Evening Service for 9/20/2009
Matthew 6:19-24
Introduction:
A woman met a friend of her father’s who had not seen him for many years. The woman’s father was a devout Christian, so she found great joy in telling his old acquaintance about her dad’s trust in the Lord, and the way he faced suffering, trials, and even the prospect of death.
The friend, however, had lived a different kind of life. Having given himself over completely to earning money and hoarding every cent he could, he had become very wealthy. But he didn’t have the same glad anticipation of the future as his friend did. He explained it to the daughter in this way: “Your father can be more optimistic about heaven than I for a very simple reason. He is going to his treasure. I’ll be leaving mine!”
WBTU:
A. In writing to Timothy, Paul described the danger of seeking to be rich. (1 Tim 6:9 NIV) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:10 NIV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
B. Jesus also described the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said it was difficult, but not impossible. (Mat 19:23 NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
(Mat 19:24 NIV) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."(Mat 19:25 NIV) When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
(Mat 19:26 NIV) Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
C. In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus teaches us how it is possible
D. Vs. 24 talks about mammon. The NIV says Money but notice it is a capital M. Easton’s Bible Dictionary says that mammon is a word meaning wealth or riches. However, it goes beyond just that. It really means the god of riches, or money.
E. We must be careful that wealth, riches, possessions does not become our god.
Thesis: To prevent mammon from becoming our “god”, let’s examine the teachings of Jesus found here.
For instances:
I. Lay up treasure in heaven (Vs. 19-21)
A. Why in heaven, and not on earth.
1. On earth: Moth and rust and thieves
2. In heaven: no moth or rust and no thieves.
B. Where your treasure is, there your “heart” (affections, hope, dreams) will be also…
1. If our treasure is on earth, our hearts will experience much disappointment.
a. Things decay or are destroyed.
b. Things are stolen
c. Get what we want but then we want more. Never satisfied. (Eccl 5:10 NIV) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
2. If our treasure is in heaven, our hearts will not suffer great disappointments. (1 Pet 1:3 NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Pet 1:4 NIV) and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, (1 Pet 1:5 NIV) who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
C. With treasures laid up in heaven, whatever happens on earth will not devastate us. (Heb 10:34 NIV) You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
D. What do you put your security in? A house, a retirement plan, a job, family
E. The reason that a lot of people do not have a feeling of security is because they are depending on earthly things for their security. Nothing on earth is free from danger; nothing on earth is free from risk of loss; nothing on earth is always reliable; nothing on earth is strong or stable enough to ensure complete safety. If Job had put his complete confidence and security in his possessions and in his family, he would not have been able to go on. He had security that went beyond these things.
D. A. If Jesus were to an analyze your life, what would he say your “treasure” is?
E. How can we lay up treasures in heaven?
1. First, by becoming children of God
2. Then, by using material wealth we may have to bless those around us
3. (Titus 3:14 NIV) Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
4. (Eph 4:28 NIV) He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
F. Have you ever stopped to think about what is going to happen to your money, your stuff when you die? (Eccl 2:18 NIV) I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. (Eccl 2:19 NIV) And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.
G. John Grisham- The Testament book
H. My grand kids spend more money for clothes and shoes than I do. They spend more for their cars. I sacrifice and go without in order to save money, for what reason? So I can leave it to them to spend.
II. Keep Your eye Good (Vs. 22-23)
A. What does it mean to have good eyes? Bad eyes?
B. Eye likely means the gaze of the soul
C. An explanation
1. If the gaze of the soul be “good” (“single” in its love of God and the things of God) Then one is filled with “light”- I am the light of the world
2. If the gaze of the soul be “bad” ((1 John 2:16 KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.) Then one’s soul is filled with “darkness.” (Eph 5:8 NIV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Eph 5:9 NIV) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) (Eph 5:10 NIV) and find out what pleases the Lord. (Eph 5:11 NIV) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (Eph 5:12 NIV) For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
D. How great is that darkness- (Prov 27:20 NIV) Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.
E. Gave ‘em an evil eye. You know what the evil eye is? That’s a Jewish colloquialism, to mean grudgingly. For example in Deuteronomy 15:9 it talks about when you have a slave and it’s coming to the Jubilee Year and he is to be freed, that you have an evil eye toward him. That is you are ungenerous, stingy and you grudge him that freedom. In Proverbs 23:6 it says, “Eat not the bread of him who has an evil eye.”
III. Make God Your Master (Vs. 24)
A. No one can serve two masters. No double agents
B. We have to choose between God and Mammon. When wealth is chosen, it becomes the priority in our lives, it becomes our god. (Eph 5:5 NIV) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
C. Chose to serve God- Seek first His kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
D. Mammon is a horrible master.
E. Timothy Johnson- The most significant consequence of faith in the one God is the potential for freedom it grants us… As servants of the living God, we are free to use material things without being possessed by them.
F. Think that materialism is not a god. Listen to this: "People just don’t understand that shopping is our drug of choice," a woman joked, even while admitting that some months her salary goes exclusively to paying the minimum balance on her credit cards. "Walking through the door of South Coast Plaza is like walking though the gates of heaven.”
So what?
Three things that Jesus teaches us about treasure here:
1. Treasure is connected to the heart. (Vs. 21) Many people bet their hearts and emotions on earthly things. Save your heart the trouble. Bet it on heavenly things.
2. Treasure is connected to the mind. (Vs. 22) If your eye is only concerned about earthly things, this will be all that you think about. What do we focus our eyes on? Earthly things or heavenly things.
3. Treasure is connected to the will. (Vs. 24) We either are concerned about earthly things or heavenly things. There is no in between. Who do we serve God or money?
Considering this past week, if your “bank” on earth or in heaven? What do you need to do to change accounts? Who has been your master lately?
How much are you worth if you have no money?
