Dear Christian friends:

All of us are planning to go to heaven when we die. If you did not plan to go to heaven, you would not be here in church today.

But do you think enough about heaven? I suspect that we think much more about our future here on earth and plan better for our retirement than for heaven. Earthly pleasures and earthly things get our interest and attention and we fail to see the eternal, spiritual treasures.

The Bible says that these things we can see are "transient," they quickly pass away, and they are not very valuable. But the things we can't see: God, love, forgiveness, angels, heaven, are very, very valuable and they never pass away.

In our text Jesus, warns us to think more about heaven and the valuable spiritual things. He tells the story about a steward who wisely thought and planned for his future. So you and I should think and plan for heaven and not be foolish and get trapped by earthly pleasures and things.


Before you can plan for heaven you must understand that your life and time on earth is very short. You must also understand that all earthly things fail and pass away.

Often we act like we will live here on earth 1,000 years. If you think that you will live here on earth a very long time, you will not plan for heaven. The steward here in our text understood that he was finished. His lord said to him, "You can't be my steward any more." God, your Lord, says the same to you: "You must die! You can't live here on earth any more! Give account of your stewardship." (verse 2)

When the steward in our text understood that his lord intended to fire him, he wisely made plans for his future so that he would not have to dig ditches or beg. (verses 3-7)

So you and I must understand that our life here on earth will quickly end. We must realize that all these earthly things we love and treasure will quickly pass away. Then we can wisely plan for our real future in heaven.

How can we do that?

In our text Jesus tells us how to plan for heaven. (verses 9-13) Jesus says that we must be good and faithful stewards.

The Christian steward has faith, faith in Jesus Christ. Without faith in Jesus our plans for heaven will not succeed or happen. "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; and he that believes not shall be condemned." (Mark 16:16) By faith in Jesus our future is safe and successful. In Jesus God promises to give us all the riches and glory of heaven. The truly precious, spiritual blessings we have by accepting Jesus Christ for our Savior. Our sins and wrongs are all forgiven. No one can condemn us or blame us. God will not condemn us; He sent Jesus from heaven to earth to be our Savior. Jesus will not condemn us; He died on the cross so that we can have forgiveness of sins.

By faith in Jesus we are free from all fear about the future. Our future in heaven is sure and secure. No one can take that from us.

By faith in Jesus we are free from loving earthly things, free to love and praise God, free to live for His glory. We are free from jealousy, pride and self-love. We are free to love others. Like St. Paul, we live to serve Jesus, our dear Lord and Savior. (Philippians 1:21) Christ's love constrains us to use our time, talents and treasure for His glory. We are no more slaves to sin and money or any earthly pleasure or things. Earthly things no more control us, but we control them and use them for God's glory and to help others.

In this way we store up treasure in heaven. Jesus,says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroys, and where thieves break in and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroy, and where thieves do not break in nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6: 19-21) How do we lay up treasure in heaven? By doing good works.

Jesus told the Rich Young Man the same. The young man had asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life in heaven. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all the many things you have, and give the money to the poor, and then you will have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me." (Matthew 19:16-22) When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful because he had many, many earthly things. He was a slave to his money and things. Mammon was his God, not Jesus.

In our text Jesus warns, "No man can serve two masters, because either he will love the one and hate the other or he will follow the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon." (verse 13)

If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, your Master, then you will love Him and gladly serve Him, you will control and use your time, talent and treasure for His glory. But if mammon is your Lord, you will be a slave to money and earthly things, you will save up treasures here on earth where moths and rust destroy and you will have no treasure in heaven, also no future there.

We need to resist serving mammon, and strive to serve God. We all need to honestly examine our hearts and lives in this matter. And if we do I am sure that we will find many instances where we have been serving mammon rather than our gracious Father in heaven. Even Lutheran ministers need to examine themselves.

Areas we might examine are: the honesty of our income tax returns; are we work-alcoholics, neglecting our duties to family, community and church? Have we compromised Christian principles for the sake of a raise or a promotion at work? Have we quarreled and been estranged over the division of a family inheritance?

Have we become hopelessly in debt in our mad rush to keep up with our peers and neighbors? Are we giving a generous proportion of our income for the Gospel ministry here at home and in the District and Synod?

Where we have sinned in these instances we need to confess to our Lord with shame and sorrow and ask his forgiveness, for he does welcome and forgive persistent sinners. Then by the power of his love and Spirit through the Word and the Sacraments we may strive to serve him willingly and joyfully.

Don't let mammon deceive you and fool you! Believe in Jesus Christ! Love Him and freely serve Him. Then your future in heaven will be sure and safe and glorious.

Amen.