The Choice Is Yours

The Choice Is Yours

1. Taking the Plunge

Life is filled with choices, and every choice carries a consequence. When it comes to our resources, Jesus makes clear that no one stays neutral. We all plunge into something. The question is where.

Jesus identifies two distinct pursuits. One is storing up treasures on earth. There is nothing wrong with earning money, saving wisely, or preparing for the future. God gives the ability to work and provide, and responsible planning is good. The danger comes when life becomes centered on accumulation at all costs.

Earthly treasure is fragile. It can be consumed, destroyed, or stolen. No matter how carefully it is guarded, it cannot be fully protected. This is why Jesus warns against devoting our lives to storing it up.

The alternative is storing up treasure in heaven. This is not abstract or mysterious. Whenever resources are used for God’s purposes—advancing the gospel, supporting ministry, caring for people in need, investing in the next generation—those resources are credited toward eternity.

Scripture makes clear that these investments matter. Faith in Christ provides the same foundation for every believer, but how that foundation is built upon shapes eternal reward. Choices made now echo into the life to come. This is not about earning salvation, but about preparing for eternity.

Planning for the future is something many struggle with, even in practical terms like retirement. Planning for eternity often receives even less attention. Yet Scripture repeatedly calls believers to live with the coming age in view. What we do with what we have now determines how firmly we take hold of the life that is truly life.

2. Priming the Pump

Knowing the truth does not automatically lead to obedience. Many understand the call to invest eternally but feel little urgency or desire. The heart may feel dry, waiting for motivation to appear.

Jesus addresses this directly. Where treasure is placed, the heart follows. While it often feels like the heart should lead and resources should follow, Scripture reveals that obedience can lead the heart. Investment shapes affection.

Even small investments change attention and passion. What once seemed unimportant suddenly matters when something has been committed. This principle applies directly to generosity and eternal priorities.

Waiting for feelings to change is unreliable. Emotions shift, and desire alone cannot sustain consistent obedience. Influential generosity begins with a decision. Obedience primes the pump, allowing the heart to catch up with the action.

Choosing to give, even when desire feels weak, positions the heart to experience joy, freedom, and overflow. The movement of obedience allows God to stir affection and purpose within.

3. Defeating the Mirage

A mirage looks real but leads nowhere. It promises satisfaction but delivers disappointment. Jesus warns that misplaced focus can deceive, not only externally, but internally.

When eternal truth is clearly seen, life is filled with light. When attention is fixed on earthly accumulation, darkness grows. The most dangerous deception occurs when people believe they are seeing clearly while pursuing what cannot last.

Self-justification can be convincing. Reasons and explanations can feel airtight, yet still keep God’s priorities at a distance. In that condition, people unknowingly participate in their own deception, mistaking temporary security for lasting life.

Jesus brings the issue to a clear conclusion. No one can serve two masters. Devotion will always belong to one or the other. Divided loyalty is not sustainable.

The imagery is simple. A reservoir stores water until it stagnates. A spring stays fresh because it continually flows. Lives were never meant to hoard what was given. They were designed to release it for eternal purposes, trusting God to refill from His abundance.

The invitation is straightforward. Stop waiting for the feeling. Choose obedience. Invest in what lasts. As treasure flows toward eternal purposes, anxiety gives way to clarity, and darkness is replaced with light.

The choice is yours.

SERMON DETAILS

Speaker: Jeff McNicol
Series: Overflow
Sermon Title: The Choice Is Yours
Date: Feb 8, 2026

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

• Matthew 6:19–24

• 1 Corinthians 3:11–15

• 1 Timothy 6:18–19

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