Be Secure

Matthew 6:19-24

Real Righteousness

The purpose of the Sermon on the Mount - calling us to the righteousness of the Kingdom

Where your treasure is, there your heart is also…, The eye is the lamp of the body…, You cannot serve two masters… These are not a random collection of proverbial sayings, to be taken separately.

Jesus is preaching on genuine righteousness

These 3 illustrations go hand in hand with vs 1-18

1-18 - beware or practicing your righteousness before men for their approval rather than the approval of God

Drawing us into the sanctuary to meet with the Lord

19-24 - beware of focusing on the things of this world while missing out on the things of heaven

Drawing us into the world - with all of its temptations

Only when our righteousness is directed to God, can we find the strength to stand the temptations of the world

This is my prayer for our congregation: Genuine Righteousness

Moving past keeping up appearances, and getting real with God.

This passage reaches to the core of our identity: Heart (treasure), mind (eye), and body (service); and I want to talk to your hearts.

My hope is that you would see the importance of pursuing righteousness, and know how to attain it.

Testing Your Priorities - the orientation of your life.

Treasure of the Heart - Two Options

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth

Storing Up - Hoarding, accumulating beyond need.

Jesus is not saying that it is wrong to have a savings account, or financial planning. Bible praises those who work and prepare for winter, (Gen. 41; Prov. 6:6–10). Parents should save for their children (2 Cor. 12:14). The Bible expects us to use God’s good creation joyfully. God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim. 6:17).

But Jesus call us to reject the godless, selfish accumulation of goods; heaping up possessions and savings beyond the ability to enjoy or spend them.

What are the earthly treasures?

Not just money - clothing, possessions -

If he said this to us today what would he add - homes, cars, retirement plans? That which brings you pleasure here and now, that which the world says you need - this is idolatry

Why not? It is insecure.

Moths and rust will eat at your treasures, Thieves will break in and steal - the treasures of this world are at risk.

1 John 2:16–17 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires…

Store up Treasures in Heaven

What are heavenly treasures?

That which brings us joy in the Lord, which draws us closer to Him, that which praises His name.

We store treasures in heaven by worshiping God, growing in knowledge and grace, and growing in love for God and neighbor. We store treasures in heaven by using our resources for kingdom causes, by giving money to the church, to missions, to Christian schools, to the poor.

Why heavenly treasures? They are secure

Not only are treasures safe with God; disciples are safer when they entrust their treasures to him

1 Pe 1:4 an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…

Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.

“How is your heart?” Are you preoccupied with earthly things, or are you building up your treasure in heaven? Are you rich in worldly goods, but poor in righteousness? Where is your treasure, where is your heart?

Light of your Life

The eye is the lamp - what does Jesus mean by this?

The eye is the window that illumines the inner person. What you set your eye on will determine the course of your life.

Calvin, “It is not the hands, nor the feet, nor the belly, that serves to direct men in walking, but that the eye alone is a sufficient guide to the rest of the members.”

What have you set you eye on, what is the direction of your life?

Two Visions

If the Eye is Healthy = single or simple, lacking ulterior motives.

The healthy eye sees clearly, is focused, and as such, brings truth and wisdom to the inner man.

But If the Eye is evil = double vision, clouded by cataracts

“Evil eye” was an idiom in Jewish culture signifying a jealous or grudging spirit. An evil eye looks with envy on the possessions or success of others.

Are you filling your eyes, and your life, with the pollution of this age?

When you set your eyes in the wrong place, on the lives of those around you, you cloud your souls.

If the eye is faulty, then we perceive objects confusedly and without distinction, and we stumble as if in the dark, and cannot perform our task.

If the light you shine in your life is dark, how great is the darkness! If what goes into your life is clouded, if your vision is divided, unfocused, it will lead you further into darkness.

Evaluative Questions

If your heart is set on material things, is it because you have set your eyes there too?

Are you looking at others as the standard for your life, clouding your judgment, blurring your vision, or are your eyes fixed upon Christ and His calling?

Are you being careful what you set your eyes upon?

The Master You Serve - Two Masters

You cannot serve two masters at the same time. A master directs your life, demands your loyalty and service.

Rom 6:16–18 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

You cannot serve God and money

Mammon -“Mammon” means “trusted thing” or “that which one trusts.” The name fits, for people are prone to trust their money before anything else. The things you trust in other than God are idols, false gods.

Evaluative Questions

Elijah and the prophets of Baal, “How long will you go on limping between two opinions?”

Laying Up Treasure in Heaven

What is Jesus calling us to?

Do this for yourself - build your treasure, fix your eyes, choose your master… No. This is the opposite of the gospel.

If Jesus is only giving us the test, without giving us the answer, we are hopeless. Our hearts hopelessly on set on the things of this world, our eyes are dimmed, always wandering away from the brilliance of God’s glory, we are rebels from God’s command and fall into disobedience.

Jesus is calling us, at every moment, back to the Gospel.

As you seek the righteousness of the kingdom - don’t perform it for the praise of men, but let righteousness begin in secret - for your God sees in secret. As you pursue righteousness, know that you will only find it in Christ - direct your hearts to Him.

Christ is the Treasure of heaven

God incarnate is our true treasure, for in Him are hid “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3); our very life is “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).

2 Cor 9:11 - God makes us rich in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion

Christ is the Light the world

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Christ is Lord

2 Cor 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

Getting Real with Him

Repent and turn to Jesus - Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Fix Your Eyes Upon Him - Hebrews 12:2

Find Him to be the treasure of heaven through faith

God in Christ becomes our everlasting portion when we surrender to and accept Him as He is offered to us in the Gospel.