True Wealth
Matthew 6:19-24
Key Verse: vs.24
Big Idea:
The pursuit of wealth deceives and enslaves those who chase it. We must be wise and pursue God for true wealth.
Introduction:
Going to the doctor for a check-up. Questions they ask to discern if everything is really ok. The Sermon on the Mount is intended to be a Spiritual health test. How are we doing? Are we soaking in God’s grace that empowers us to live out His kingdom?
Context:
Switched subjects from talking about practicing our righteousness for an audience of one to talk more about who we serve/worship and the consequences/ rewards and wisdom/foolishness of that choice.
Text:
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 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.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.[f]
Big Idea:
The pursuit of wealth deceives and enslaves those who chase it. We must be wise and pursue God for true wealth.
Sermon Outline:
The Desire for Money, The Deception of Money, Deliverance from the love of Money
The Desire for Money
Starts with a negative prohibition against storing up treasure on earth.
Why do we try to store up treasure on earth?
Luke 12:13-21 (The Parable of the Rich Fool)
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (15)
Mark 10:17-27 (The Rich Young Ruler)
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”(25)
Surface Idols vs. Deep Idols
Money is a surface idol that feeds a deeper idol. The reason we tend to store up treasure on earth is because of the deep idolatry that we use money to satisfy.
Control-Money is saved or invested in such a way to give the illusion of control and security from danger.
Power– Money is used and spent in ways that brings influence and build an image of power for the one who wields it.
Comfort- Money is usually spent or saved in order to give the possessor a sense of physical and emotional comfort. Whether through relationships or through trying to be satisfied in the items one is surrounded with.
Acceptance– Money is used to gain acceptance and approval of those around. Often can be lavish giver’s but the motive for giving is that people would approve and accept them.
What do you treasure? Your heart will be there also! Your heart follows what you treasure like a compass needle follows magnetic north.
Why shouldn’t we store up treasure on earth?
It’s a foolish investment!
Principles of investing: Maximize returns and Minimize risk
Ex.) Bonds—Stocks—Leaving Money to do nothing
Inflation-Business Risk-Political Risk etc.
(Moth & Rust—Thieves break in and steal)
Investing in this world will always have risk and limited returns!
Be wise. Invest someplace where the returns aren’t limited but expand exponentially more than here and where there is no risk!
“If we would only think seriously about our possessions, we would realize that they belong to a passing world, which offers no security. In fact, seeking security in this world and its possessions is a recipe for producing anxieties, rather than relieving them! The more we gather possessions in order to feel secure, the more we feel we need them in order to be secure and then the more we need to guard them to maintain our security. Therefore, the less secure we are.”-Stott
Matthew 19:24-26
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first
Why do we work to earn money?
To provide for the needs of our family (Food-Clothing-Shelter)
1 Tim. 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
To be able to be generous to share with those who have need
Ephesians 4:28- 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
The Deception of Money
What does it mean to be deceived in regards to money? Where do we see this in the text?
Illustration: Light, Eyes, Body.
Eye-Vision/ Gaze of the Person (Not simply physical)
Light-Purity, Goodness
Body-The whole of a person, their character and direction.
What does it mean for your eye to be good or bad? Good meant singleness of purpose (could be seen as generous) and bad/ evil eye (stinginess-hoarder)
“The light in you is darkness, how great the darkness”—“That darkness is especially appalling if the person deceives himself. If he thinks his eye is good when it is bad, he talks himself into believing that his nominal loyalty to kingdom values is deep and genuine, when in fact it is shallow and contrived. That persons’ darkness is greatest who thinks his darkness is light.”—Carson
Ex.) Lord of the Rings-Frodo (Ring of Power). Lays a wicked hold on the person’s heart and deceives them. They call is precious as it slowly becomes the center around which they orbit all to their own demise.
Ex.) Parable of the Soils (Mt.13)- Seed along the hard path-Seed that spurts up quickly but no root-Seed that grows but chocked out by deceitfulness of riches and cares of this world, seed that bears good fruit.
Ex.) Keller Preaching on 7 deadly Sins-No one showed up for Greed.
Adultery-Lying-Stealing pretty obvious but where’s the line for materialism and greed? Where’s the clear standard that we can see? Easy to justify.
Why? We compare ourselves to those directly around us and there’s always someone who has/ spends more and easy to justify our own actions!
Let’s start with, this might be a problem for me, I should start looking for it in my life.
Deliverance from the love of Money
Jesus has given us three word pictures (Treasure-Light-Master)
The Love of Money is a Master that can enslave us to it’s whims.
What does being a slave to money mean?
We do everything calculating how this affects us monetarily. Every decision is made with the objective of money and its involvement.
What does it mean to be a slave to Jesus?
We do everything thinking about how this affects and makes much of Jesus in our lives. How do we reflect His grace and love towards others around us?
We can’t have 2 Masters’ at the same time! Either money will dominate our thoughts and dictate our actions or Jesus will. We will either use GOD to serve money or use MONEY to serve GOD. Which is your Master?
How do we begin to treasure God with our wealth?
- Not by guilt
- Not by will-power
We are changed by grace through faith.
1 Timothy 6:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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. 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. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (Maybe Cut?)
The Story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10): Salvation has come to this house (God’s Generous grace changed His heart to become Generous. Valued God more than money.)
God’s generosity towards us, His grace to become poor that we might become rich in Him, melts our hearts to become radically generous people. Money loses its grip on us as we see the beauty, love, and untold riches that we have in Christ.
Application:
- Able to give-Generosity
- Able to live more simply-Contentment