The Allure of “All These Things”
Matthew 6:24-34
* Over the last 38 years, as we have attempted to serve the Lord, we have lived in many different cities. In every location we had to learn the new home, new city, new roads, and new community. Learning a new community has always been fun, exciting, and (for the most part) fairly easy.
* The system I use for learning the roads of a new location is to learn how the main arteries run and then see how the smaller, connecting roads feed the main arteries. What I have discovered is that, in most communities this is done in a very logical way. That is – UNTIL I came here. The road system around this metropolis is very confusing. At first I thought the people who designed road may have been – well – inebriated because roads rarely lead to where your sense of direction tells you. However, it’s the terrain and it serves as a blockade. All in all it can be confusing.
* The confusion caused by the roadways pales in comparison to the confusion which life offers. The world pulls us in one direction while our Lord and His Kingdom pull us in the opposite direction. And the ‘rub’ is that, much of the time the world’s way seems logical.
* Our text today reveals Jesus in the heart of the Sermon on the Mount attempting to get His listeners to understand proper priority. (READ TEXT)
* Some read this text as an excuse to be lazy. The emphasis is not on work but worry.
* The word “Worry” appears, in some form, at least 5 times in this text. Jesus says, “Don’t’ worry” or “Why worry?” Most of our worrying is wasted on things which will not matter 100 years from now. You say, “I worry about my kids.” That’s good except it begs the question, “What do you worry about for or with your kids?” “I want them to have food, clothes, and shelter.” And so we focus on ‘these things.’
* When Jesus speaks of ‘all these things’ He is using what we know to be human needs as a symbol of this world. No one can serve two masters so we cannot focus on the world and on God at the same time!
* The world’s has so permeated our mind set that, unwittingly, we have bought into its philosophy of “He who dies with the most toys wins” so we focus on this world, it has great attraction to us. Jesus tells us to “beware of ‘all these things.’”
* Two times in our text we read the phrase, “ALL THESE THINGS” and two times this phrase reminds me that Jesus has just said, “No one can be a slave of two masters.” This truth needs to burn deeply within our hearts.
* The world of ‘all these things’ is seeking to attack you, to attract you, and to allure you. The word, allure means, “To exert a very powerful & often deadly attraction.” When I see the word ‘allure’ I see it as a four-letter word (lure) which from a fishing standpoint speaks of ‘getting their hooks in you.’
* If the fish see the hook – they avoid it. I believe if we see this world’s hooks we’ll avoid them. Here are three ways to see the ‘hooks’ (allure) of all these things.
1. See Your Life – Jesus says, “Don’t worry about the things of this life because isn’t your life more than ‘these things?’ To focus on these things is to sell your life short.
a) All these things can become a distraction in your life. God created us & called us as eternal souls. When we focus on ‘these things’ our focus becomes the here & now, the temporary and we lose our focus on God’s design and desire. Let me repeat this several times, “You cannot serve two Masters – you will love one and the other.” Jesus was focused on one thing, “seeking and saving the lost.” Even when his earthly family came to the place where he was speaking – Jesus did not allow their presence to distract Him from Kingdom work. Had it been one of us, we would have probably dismissed the class to spend the rest of the day with the fam, and many would have never had the opportunity to hear the good news. When we focus on the things of this world, then the things of God’s Kingdom grow strangely dim. By the way, many things in this life can become a distraction (I.E. family, friends, struggles, money, possessions, etc) These distraction can become;
b) All these things can become the direction for your life. – The things in this world which distract you from following Christ can forge a direction for your life. When you are distracted for a long period of time, you lose your way. How many times have I been hunting & become distracted by tracks, signs, or sounds, and lose my way & my place. (I.E. deer running through stand). When this happens, you begin to follow the wrong things as a course of life; you lose your direction. This causes;
c) All these things can become destructive to your life. – To become focused on ‘these things’ is to replace God. The Bible says, “Idolaters” (you know what that is) seek all these things which mean that these things have become their god. Earlier this year on Wednesday nights we talk about IDOLS and defined an idol as any good thing which is made into the ultimate thing (then it becomes a bad thing).
