What You’re Tied To
Matthew 6:19-21
Last week I started a series of sermons called, “More than Survivors”… raising your kids to be more than just survivors in this world… raising them to be victorious, winners, and champions.
Our example was Moses and how his mother, Jochebed, instilled in him the character he would need to be victorious.
I told you that…
Your Character is determined by your Choices
Today I want to move to the next step…
Your CHOICES are determined by your VALUES
The choices you make will be determined by what you value, treasure or regard as desirable.
ILL: Two hunters were out hunting and come upon what appeared at first as an abandoned farm…
The barn was sagging, house in disrepair, junk car & car parts lying around. The only thing that made it a working far were a few chickens pecking away and a goat wandering around.
As they entered the yard they came across an old well.
One asked the other “Wonder how deep it is?” Other said, “We’ll have to drop something down and listen for the splash”
They look around for something to drop down the well but the only thing close by was an old transmission.
They both hauled it over to the well and dropped it in.
They counted and waited a long time for the splash - It was deep a deep one all right
They turned to leave and saw the goat was charging at them - Head down horns headed straight for them
At the last moment they jumped aside and the goat went right past them and straight over the side and down the well.
They looked at each other in amazement.
As they started to leave the owner of the farm came up.
They chatted for a moment - Got permission to hunt on his land.
The farmer asked, “Have you seen my goat?”?
They said, “Your goat almost killed us charging at us.
You should have had that goat tied up.”
The farmer, “I thought I had him tied up to an old transmission”
LESSON: You follow what you are tied to
Just like that goat… we often get make bad choices… because of what we are tied to.
That is worth repeating and writing down… You follow what you are tied to
You make choices ((good or bad)) because of what you’re tied to
“Let me ‘splain”
All of us come to those splits in the road (choices) where we can take the high road or the low road… the godly road or the worldly road… the path of victory or the path of defeat
And the truth is… we all wish we were a Moses… that we would turn our back on the things of the world and choose the things of God
We want our children to be Josephs… who run away from sin and receive the rewards of faithfulness rather than enjoy the fruits of sin for a short while
We want to be Joshuas and choose the right road even when those around us are choosing the wrong way.
We like to think of ourselves as champions, and think we would never deny Christ like Peter, or doubt him like Thomas, or betray Him like Judas…
We want to think we would be listed in Hebrews 13 with the hall of fame of believers
But we don’t! When the situation or choice… or temptation… presents itself, we make the wrong choice… we choose the wrong road… we don’t stand strong… we fold like a house of cards.
And there we are, laying flat on our face, ashamed
I have fallen, Lord, once more. I can't go on and I'll never succeed. I'm ashamed and I don't dare look at you
When the wind had died down as suddenly as it had arisen, when the lightening ceased after proudly streaking the darkness, all of a sudden I found myself alone, ashamed, disgusted with my sin in my hands.
This sin that I selected, as a customer selects his purchase.
This sin that I paid for but cannot return… This tasteless sin, this odious sin, this sin that now sickens me, which I once wanted, but I want no more.
That I imagined, sought, played with, fondled for a long time, that I finally embraced by passing you.
This sin that I've grasped and consumed with a gluttony. It's mine now, Lord
Lord, I can't seem to get rid of it.
I can’t take it back… I can’t go back and re-choose
I paid too much
It was false advertizing… it did not give what it offered
Lord. I'm ashamed of being seen by you, for you loved me and I forgot you.
I forgot you because I was thinking only of myself, and one can't think of several persons at once; one must choose and I chose.
And now, Lord, please don't look at me like that, I'm naked and dirty, Lord.
And why are we there… because of what we tied ourselves to
Because we spent so much time thinking about worldly things… common things, wrong things, temporary things
We spend hours each day thinking about STUFF… worldly treasures and getting more and more….AND WE TIE OURSELVES TO THE STUFF OF THIS WORLD…
And then we come to the split in the road and we choose the wrong way, the low road, the path of sin, the way of stuff
And are you surprised?
Of course you would choose that road… you have spent so much time thinking about stuff
Did you think you would choose the high road… the path of righteousness, faithfulness?
Why… you have spend NO TIME tying yourself to that road
YOU FOLLOW WHAT YOU ARE TIED TO AND YOU ARE TIED TO THE STUFF
We watch things that cause us to spend time thinking sexual thoughts, craving fleshly pleasures AND WE TIE OURSELVES TO THE STUFF OF THE FLESH
And the choice comes between the high road and the low road…and you make the wrong choice… you choose the way of the flesh… lust, sexual sin
And are you surprised? Did you really think you would choose the path of purity… when all you have thought about is the flesh and the low thoughts?
Of course you chose the wrong path… YOU WERE TIED TO IT
We spend so much time looking down on other people, finding fault with them and TRASHING THEM WITH YOUR TONGUE
And then comes the choice to show love or to be selfish and hypocritical… and you choose the latter… your tongue lashes out like a whip, you spew out your gossip and lies
Did you think you might choose the right road when the choice came? WHY?
YOU HAVE TIED YOURSELF TO PETTINESS AND JEALOUSY AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Of course you would choose that path.
YOU FOLLOW WHAT YOU ARE TIED TO
God know we are that way… that is why the bible is filled with warnings not to tie ourselves to those things
Pv. 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:”
Jesus put it this way: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where your treasure is… [what you’re tied to]
There will your heart be also… [that is what you will follow]
that will determine what you choose… what you do
The reason Moses was able to choose the hard way was because he spent MUCH time… tying himself to God and the things of God
So the principle is clear… IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES YOU MUST SPEND TIME TYING YOURSELF TO THE RIGHT THINGS
How DID Moses tie himself to the right things?
How CAN WE tie ourselves to the right things?
As always… the answer is found in the scripture…
Matt. 6:19-21 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, DON’T TIE YOURSELF TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD
20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, TIE YOURSELF TO THE THINGS ABOVE where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…
YOU FOLLOW THE THINGS YOU ARE TIED TO
2Co 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
Col 3:2 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Mt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Did you catch the thread of thought?
SET YOUR MIND… SET YOUR HEART… SET YOUR EYES
On God… ON His kingdom… ON the things of God
