity. We came with nothing and we will leave with nothing. However, we CAN lay up treasures in heaven. If your heavenly treasure box is lacking, begin storing up today.
