Investing With An Eternal Perspective (Sermon: Acts 5:12-16)

Real estate, gold, international currency, stocks, bonds-where should we invest? It all depends on whether you have long range goals or short range goals. Some of us invest to be able to upgrade our house in a few years. Others invest for their children's college. Still others are looking toward retirement. But do you realize that even if you are just entering the work force and have 50 years until retirement, this is still a short range goal in relation to eternity.

I want to encourage you today to invest in something that will never depreciate, never run out, and can never be taken away from you. Invest yourself in leading others to faith in Jesus. No, it won't help you retire at 55. It won't lead to a nicer car or a bigger house. It may not even lead to more respect. But it will give you a satisfaction and joy that nothing else can buy. And a thousand years from now, when you have long forgotten about what car you are now driving and you can't remember the address where you used to live, you will be able to look into the face of someone who is experiencing heaven because you investing your time and energy to share the love of Christ with them.

Consider Jesus' parable: "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21). --Amen