* See your life as God sees it. What does He see? Have ‘all these things’ controlled you so much that you have lost your connection to the Father?
* Just a note about your life: Being connected to the Father, having a home in heaven, & being secure for all eternity only comes through Jesus Christ. Sin still separates us from God, sin still needs a blood sacrifice to be forgiven, & sin still sends us to hell. Jesus is God’s answer for your dilemma. He calls you today.
* He calls you to Himself. He calls to get your life & love in order.
2. See Your Love – The love of your life is whatever is first in your life or the focus of your life. If your first love is ‘all these things’ – you may or may not attain them, it’s that simple. Candidly, we didn’t even visit the ‘limits’ of our life which Jesus gives. He says, “Look at the birds, learn from the flowers” that you are not in control, God is. Lean on the Lord. How? Verse 33 gives us the hint. (Read).
a) Seek – For us to seek is the most normal part of our life. We are always seeking, searching out, trying to attain or obtain something. It is normal & natural. We seek for knowledge, wisdom, maturity, a mate, a job, and the list goes on.
b) First – We know about being or wanting to be first. We want our football team, our race car driver, our favorite golfer, our kids and more to be first. We know what it means to be first & understand a little bit of what is required. Focus, commitment, & dedication are three of the most common attributes of being first. Whatever is first in your life exposes what you love most in your life; it’s your top priority. You cannot say that your wife is first in your life IF she is last on your list. You cannot say your church is first in your life if you only give her what’s left of your schedule, energy, and money. You cannot say the Lord is first in your life if He is last in your priorities. We return to Matthew 6 where Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters” and expose us by saying, “Wherever your treasure, that is where your heart is.” Jesus didn’t say your treasures follow you heart – He said, “Look at what’s first in your life – that is the tell-tale sign of where your heart is.” What is first in your life? What has your heart? What is it that controls your schedule & money?
c) Kingdom of God- Someway, somehow we have difficulty with the concept of seeking first the Kingdom of God! Perhaps we don’t understand it, can’t really conceive it, or think it’s out of style, but the truth is we need to focus on the Kingdom of God to meet the challenges of this world. This world screams for our attention, our focus, & our best attempting (and doing a good job) of side-tracking us from God’s Kingdom. The reason we lose sight of the Kingdom so easily is that we are accustomed to a democratic lifestyle & do not have a Kingdom mentality.
* Throughout history there have been many Kingdoms. Each Kingdom is only as good as the King, Ruler, or Potentate. Alexander the Great conquered the known world & his kingdom carries HIS reputation. Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king who was ruthless & godless – and so Babylon carries that designation. God’s Kingdom has the one perfect King for all the ages. He is just, righteous, benevolent, & perfect. At the end of all the ages, you will find yourself in one of only two Kingdoms which remain, the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of darkness.
* The Kingdom of Darkness will find its final abode in the Lake of Fire. Revelation is clear about this. Turn to Revelation 20 and let’s read. (READ) Friends & Family: for those who focus their life and attention on “ALL THESE THINGS” – verse 15 charts the course. “No man can serve two masters” & “Where you treasure is, there is your heart.”
* For the one who turns to Christ in repentance and seeks FIRST the KINGDOM OF GOD (by the way – you seek God – His Righteousness will follow you) – the next chapter paints the picture for you of life everlasting.
* Years ago a blind singer named Ken Medema wrote these words: “Pretending you’re a Christian is a luxury you can’t afford. Maybe you can fool the people of the church, but you just can’t fool the Lord. You know He knows everything you do, He knows just how you feel. Cut the act, state the facts, why don’t you be for real? Don’t play the game, you just can’t do it. Don’t play the game, He’ll see right through it. You gotta have a brand new start, give Him your heart.
