Standards to Pursue pt.2

Series History

1-2: Series Introduction

3-7: Christ Before Bethlehem - pt.1-6 (The Pre-Incarnate Christ)

9-10: The Incarnate Christ - pt.1-2 (The Birth of Christ)

11. Learning from a 12 Year Old

12. The Jesus We Know Not (Years of Silence)

13. The Baptism of Christ

14. Having Victory Over Temptation (The Temptation of Christ)

15. The Call to Follow (Calling the First Apostles)

16. A Disciples Progression (The Beatitudes - Sermon on the Mount - Mat. 5:1-11)

I. Their Inward Conflict (v3-6): They Recognize their Spiritual Void (v3); They Feel Remorse for their Sin (v4); They Demonstrate Reverence unto God (v5); Their Righteousness is Filled by Christ (v6)

II. Their Outward Charity (v7-9): They have Pity for Others (v7); They are Pure in their Actions (v8); They are Peacemakers between Man and God (v9)

III. The Inevitable Cost (v10-12): Righteousness Brings Persecution (v10a-11); Persecution Brings Rewards (v10b-12a); Persecution has Good Company (v12b)

17. The Salt of the Earth (Mat. 5:13)

I. The Preamble (Mat. 5:1-12): To the Saved, Sanctified Servants; A Singular Agent

II. Purposes for Salt: Makes things Palatable; Preserving Agent; Provides Nutrients and Nourishment to the Body; Protects Travelers

III. Pictures of Salt: Used in Judgment (Jg. 9:45; Gen. 19:26); Used as a Remedy (2Ki. 2:19-22)

IV. The Production of Salt: Hewn from the Dead Sea; Separated for Good

V. A Precaution Given: If it Loses Taste, it Loses Purpose

18. The Light of the World (Mat. 5:14-16)

I. The Facts of Light: It Requires a Source; It’s Supplied by the Saviour; There’s a Singular Reflection; It’s a Simple Premise

II. The Function of Light: Rebukes Darkness; Repels Darkness; Reveals Dangers

III. The Focus of the Light (v15-16): To Give Illumination; To Give Instruction; To Identify the Source

19. The Correct View of the Law by Christ (Mat. 5:17-48)

I. The Satisfaction of the Law: Is Fulfilled in Christ (v17-18); Is not to be Forsaken nor Forgotten by Christians (v19-20)

II. The Strengthening of the Law: In our Displeasure (5:21-26); In our Desires / Deviancy (5:27-32); In our Declarations (5:33-37); In our Distain (5:38-48)

III. A Summary of Christ’s Teachings on the Law: Christ Has Satisfied the Law for Us; We are Subject to a Higher Standard; We should Live More Righteous, not Less

Introduction

Tonight we're going to continue through the remainder of Chapter 6 in Jesus's Sermon on the Mount.

The title of the message is "Standards to Pursue".

This morning we looked at:

20. Standards to Pursue - pt.1 (Mat. 6:1-18)

I. Secretive Philanthropy (v1-4); The Manner we Give Reveals Our Priorities: Secret = Pleasing God and Blessing Men; Openly = Gaining Admiration from Men; The Manner we Give Reveals our Rewards; Either the Blessings of God or Praise of Men

II. A Sincere and Submissive Prayer Life (v5-15): Hypocrites & Heathens Pray (v5;7) And We’re to be Different (v8); Principles Include: God First & Kingdom Focused (v9-10); Our Need, Our Debt & Dependence Remembered (v11-13)

III. Subdue the Flesh (v16-18); The Purpose of Fasting; The Expectation of Fasting (v16-17); The Power in Fasting (v18)

Next Jesus implores His Disciples to Seek Heavenly Treasures

I. Seek Heavenly Treasures (v19-24)

Treasures (def) a deposit; wealth

This is such an interesting way to consider this. Because when I think of treasures, I think of fixed things, Whereas when I think of deposits I think of various things.

(Ill.) For instance one might think of a car or a house as a treasure but when we think of a deposit we don't think of it the same way. When I go to the bank and make a deposit, it may be a small deposit or a large deposit but whatever I am putting in is building and accumulating.

The first thing we look at is the fragility of earthly treasures.

The Fragility of Earthly Treasures (v19)

(Ill.) Going back to deposits in my bank account. Periodically I put money in my bank. But do you know what happens? That same money that I put in is used to pay the mortgage, buy groceries, pay ever-increasing utility bills, etc. My account should be renamed “Easy Come, Easy Go”.

Some of that money goes to buy things. My house, a car, or a computer, etc. So the money is invested in earthly treasures. But do you know what? Sooner or later - they’re going to break, wear out - some might be stolen - or the rust or moths will get them.

And it doesn't matter what things your deposits go to. The end is all the same.

Some might say, "Well I am investing in land or houses and they'll not perish. They'll be passed down to my children and children's children." While it is good to leave your children inheritance, ultimately it will all be burned up according to Peter. 2 Peter 3:10–13 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Whatever earthly treasures our ‘deposits’ are going to ultimately will be gone.

The Finality of Heavenly Treasures (v20)

“BUT” - In other words, a change - an alternative - another option - something different. THERE’S ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE DEPOSITS CHURCH! And it’s to deposit them in Heavenly bank accounts.

Heavenly bank accounts work differently.

When you make your deposits in Heaven, they are safe. (No thieves, rust, moths to worry about)

When you make your deposits in heaven, they're not going right back out.

