Stress Removal :Two Kind of Eyes
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I. Introduction
A. My love of spending money
B. Growing up, we didn’t spend a lot of money
C. When I started to earn my own money, it burned a hole in my pocket
D. This innocence led to covetousness.
E. FCF: Why do we humans have difficulty with covetousness?
F. Main Idea: Because of our narrow hearts and eyes, Jesus teaches us to focus on Him, not worldly possessions.
II. Context
A. Jesus is talking to his young disciples about the issues of wealth and unhealthy desires to want things others have.
B. This was discussed last week when looking at the stress this can bring in terms of storing up treasures.
C. We often want to store up treasures for our pleasers instead of Gods.
D. The concept of the eye bridges this idea even further.
E. Jesus, transition from the treasure of your heart into what you see.
F. The ancient concept of the eye bridges the difference between good and evil.
G. Generally, the eye can be the victim of the heart.
III. Division A: “An Eye Filled with Light” v.22a Matthew 6:22
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
A. What does “eye of the Lamp mean?”
B. This verse can only be clear if we understand the ancient meaning.
C. For the 1st Century Jew, the eye was a gateway to determine someone’s soul.
D. The O.T speaks about this
1. The author of Ecclesiastes speaks volumes of this.
2. Again, remember that this author reflects on what he has experienced in life.
3. During his time when he struggled with the emptiness of the wealth that he acquired, he made a remarkable statement in Ecclesiastes 2:10
All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.
4. “All that my eyes desired, I didn’t deny them.”
5. The author reflects that his eyes desired what he wanted, and he gave in to the temptation.
E. Quarles notes this verse section of the verse, too.
F. “Given the focus on wealth and possessions in the surrounding context, one immediately suspects that the eye portrays an outlook or perspective on money or material objects.”
G. Do we give in to our desires
H. The New Smoker?
I. New Shoes
J. For youth: New iPhone, Clothing, Video Game
IV. Division A: “An Eye Filled with Light” v. 22b
A. Our Lord continues with the verse: “If your eye is healthy, your whole body is healthy.”
B. In original Greek, healthy eye means “single.”
C. This passage means that the eye doesn’t allow the allurement of wealth and possessions to distract him from God.
D. This could mean coveting something or hoarding something that someone already has.
E. So, what does it mean to live a life entirely of light?
F. This isn’t just some philosophical question.
G. It is theological and practical.
H. First, Our king is calling us to reject theological material wealth
I. What that doesn’t mean is that it is to reject making money.
J. But theologically, we must give up on the God of Money
K. We are called to Holy Spirit Driven Generosity.
L. This is one of the Hallmarks of our Lord.
M. Generosity is always followed by Compassion.
N. We are to live more righteous lifestyles.
O. Full of Light could also mean Full of Righteousness.
V. Division B: “An Eye Filled with Darkness” v.23 Matthew 6:23
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!
A. The Lord was equally teaching his chosen not to live an evil life.
B. He is primarily talking about how our Christian ecosystem cannot be tainted.
C. Let’s look at Ecclesiastes again to reflect on this idea.
D. “The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This, too, is futile. When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes?” Ecc. 5:10-11
The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile. When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes?
E. The Proverbs also speaks about this too. Proverbs 28:22
A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.
Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread,
and don’t desire his choice food,
F. “A greedy man (stingy man, ESV) is in a hurry for wealth.”
G. In the literal Hebrew translation, it is referring to a greedy man with an evil eye.
H. This evil eye represents greed, stringiness, covetousness, or miserliness.
I. You see, our lord is speaking out to people who spend a lot of money but also hoard a lot of money in the guise of saving.
J. If you have an evil eye, it will be filled with darkness.
K. Our Lord is talking about how we cannot have both good and evil eyes.
VI. Conclusion
A. So, how does this relate to stress? This is where covetousness fits in. We stress because of what we don’t have.
B. Whether that is in the possessions or savings, we have.
C. We will always need more savings.
D. Now, what I am not saying is that we shouldn’t spend or don’t save.
E. The stress I’m referring to is habitual denial of spending
F. For example, extreme cheapskates on TLC where a person will reuse plastic wear or even get a large popcorn refill bucket from the trash and refile it with popcorn.
G. Now, what causes stress is when we are unwise with our money.
H. For me, I am thankful for my bride.
I. She has taught me so much about finances.
J. I always consult Hanna on money.
K. What must be clear is this.
L. Only Christ can save us from this sin.