Live Focused

Intro

Illustr: So a few months ago, I got lucky and was able to be on a game show. Now this game show was in Atlanta and so I had to drive from where I lived in Nashville. So I drove after class and got there kinda late. I was super hyped for it. So excited I wasn’t tired. And I was nervous, so I was watching all the past episodes of the show to study and prepare. I was super focused on getting ready for the show, that I kinda neglected going to sleep. Well, the only issue with that was that I had to be there at 6:30 that morning, and I dont do so hot without sleep. What I should have been focused on was getting good sleep, and instead I was focused on watching old episodes, and I ended up getting out on the second question. You see, my problem was that I was focused on the wrong thing, and it wrecked my chances. And don’t we do that in life? We get so focused on certain things, maybe even not bad things, but that draws our attention and focus away from God. We’ve been learning about how to live like Kings...

Recap

Live Different

Built Different

Live Defeated

Live Genuine

c. this week, Jesus shows us that to live like Kings, we hafe to Live Focused on Him

The same, it can safely be said, would be the case today: the keys to success in life lie in being intensely focused upon God and in consistent faithfulness to him and his revealed word.

David M. Howard, Jr.

Live Focused

Wants Focused 19-23

19 Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

Jesus is saying don’t place your worth or value on things on earth

Things of earth can be destroyed

Reminds me of building your house on sand, this is just another way to say it. Sand can be washed away, treasure on earth can be taken too, by thieves, moths that would literally eat their clothes, rust that can wear down anything, but also your car can have a tree fall on it or stop working, your ps5 can explode, the stock market can crash, your mind, your education

Jesus says dont store up your treasure on these things because they can be taken away

imagine you’re saving up for the ps5, you asve and save and save and you miss out on hanging out with friends and family, when you finally have enough and buy it you find out the ps6 comes out next week. All that effort and work for something that just like that is outdated. When we pursue these earthly things we miss out on what Jesus is about to tell us

He was also hitting on the Pharisees who thought those who followed God would be blessed materially

20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Instead of storing your treasure on earth, store it in heaven

In Luke 12:33 Jesus says to sell your possessions and give them to the poor because that will store treasure in heaven

Storing our treasure in heaven is when we live focused on God’s Kingdom

Remember the story of the rich young ruler? He wanted to follow Jesus and so Jesus told him to sell everything and he couldnt, because he valued his stuff, his earthly treasure more than heavens

Everything we have is God’s anyways

21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Jews viewed the heart as the seat of desire, your actions reflect your desires

Whatever you desire, is King of your heart, if you desire money etc thats your God, Jesus tells us to desire heavenly treasure, because then our desires, our heart will be focused on God

What Treasure are you looking for?

22-23 Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

This image of eye has to do with our focus, just like how your eye lets light into the body, your focus can let light into the body. When your mind and focus is healthy, its focused on God and fills the body with light

When your focus is unhealthy, its like being blind. You are filled with darkness.

Pharisees were so focused on wealth and power that they were spiritually blind

Everything we do almost is influenced by our vision, similarly what you focus on in your mind affects your whole being, are you focused on God and heavenly things or earthly treasures that will fade?

24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Your mind cannot be focused on two things, it can’t serve two things. Something is always in control. We can’t be a true servant of God if we are ensalved to something else

What happens when they conflict?

Sports?

Money?

We have to be totally, fully focused on God, but not just instead of our wants, we have to be focused on God instead of our needs

Needs Focused 25-30

25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or even enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

Now not only do we not need to be focused on the things we selfishly want, but also Jesus tells us don’t be focused on what we need!

He says life is more than just survival, its more than a healthy body and good grades.

26-27 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father fededs them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Worrying about your needs is an attack on God

No one fights harder to survive than a bird yet God still watches them, aren’t we so much more valuable?

It’s almost an insult to God’s love to think He will not take care of us

And what has worry ever done? The literal translation is Jesus says can worry add any inches to your height? Does worry add any time to your life? Nope, so stop it

28-30 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Jesus again shows an illustration of flowers. Flowers don’t do anything, yet God clothes them. So why do we worry?

Worrying just shows that we don’t trust in God

Next time you’re worried about something, remember that if the God of the Universe is watching over the birds and flowers, how much more does He watch over you. Jesus was the perfect example of this, He had no house or money, yet He just trusted God and was always provided for.

Doesn’t mean everything just goes perfect, Jesus ended up on a cross, but every bad thing was an ultimately good thing, and Jesus trusted God in that

Do you? Do you only trust God when things go good? Or do you even trust Him at all? I promise you its worth it, because no matter what happens in your life you knowe theres a reason and God is working you just have to rest in trusting Him

Live Kingdom Focused 31-34

31-32 So don’t worry about these things, saying “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Father already knows all your needs.

Jesus says that these are the things the world worries about, we aren’t like the world, we have a Father we trust to take care of us, and can share that with the world.

Like an earthly father should take care of his children, so much more does your Father in heaven watch over you and give what you need

33-34 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

This is the point of tonights message. Be focused on God and His kingdom. If we are going to live like Kings, we have to be focused on THE king.

When we are totally focused on Him, what He wants, all those things we used to worry about will be taken care of

It may not always be how we think, but we will be taken care of

Application

One of satan’s favorite things to do in America, is to distract our focus and pull it away from God. Your phone is constantly ringing, we are constantly worried about politics or sports or whatever, and satan uses that to distract us from what really matters

a few weeks ago I got curious, and decided to ask Chat GPT if it was satan, how would it attack people today. It said I would hide in plain sight, I wouldnt try to convince people there was no God, or to serve and worship me, but instead convince them they don’t need God. I would distract them with the news, and their phones and get them comfortable so they don’t feel the need for God.

Where are you storing your treasure?

Where is your focus? Wants needs or God?

Do you really trust Him?