Whose your master?

Where we came from

Acts of righteousness (deeds)

Giving

Praying (where, when, bad examples; Good examples)

Today we are going to talk about; whose your master

Before getting to whose your master there is still a little more we have to touch on prayer and on regarding forgiveness.

A manner of prayer

A manner, a way to pray; similarity found in Lk11:2-4. If you go to Westside we looked at this last week. So I don’t want to belabor this too much, but then it’s prayer and it should be a priority for the Christian.

This is a how, not what to pray.

The right kind of prayer comes to our Father in Heaven - it recognizes who we pray to. The relationship we enter into. “OUR FATHER” The Jews would not say that, they would say “Yahweh”

Yet this is the one we pray to, the creator of the heaven and the earth the one who has rule, reign over all things who calls us by name, we call him OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.

It also acknowledges the location of our Father, he is our Heavenly Father, He resides in Heaven. the place of His holiness, His glory.

Hallowed be your name -your will be done, on earth as in heaven- the right kind of prayer has passion for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is done in heaven. Our desire should be God’s desire. We should put God’s will above our own. Remember we died to self and were raised up in Christ when we were born again, so Hallowed be His name, Holy is His name and we will desire for His will to be done.

Think about this “your will be done” do we mean it?

Jesus meant it “not my will but your will”

Others can say it but mean “well you are going to have your way anyways so just do it

Others may say “Do what you know is best, I don;t like it but I know you know what is best.” - - - I fall into this category a lot, just to be honest

Jesus was fully surrendered to The Fathers will, not begrudgingly, not under compulsion, but out of unadulterated love and dedication to the Father.

Give us this day our daily bread, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors - the right kind of prayer brings its needs to God for its daily needs for provision, and forgiveness.

Daily bread as in physical food?

Daily bread some thought this was communion, Lords’ supper

Daily bread thought this was Jesus since he was the bread of life

Daily bread thought this was the Word since is was considered bread

Forgive us our debts - We had our biggest debt - sin, forgiven, but we still fall short and we still need to acknowledge our part . . .

Forgive others, for we have been forgiven, we need to forgive others

Lead us not into temptation: God will not solicit evil, nor will he allow us to be tested beyond what we can handle

1Cor10:13 “13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

God does not temp men to do evil

Jm1:13 “13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

God does allow us to pass through periods of testing due to the fallen nature of man. Lead us not into temptation is saying Lord let me not go into temptation.

Spurgeon said it like this:

“The man who prays “lead us not into temptation and then goes into it is a liar before God. . . lead us not into temptation, is a shameful profanity when it comes from the lips of men who resort to places of amusement whose moral tone is bad.”

IF we truly pray lead us not into temptation then we are asking

Lord let me not boast of my strength but yours and yours alone

Lord let me not lead myself into any temptations or trials

Lord help me not to lead others into temptations or trials

The right kind of prayer focus on the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen.

This is what is consider the doxology; anthem, hymn. a song of praise

Most believe that this was added after and not a part of the original that Jesus taught.

It is a great focus though

Kingdom; Not this world nor the things of this world but on the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven where God lives, what will be our heavenly home, where Jesus was going, where Jesus is now.

The power. For Jesus was given all power in heaven and on earth and then he sent the power in the form of the Holy Spirit when he returned to His place at the right had of the Father just as He said he would do (Jn16:5-15).

And glory we have already seen that He gloried in the Father and the Father gloried in Him. So, no better way to pray and close the prayer than that.

Mt6:14-15 “14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

It is required since you have been forgiven.

It is not a luxury to hold onto grudges or bitterness against others when you have been forgiven (example me 20 years)

Jon Stott “Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offence against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely trifling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offences of others, it proves that we have minimized our own.”

This is an imperative (of vital importance; authoritative command; an urgent thing) of forgiveness, that it is not an option.

The right way to fast

Mt6:16-18 “16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

There again is the assumption that they are already fasting

It was the custom of the Jews to fast on the Day of Atonement (Lev19:29-31); the they kept adding to it, other things, like fasting from sin, fish, meat, vegetables (sure many children these days would like that one).

