Sermon Central
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Do You Have An Eye For God?
Contributed by Jeffrey Benjamin on Nov 15, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: He can’t bless you unless He has you. There’s no bargaining with Him.
Title: Do You Have An Eye For God?
Theme: Christian character
Text: Matthew 6:22-23
Idioms Every language has them
Words that are translated straight over lose their meaning.
Same is true for Kone Greek
Read text
Pray
Two types of eyes in this text good and bad
Good = 20/20? or something else?
haplous = Jas 1:5 Rom 12:8 2Cor 9:13
= generous
If generous then “full of light” one greek word a condition, composed of light, of bright character, well lit
Illus. “Give me oil in my lamp” oil is the feeding on the Word & things of God
“This little light of mine” testimony for God for evangelization
Light Eph 5:8 fruit of light = goodness, righteousness, truth
Then generosity = this fruit Would you like to be known for “ ?
Bad = greek poneros = evil OT Septuagint 250 BC Deut 15:9 KJV “thine eye be evil”
Prov 23:6-7 KJV “eat not the bread of him who has an evil eye”
Prov 28:22 KJV “he who hastens to get rich has an evil eye”
Matt 6:13 (nominative case) “evil one” stingy & selfish
If stingy then “full of darkness” one greek work absence of light
Gen 1:2 darkness prevailed before creation of light
Illus. Hold of a ship / men can’t handle it
Matt 8:12 darkness relates to Hell
Luke 22:53 Satan
John 1:5 men w/o God
John 3:19 ignorance of God
2Cor 6:14 contrasted to light
2Pet 2:17 degrees of intensity
Jude 13 “ for scoffers
1 John 1:5 absence of darkness part of God’s character/ who He is
Read text with new meanings
Test it
I. Does it make sense?
a. It feels good to give & be generous. The joy is in the giving!
b. Is there anything bright about someone who is stingy? Always a furrowed brow concerned about the safety or maintenance of their treasure!
II. Does it change the function? Is contrast okay?
a. generous vs. stingy
III. Does it fit the context? Illus. Location, location, location for realtors.
Before (vs 19-21) treasure on earth / treasure in heaven
corruption / no corruption
steal / do not steal
Heart follows treasure! Feelings follow action.
“Full of light” follows generosity!
“Full of darkness” follows stingyness.
After (vs 24) hate one / love the other
devoted to one / despise the other
God / Money (Mammon) Capitalized = grk god of materialism or material things
Look back at vs 19-20 store up things of God / or materialism that world offers
All the same context.
Who is blessed?
He who is generous.
He whose body is full of light.
He whose life is bright.
Mothers are often the epitome of this. Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing out of stingyness..
not just consider but
more so than self
vs 5 ff gives our example who stored up teasures in heaven
Be generous, not stingy, and you will have a character quality that will brighten your life.
This is also a remedy for depression.
He can’t bless you unless He has you.
There’s no bargaining with Him.
Do you have an eye for God?
