Single Focus

“SINGLE FOCUS”

1. INTRODUCTION

Matthew 6:24 says…

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

· Show “Who do you serve?” clip

· Everyone serves someone or something. (ex. money, relationships, car, themselves)

· Even if you are the President, you have to answer to someone!

Matthew 6:24 Barnes Notes…

Christ proceeds to illustrate the necessity of laying up treasures in heaven from a well-known fact, that a servant cannot serve two masters at the same time. His affections and obedience would be divided, and he would fail altogether in his duty to one or the other. One he would love, the other he would hate. To the interests of the one he would adhere, the interests of the other he would neglect.

· So the question is, whom do you serve?

2. THE ONE THING

· In the movie “City Slickers”, Billy Crystal plays a middle age man who is struggling finding the meaning of life. He goes on this two- week vacation with two of his life-long friends on a real life cattle drive. He meets some colorful characters when he arrives, but one sticks out the most, the trail boss, Curly. Curly is a loner type guy that explains to Mitch that the meaning of life is found in that one thing. That one thing is different for everyone and Mitch would have to find that out for himself!

· Having a single focus means your eyes are set on one thing!

· Having a single focus means your mind is made up!

· "If you don’t make up your mind, then your unmade mind will unmake you.” –Stanley Jones

James 1:8 says…

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

NIV

· There’s no stability in having a double focus in life!

3. THE COST

· Rd. Mark 10:17-23 in the Message about “The Rich Young Man”

· The young man was holding on tight to all his stuff.

· The young man went away with heaviness in his heart because he had great wealth.

· This young man had a double focus, he wanted to follow Jesus but to also hold on to the old life.

· Salvation is a free gift that will cost you everything!

4. THE TREASURE

Matthew 6:21 says…

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

NIV

· Earthly pursuits will not last. Can you think of anything that you will do that will last eternally?

· Where is your heart? What do spend time thinking about? Dreaming about? Where do you spend your money?

· God will be your greatest treasure, your greatest pursuit, your greatest investment.

· What do you set your affections on?, Are your interests divided? Where is your treasure?

5. THE COURSE

· Try driving a long distance by looking in the opposite direction that you want to go. It won’t take long to go off course.

· This happens when we have our eyes on everything but Him (ex. boyfriends, girlfriends, cars, popularity, music, money, sports)

· It takes focus to follow Jesus, single focus!

Matthew 6:33 says…

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

NIV

Close with prayer