BEWARE OF THE BRUTAL MASTER

Series: Topical Sermons

Topic: Two Powerful Masters

Subj: The real problem with Money

Text: Matthew 6:19-24

Introduction

I remember my Father painting in His imaginations what he wanted to do with his Money

His plans were so inspiring that we felt as if they were already accomplished

But When he had the money, he went drinking, came singing loudly, insulting the neigbourhood, and often he would beat us or chase us from the house.

It seemed as though that when he had the money, he became a completely different person

BUT I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES ALSO OF SEEING GOOD FRIENDS TURN INTO DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON ACCOUNT OF HAVING MONEY

I HAVE ALSO BEEN A BAD MANAGER OF MONEY, A FEW TIMES WITH THE LITTLE THAT WAS GIVEN. IN MY FORMATIVE YEARS, I DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MONEY THAT NEEDED MANAGING, IT WAS HAND TO MOUTH.

Matthew 6:19–24 (ESV)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 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!

“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.

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 6)

6:21 there your heart will be Jews of the time typically perceived the heart as the seat of intelligence and will. Jesus’ teaching reflects this view: People’s choices and actions are shaped by the things they cherish most

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 6)

6:22 full of light In this section, light and darkness are used as metaphors for a person’s spiritual condition

Observation

The Imperatives/Jesus Tells what and what not to do in the Passage.

1. Do not lay up for themselves treasures on Earth Vs 19

a. Do not lay up

b. For (Yourselves) themselves treasures

c. On Earth

2. But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven Vs 20

Why should you not lay up treasures of Earth

1. Because There is Moth, rust, and thieves

2. On Earth things are temporal and insecure

3. Hundred from now, non-of-us-will-be alive if Christ tarries

4. Everything we have will not follow us to the Grave

Why should we lay treasure in Heaven

1. In other words, Heaven is permanent and secure

2. We will live forever therefore wisdom is to invest in something permanent

And the the famous saying

Matthew 6:21 (ESV)

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

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (6:19–24 (Luke 12:33–34; 11:34–36; 16:13))

6:19–24 (Luke 12:33–34; 11:34–36; 16:13). One’s attitude toward wealth is another barometer of righteousness. The Pharisees believed the Lord materially blessed all He loved. They were intent on building great treasures on earth.

The Genius in Jesus’ Teaching

Notice:

Matthew 6:22–23 (ESV)

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 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!

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (6:19–24 (Luke 12:33–34; 11:34–36; 16:13))

The Pharisees had this problem because their spiritual eyes were diseased (Matt. 6:22). With their eyes they were coveting money and wealth. Thus they were in spiritual darkness. They were slaves to the master of greed, and their desire for money was so great they were failing in their service to their true Master, God. Money is the translation of the Aramaic word for “wealth or property,” - which is Mamona transliterated as Mammon

In other words - if you call darkness light or light darkness, it is a hopeless situation

The opposite of light is darkness - But when to you darkness is darkness and light is darkness, then how great is the darkness?

And the Jesus goes back to the issue of Treasure or money

Jesus has a reason why he connects the topic of Money to the ideas of light and Darkness: these are not disconnected.

Matthew 6:24: Another Truth

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

“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.

1. No one can serve two masters

This means that Money has the power to control humans

Money is a master

Our relationship with God is also that of a Master and a Servant

2. You cannot serve God and Money

Jesus is clear - we cannot serve God and Money because the two are masters

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 6)

6:24 serve God and money The problem that Jesus identifies is not money itself, but the divided loyalties that result from the pursuit of money (compare 1 Tim 6:10). Being a disciple of Jesus requires complete devotion to God (compare Matt 8:18–22; 19:16–26).

a. Jesus does not mention the devil in this passage

b. Jesus does not mention witches in this passage

c. Jesus does not mention destiny killers in this passage

d. Jesus does not mention that there is a spirit holding someone’s money in this passage.

Parallel references

1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

a. Many have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves

b. It is a craving that we must not obey because we will destroy ourselves

Luke 16:8–13 (ESV)

The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant 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.”

How can we avoid being corrupted by Money?

Jesus Gives us the answers

Matthew 6:24–34 (ESV)

“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.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

The Grace New Testament Commentary, Revised Edition (10. The King Commands Giving, Praying, and Fasting with Eternal Reward in View (6:1–24))

The Pharisees were overly concerned about acquiring material things. Jesus taught that there were benefits of a proper attitude toward wealth.

1. 19-24: The first benefit is that caring more about what money will do for God than for oneself will cause that individual to prosper without loss. “Treasures in heaven” are more secure than “treasures on earth.” “Moth, rust, and thieves” do not diminish them. Therefore believers are to “lay up” (invest in) spiritual assets, which should have priority. While no believer can take something with him to heaven, he can send it ahead in the form of a spiritual investment. This will return to the believer in the form of rewards. How believers use their time and direct their efforts reveals where their heart is as well as their treasure.

2. 6:22–24. The second benefit is that a good eye promotes spiritual enlightenment throughout the total person. That person knows the true value of things and lives accordingly. A bad (evil) eye is envious, covetous, or grudging. Such an eye leads to distortion, or even worse, loss of spiritual vision so that the person is enveloped in spiritual darkness.

3. 6:25–34. The third benefit of a proper view of wealth is that it will banish anxiety. God assures believers He will care for them. They have an obligation to trust in God’s providential care

Hal M. Haller Jr., “Matthew,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin, Revised Edition. (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2019), 24.

Contentment:

Philippians 4:11–12 (ESV)

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Notice: Paul says that he has Learned to be content

SO we can learn to be content and we should

The money we have worked for in years can disappear in minutes

If what you have has made you so weak and lazy in serving God, please come back

2. Serving God in Truth and in Spirit

John 4:23–24 (ESV)

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

a. God does not only take money away if it makes you go astray

b. Sometimes, you will have the money but it will bring more problems

c. We can have all the man we want but without peace

d. And we must not forget that we will die

Summary and Application

The Grace New Testament Commentary, Revised Edition (11. The King Prohibits Worrying (6:25–34))

1. Anxiety about physical resources shows misplaced priorities, especially a misunderstanding about God’s priorities. There are more important things to think about than preserving physical life. God feeds “the birds” and He considers believers of greater value than them.

2. Anxiety cannot prolong one’s life beyond the allotted time. It fails to notice how God clothes the fields with a luxurious display of flowers and even the grass though it is eventually burnt. Yet God cares more for the needs of believers

3. Another reason to avoid anxiety is that it imitates the attitudes of the Gentiles. It does not take into account that the “heavenly Father knows” the needs of His own and will provide what is needed if their priorities are in line with His. The unsaved have no such comfort.

Hal M. Haller Jr., “Matthew,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin, Revised Edition. (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2019), 24.

Matthew 6:33–34 (ESV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.