Alternate Life Styles Series

Early 20th Century- medical missionary to China- Dr. Claude Barlow. There was- strange disease- no remedy for- killing many people. He treated hundreds of cases- took voluminous notes from his observations. After watching so many die- took his notes/vial w/germs from the disease- returned to US. Upon arriving he ingested- vial of germs/went immediately to John Hopkins Hospital where he had studied for- medical degree. He became very ill and submitted himself to the professors to study the affects of the disease. Eventually- discovered a cure- Dr. Barlow’s life was saved. Upon getting well he returned to China/saved many lives with the cure for the disease. (Told by Dana Chau)

SOTM-Mtt6-Jesus-saying-3 things-can do w/our life-

waste it

spend it

invest it

we can waste it living for the moment,

spend on activities that make us happy,

invest it helping people/building KofG

Dr. Bartow chose- help people/build God’s Kingdom.

How will we use our lives? (from Brian Moon)

Introduction

Walking- verse by verse- through the SOTM.

Completed- Mtt 6:1-18- now look at 2nd half.

First half- talked about giving, praying, and fasting-

secret life before God/personal history w/Lord

V19- looks beyond our private life- to our public life-

money, possessions, food, drink, clothing, etc.

Some would couch it in terms of the …

inward spiritual life vs. outward secular life.

However, one of the greatest hindrances to spiritual growth is separating the spiritual from the secular.

For a Christian they are one- every activity is spiritual

V19-21

The issue here is the durability of our treasure …

Treasures on earth- corruptible- insecure.

Treasures in heaven- incorruptible- secure.

What is Jesus actually forbidding a believer to do?

He is not saying it is wrong to …

have possessions,

save for the future,

enjoy the good things God has given to us.

What Jesus is forbidding is …

selfish accumulation of possessions,

extravagant living,

insensitivity to the needs of the poor,

seeing our life as the total of our possessions,

Lk 12:15 Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." NASU

He is not talking against being wise and providing for our future, but warning against being covetous.

Job 1:21 He said, "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord ." NASU

How about the current economic crisis?

For some-

lost thousands $ in investments

others lost their retirement

many too poor to have anything to lose, rising costs making life very difficult

Regardless of our situation, where have we put our trust- where is our treasure- is it secure/insecure?

What treasures can we accumulate-

1Co 13:13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. NLT

We can invest in …

faith, hope, and love.

Christ-like character,

practicing a lifestyle of forgiveness,

raising our children to know the Lord,

sharing the Gospel w/others,

using our resources to build God’s Kingdom

Our life should be lived so it has eternal consequences

V 22-23

Contrast- between- blind person/person who can see.

Person w/sight walks in light, blind person- darkness.

The eye can be viewed as synonymous w/heart of man

Psa 119:10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. NASU

What are we fixing our eyes- setting our heart on?

If our desire is to serve/honor/glorify God, then our lives will be filled with His light in every area.

If our desire is to serve our natural man- desires of the flesh- then our lives will be filled w/materialism.

V24

The choice between God and wealth, is the choice between the Creator and something He has created.

Think of - in terms of a slave vs. a slave-owner …

a slave cannot be owned by two owners.

We are called to be bond-servants of Christ.

Who is our owner?

We can only call God our owner, if we serve Him with our whole heart, mind, soul, strength.

Isa 42:8 "I am the Lord , that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. NASU (Isa 48:11)

To serve God with other loyalties in this life, is to practice idolatry.

V25

Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, "What are you going to do?" "I’m going to take 100 people," Death replied. "That’s horrible!" the man said. "That’s the way it is," Death said. "That’s what I do."

The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death’s plan. As evening fell, he met Death again. "You told me you were going to take 100 people," the man said. "Why did 1,000 die?" "I kept my word," Death responded. "I only took 100 people. Worry took the others." (Pastor Tony Britt)