have talked with him about wealth on earth and treasure in heaven, but he was asleep.
That evening after supper, when Jesus and the twelve gathered together for their daily conference, Andrew asked: "Master, while we were baptizing the believers, you spoke many words to the lingering multitude which we did not hear. Would you be willing to repeat these words for our benefit?" And in response to Andrew's request, Jesus said:
"Yes, Andrew, I will speak to you about these matters of wealth and self-support, but my words to you, the apostles, must be somewhat different from
those spoken to the disciples and the multitude since you have forsaken everything, not only to follow me, but to be ordained as ambassadors of the kingdom.
Already have you had several years' experience, and you know that the Father
whose kingdom you proclaim will not forsake you. You have dedicated your
lives to the ministry of the kingdom; therefore be not anxious or worried about
the things of the temporal life, what you shall eat, nor yet for your body, what
you shall wear. The welfare of the soul is more than food and drink; the
progress in the spirit is far above the need of raiment. When you are tempted
to doubt the sureness of your bread, consider the ravens; they sow not neither
reap, they have no storehouses or barns, and yet the Father provides food for
every one of them that seeks it. And of how much more value are you than many
birds! Besides, all of your anxiety or fretting doubts can do nothing to supply
your material needs. Which of you by anxiety can add a handbreadth to your
stature or a day to your life? Since such matters are not in your hands, why
do you give anxious thought to any of these problems?
"Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is cut down and cast into the fire, how much more shall he clothe you, the ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom. O you of little faith! When you wholeheartedly devote yourselves to the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, you should not be of doubtful minds concerning the support of yourselves or the families you have forsaken. If you give your lives truly to the gospel, you shall live by the gospel. If you are only believing disciples, you must earn your own bread and contribute to the sustenance of all who teach and preach and heal. If you are anxious about your bread and water, wherein are you different from the nations of the world who so diligently seek such necessities? Devote yourselves to your work, believing that both the Father and I know that you have need of all these things. Let me assure you, once and for all, that, if you dedicate your lives to the work of the kingdom, all your real needs shall be supplied. Seek the greater thing, and the lesser will be found therein; ask for the heavenly, and the earthly shall be included. The shadow is certain to follow the substance.
"You are only a small group, but if you have faith, if you will not stumble in fear, I declare that it is my Father's good pleasure to give you this kingdom. You have laid up your treasures where the purse waxes not old, where no thief can despoil, and where no moth can destroy. And as I told the people, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
