Luke 16:11 – “If you've not been faithful in unrighteous money, who will commit to your trust true riches?”
If you can't be faithful in another man's, who will give you what's your own?
The word ‘true’ means authentic, genuine; the opposite of imaginary, or counterfeit. There are ‘true riches’, eternal in heaven, which can be laid up, and can be reserved; so, what qualifies us? How do we lay up treasures in heaven; and what are the treasures in heaven? In that parable, Jesus commended the steward, because he thought ahead, acted wisely and invested in his future. He's saying that Christians need to do the same thing - we need to think ahead for eternity. He uses the comparison of a steward who is unfaithful, and now he's going to lose his job, and lose his provision… but he plans ahead, so that people will look after him.
Jesus said: that's a smart guy! There are not many guys in the kingdom, who in this life, think about the eternal life, and then plan intentionally how to lay up treasure in heaven. What are the true riches? Heaven is full of gold and precious stones - they're everywhere, so they can't be the true riches.
Revelation 21:18 (talking about the city of God) – “The construction of its wall was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass”.
Revelation 21: 21 – “The 12 gates were 12 pearls, each gate was one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass”.
The streets are gold, and if there’s so much gold that you can just put it on the street, then how much value is that? We use bitumen on the road, and bitumen is everywhere, because it doesn't cost much - there's so much of it, they just use it for a common thing. He's saying: in heaven, gold is like that. In the Book of Revelation, you find there are gold and precious stones everywhere in the city, so therefore, true riches cannot refer to things like gold and silver. The true riches in heaven, or the treasure in heaven that Jesus refers to, is: Eternal Intimacy, a deep, close, very personal relationship with Jesus, and the Father; Eternal Authority, working with Him, and being invested great authority to bring transformation in the kingdom; and Eternal Glory, honour. Wealth is something that's very, very valuable. It's a commodity that enables you to accomplish many things; and the true riches of heaven are: Intimacy, Authority and Honour or Glory. Those are the things we should set our heart on. Those are the things we should seek.
Revelation 2:17 – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give hidden manna to eat, and I'll give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it”.
That word ‘white stone’ means: a brilliant light dazzling, dazzling white like a diamond. The white stone was a stone that was received like a gold medal at the Olympics. If someone had run a race, achieved something great, they were given a white stone - it was a symbol of honour; and it gave them admission. He's using the idea of the white stone in heaven - giving you honour and admission. He's talking about deeper relationship, intimacy, and access to the things of God. Hidden manna – again, being able to enter the very presence of God, and have an intimate relationship with Him. The ‘treasures in heaven’ refer to privileged access to Jesus, and to the Father. It's all to do with a relationship - a union with Him, a connection with Him, and all that flows out.
Treasure in heaven then refers to privileged access to Jesus - access to the ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’.
Ephesians 3:8 – “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Unsearchable means: past finding out, they're beyond comprehension. Intimacy with Christ, and knowledge of Him, is far beyond our human brain's ability to comprehend, by logic; it's only known by revelation. Unsearchable means: there's so much, you can't search it all out, you'll never get to the end of it - you'll never exhaust the fullness of it. Isaiah had an encounter with heaven…