Sermon - Ash Wednesday 2025

Setting aside earthly treasures for the sake of heavenly treasures

1. Almsgiving

2. Praying

3. Fasting

4. Treasures in heaven

Why are you here? I don’t just mean here in this sanctuary right now, but I mean alive here on earth? What are you doing here? What’s the point of it all? Based upon most people’s lifestyle, it appears the purpose of their life is to have a good time. Make lots of money, get lots of stuff, fill your belly, and be in control of your life. Or perhaps if you’re feeling a little more profound, you might say that the goal is to leave your mark on this world after you die, so that people will remember you.

But, if that’s the whole point, then life is rather meaningless in the end. You may have a good ol’ time, but that’s momentary and fleeting. Even if you’re one in a billion who leaves your mark on the world and people other than your grandkids know your name, none of those other people actually knew you, they just knew of you. So you must conclude like King Solomon, that all of these pleasures on earth are just vanity of vanities. Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.

If you’re without faith in the Lord, then you turn into a nihilist, where everything becomes meaningless. It’s like the comedic sci-fi book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, where a computer is tasked with computing the meaning to life, the universe, and everything, and it concludes that the answer is 42. Or it’s like the famous rock song by Kansas, when Kerry Livgren was at the height of fame and before he became a Chrisitan, sang that everything is dust in the wind. 

To a large extent, this is the purpose of Lent: not to lead us into nihilism and despair, but to reveal the vanity of earthly treasures, and thus to point us to the true treasure of heaven. This evening we are taught to set aside our earthly treasures for the sake of heavenly treasures. For this life does have meaning beyond acquiring wealth, filling our bellies, and becoming successful in the eyes of the world. The meaning, the purpose, the reason as to why we are here on earth and alive is that we may be loved by God and love Him in return. To aid in this lesson, Christianity has long practiced the Lenten disciplines of almsgiving, praying, and fasting, so as to direct our hearts and minds away from earthly treasures and towards our heavenly treasure. 

Jesus teaches us today to give alms, to give to the needy. You are to do this for a few reasons. Firstly, you do this for the sake of helping those who are in need. Another has a need, and you have an abundance, so you provide for them out of your abundance. Remember, God has made us stewards of His creation, and all that we have belongs to Him, so when we give to others we’re merely acting as God’s hands in providing for them.

Secondly however, we give to the needy for the sake of our own souls. Afterall, Jesus teaches us to beware of practicing our righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them and praised by them. So beware of doing something in order to get your name on a plaque, or in order to get a tax break, or in order to be publicly recognized. This doesn’t mean tax breaks, plaques, and public recognition are sinful, but what’s your motivation and going on in your heart?

So instead of giving to the needy for the sake of earthly praise, give to the needy for their sake and to teach your heart that this life is not all about your stuff. In fact, your stuff belongs to God, and your stuff is all going to burn up in the end. The treasure isn’t on earth, this stuff isn’t the treasure; the treasure is in heaven.

The second thing Jesus urges us to do is to pray. Our day and age is a little different than 1st century Israel, where everyone was an Israelite and holiness was a public virtue. Apparently, it was a problem worth warning people against, but some people would pray at church and on street corners with the purpose of being seen by others, because it would give them worldly glory to be seen praying. So Jesus admonished them to pray at home privately since the purpose of their prayers is to speak to God, not to show off to others.

This is still true, however, we have a different problem today. Namely, praying has gone out of vogue entirely, and holiness is more commonly mocked instead of praised, and this leads people to never pray either in public or in private. So our lesson is a bit different. Namely, we need to learn to pray despite the mockery we may receive. Don’t be ashamed to pray when you are out of your house, whether that’s at the restaurant before you eat or in the workplace  during the day. If you want to pray in your closet, go for it, but pray at the dinner table and in the living room with your family as well. 

Prayer is certainly about asking for God’s providence, but even more basically, prayer is about teaching ourselves to realize that all good things come from God’s hand. My efforts, my striving, my own strength and intellect are ultimately at the mercy of God. It’s the Lord who provides for me, and without Him nothing that I set out to do will ever succeed. My life is in His hands, not my own, and my life belongs to Him to do with as He sees best.

The third thing that Jesus instructs us in is fasting, which is to abstain from food for a period of time. Right now fasting is actually becoming popular as a health practice, and there is probably much merit to that. However, fasting exists not just to help us lose weight or manage our blood sugar, fasting teaches us that our bellies must not rule over us. Fasting teaches our bodies that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Fasting is a reminder that worldly pleasures and entertainments are not the primary focus of this life, and in order to prevent their distractions, we intentionally set limits on them in our lives.

Fasting is probably the least familiar to us, even though it’s gained in popularity recently. But simply, fasting is a good practice, commended by Jesus, and it is something that Christians should do if they are physically able. You shouldn’t do it in order to be seen by others, but to be seen by your heavenly Father. Nevertheless, since this is mostly new and unfamiliar to us today, it’s not sinful to talk to others about fasting in order to learn how to do it and to be encouraged in our efforts. 

Through these three practices that Jesus admonishes us to make use of, the goal is that we begin to lay up more treasures for ourselves in heaven and fewer treasures on earth. Let us use these tools to rend our hearts. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This great treasure is the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. His love shall never fade away, the devil cannot steal it, and it shall endure unto eternity. 

Set aside your idolatry of this world and its vain pleasures. Repent of your idolatry and return to the Lord. “For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.” The Lord Jesus knows your sin, He knows your idolatry, and in mercy He shed His own blood for you. See His great love and return to Lord! Let your entire life be one of repentance, a life in which you are continually turning away from worldly pleasures, and towards the greatest treasure of all. By rending your garments, rend your heart as well. Forsake all hope in this life, and set your heart fully on the Lord, and He shall hear your prayer and have pity on His people.