Q: Fasting gone wrong in this passage was what?

Q: Fasting done right was what?

In case you are wondering if there is any significance to the twice a week as noted in (Lk18:12) which just goes a little further than our passage today. According to FF Bruce goes with the ordinary Pharasic practice of Thursday and Monday of the ascent and descent of Moses on Sinai. But they were looking for the applause of men, not the applause of God. They were getting their reward in full now.

Hey take care of yourself as you normally do; use your regular hygiene. people do not need to know you are fasting. It is between you and God.

Next is now getting to who is your master as warning.

Choice between treasures

Mt6:19-21 “19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Don’t do it for YOURSELF. - the things on this earth are only temporary.

Heavenly treasures are eternal and are secure.

Earthly treasures are not necessarily bad, but they are not of eternal value if kept for self, they can be used for eternal treasures when not stored up for self.

Commentator Morgan: “The Master does not say it is wrong to possess earthly treasure. He does say it is wrong to lay it up for self. We are to hold it as stewards.”

We are to be are to be a giver “it is better to give than to receive (Act20:35). That is storing up treasures in heaven. It is helping those who are in need (Gal2:10)

Jesus told a parable of the shrewd manager (Lk16:1-14) and many look at it in a wrong way, but think of it as this. 1. He knew he was going to face judgment. 2. He used what the master had entrusted to him and he went and used it for the good of others then so that it would store up good for the future.

It was a parable to those listening that they better use the resources given now, now for they cannot take them with them. Be a giver now, be a faithful giver now. Be a cheerful giver now.

Mt6:21 “21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

There is no duality allowed, you cannot store up in two places it is either in heaven or earth. This is more than about money and you will see this as we go on in the passage, it is about loyalty.

Eye sight

Mt6:22-23Mt6:22-23 “22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, 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 that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Q: Tell me about the eye here? There is a statement and a contrast.

Take you hands and cover your eyes, what do you see?

Now take you hands and start to uncover your eyes, what are you starting to see as you do that? and as you take your hands away what do you see?

Light comes into the body through the eyes.

So if the eye is blind we would live in a dark world. Jesus is not speaking literal, but in a figurative way since he has been speaking of treasures, being generous or being single minded toward self. Light/darkness.

This has to do with the disciples attitude towards material things in this world.

Jesus calls for them to be single minded. like Paul did to have the mind of Christ (Php2) it brings light to our lives to be generous. And, and we are more content when we have a generous heart and focus on the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Mt6:33 “33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Focus on Him first and all these things- the things we need, the material things we need, God will add to us, why because we seek Him first, and we have a generous heart to serve others. His light is in us and there is no darkness at all

Jesus is asking them that their eyes are directed on heavenly things and are filled with light or on earthly things and filled with darkness.

Q: If you have a glass of clean water and pour mud into it what happens to the water?

As a Christian we can still get materialistic and hoard things for ourselves and try to justify it, even though this kind of darkness effects the entire body like the mud effects the entire glass. So the wrong attitude toward material things brings darkness to the whole being.

Who are you going to Serve

Mt6:24 “24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Q: Tell me something that is impossible?

It is impossible to be going in two directions at the same time

Jesus had the master slave relationship relationship in mind here. A slave cannot serve two masters at the same time.

Each claims the slave as property. Each expects total dedication and devotion.

Jesus is saying you cannot serve the master of money (mammon) and the Lord at the same time.

You can have the money (mammon) serve the Lord and it will serve you.

This is more than money, it is about heart, that is what Jesus is addressing here. Many claim to love and serve Jesus but in fact their service of their money shows different. They are not willing to sacrifice for Jesus. They will sacrifice for themselves for money sake to save for something they want to buy, but not for the sake of Jesus. then money is their God.

You don’t have to be rich to be serve mammon, the poor can do it too.

So, its all a matter of heart in these material things and this is what all these things we have been talking about are all about. covetousness