(Ill.) Unlike when we make deposits to our checking accounts, they're not going right back out to something else. It would be similar to a 401 retirement account except you can’t touch it till you’re retired. In this case retirement would mean death but at that time we have this account and all these deposits that have been made, where we can take those and lay them at the feet of the one who gave all for you and I.

What do those deposits look like?

Monetarily it can be giving to support the church or missions, any giving that is for the glory of God.

Physically it can look like serving: In the church, on the mission field, in your home, on the job. It’s fulfilling the Great Commission in leading others from the Hell that awaits them.

I made the comment this morning that “Christians do not have a monopoly on charity but charity should have a monopoly on Christians.” What is charity? It's giving to the poor. Church charity isn't just seeing a physical need and meeting it but seeing a spiritual need and meeting it.

We see the finality of heavenly treasures.

Treasures Demand Focus (v21)

The principle found in v21 works both ways.

If you want to know where your heart is, look at where your treasure lies.

This is a good self-check. It's easy for us to think we are something but in fact we are completely different. Self-deception is a very real thing.

Paul spoke of it: Galatians 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

Jeremiah spoke of it: Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

John spoke of it: 1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

Obadiah spoke of it: Obadiah 3 “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; That saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?”

So looking at it backwards can help us see ourselves clearly - but Jesus spoke of it in a different light: Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

In other words, where you place your treasure, your heart will follow.

Do you want to care more about missions? Give more to missions

Do you want to care more about the growth of the church? Give more time to witnessing

(Ill.) I don’t pay much attention to the stock market… because I don’t have any money in there. If I had a bunch of money in there, I’d pay far more attention to it.

Treasures demand focus

You Must Choose Your Master (v24)

Here’s again one of those ‘either-or’ situations. You can either serve God - by laying up treasures in Heaven, or money, by focusing your treasures here on earth.

Notice too the direct correlation between SERVICE and TREASURES

ONE way that we serve the LORD is through our giving.

You must choose which will be your master

Seek Heavenly Treasures

II. Submit Yourselves to God (v25-34)

This passage of Scripture is primarily talking about our worries and concerns of life. Our focus. The mental challenges that we face day by day.

Important Observations (v25)

Two things worth pointing out here:

“Therefore” - In other words, this thought is connected to the previous.

So it can be said “Don’t waste your treasures on yourself”.

“Is not the life more…” - Isn’t there something more to life than just your personal physical needs?

I think it’s time we ask ourselves: isn’t life more than going about our daily routines, trying to please ourselves? Isn’t there something more than waking up, going to work, doing chores, going on vacation & such? Isn’t life more than filling our temporal pleasures?

Surely for most people, they are missing the boat.

See the Illustrations (v26; 28; 30)

Christ here gives three different illustrations of why our concerns should not be on our needs but rather upon Him.

v26 - the fowls of the air: God supplies the need for them

v28 - the lilies of the field: God supplies the need for them

v30 - the grass of the field: God supplies it’s need as well

This is such an important topic that Christ is given multiple illustrations for them to understand.

Paul said: Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Jesus desired to make his point, therefore he used several illustrations to do it - and his point is (in part, that God will supply your needs - you don’t need to fret about it) but it’s still being developed - we’ll get to that more in a minute.

See the Illustrations

Understand your Limitations (v27)

(Ill.) Let's run an experiment. Let's all take a moment and try our best to think about our height and try to add six inches to it - that’s half a cubit, so it should be easier. Nope? Why didn’t that work? BECAUSE THAT’S SOMETHING WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

We can worry about it, fret about it, let it consume us - but we can’t do anything about it.

Church, there's a whole lot more than trying to get taller that we don't have any ability to change.

Too many Christians let things weigh them down, burden their minds and their hearts. Many times there's not anything that we can do about it. It's out of our hands.

We need to understand that we have limits. Therefore there's no reason to worry and fret about these things.

Trust God for your Provision (v30-32)

We see a couple of things in these verses:

v30: God will supply the need - but Jesus accounts the cause of doubt as a lack of faith.

v32: God knows EXACTLY what you need! We don’t.

The bottom line is that we must trust God for our provision. We must look to Him.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.”

Church God is able! Do you believe that He’s able?

We must trust God for our provision.

The Key is Prioritization (v33)

And here's the key. As I mentioned earlier Christ is developing His point but it all comes home in v33.

Remember I said: “God will supply all your needs, you don’t need to worry about it - the key is looking to Him FIRST for them.

I spoke this morning about in the Lord's model prayer that multiple times we recognize our dependence upon Him.

For our daily bread

For forgiveness

For leadership

For deliverance

Church, our lives would be so much happier if we were seeking God’s Kingdom & His Righteousness. If that were our priority, mentally, we’d be so much better off.

Too often we are putting the “Cart before the horse”. We are seeking less stress, better lives, blessings - but we are not spending any time seeking His Kingdom nor His Righteousness.

We are more interested about our ‘Rights’ than “His Righteousness”

(Ill.) The prodigal son had a ‘Right’ to his father’s portion - but he cared not for his Father’s Righteousness. Where did it leave him? Penniless, destitute, starving and far off.

We must get our focus off things, get them on making deposits in Heaven, putting God first and letting Him worry about the rest.

The Key is Prioritization - so where are your priorities?

Conclusion