Loving God is a Choice

Matthew 6:24 – Loving God is a Choice

Once upon a time there was a White Knight looking for adventure. He came to a village where legend told of a terrible ogre in a pit. Bravely the White Knight took up the challenge. He would do battle with the terrible ogre in the pit. The people remembered several courageous men had climbed down into the pit, but no one could remember even one of those champions returning.

The White Knight stood looking at the deep, dark hole. The opening was so narrow he stripped himself of armor and unnecessary clothing. He took only a long dagger, which he tied around his neck with a leather strap. After securing a rope at the opening and testing its strength, he gripped it firmly and began lowering himself, hand under hand, letting the rope slip between his feet. Soon he felt the cool, smooth floor of the chamber. It took several minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but soon he focused on a large mound. Then he realized it was the bones of his predecessors, along with their assorted weapons. A little way off he spotted another mound, but he wasn't sure what it was.

Suddenly he was surprised by the inhabitant of the pit—surprised because he didn't anticipate that the ogre would be only as tall as a rabbit. The ogre waved his arms and screeched with its squeaky voice, trying to appear as fierce as possible. The White Knight picked up a sword from the floor and prepared to do battle, but quick as a rat, the ogre ran into a hole near the second mound.

The White Knight followed, and as the second mound became clearer and again he was surprised. Before his eyes there glittered balls of gold as big as grapefruits and diamonds as big as plums. With only a small part of that treasure, any commoner would be a prince for life. The little ogre lost its importance in view of this great treasure.

But the White Knight had a problem. How would he carry it out of the hole? He had no pockets. Who would believe him if he didn't bring back at least one piece?

He suddenly had an idea. He would take one of the diamonds in his mouth and carry it that way until he had climbed out of the hole. He could always come back later for the rest. Hurriedly he chose one of the larger diamonds. It fit comfortably into his mouth, and he began the arduous climb out of the pit, hand over hand, gripping the rope with his feet. His tongue held the diamond tightly against the roof of his mouth. Higher and higher he climbed until the heavy exertion began to render him breathless. He would have to breathe through his mouth in order to get enough air. As he took in a large gulp of air the diamond slipped and stuck in his throat. The White Knight choked on his treasure, lost consciousness, and fell to his death on the mound of bones below.

You see, the terrible ogre in the pit was not the little troll. The ogre in the pit was greed—greed in the hearts of men who saw easy treasure and the hope of unearned gain. The glitter of this world had choked him to death.

I tell you that story because of the verse we read today, found in Matthew 6:24, the Word of God says “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

As we continue on looking at the Loving God series, we come to this familiar passage of scripture and it teaches us that loving God is a choice we have to make. Now the question should be asked, “Have you chosen to love Jesus?” Well, before you answer that, let’s examine ourselves.

Do you love God more than your Ways?

“Wicked Ways”

1. Now we all have ways about us, the way we comb our hair, the way we may speak, and even the way we eat. But there is one thing that we were all born with, and that is a sinful side that we can identify as our wicked ways. Those actions that go against the word of God.

2. I mean, people struggle with wickedness, you might be here today and you can relate. That there are times when you struggle with the wicked ways of man. You have a hard time with lying, you lie to others about your actions, you try to cover up your tracks because you don’t want to have problems with your spouse. You may be a person who struggles with stealing, you inflate the numbers on papers to make things appear right, you take things from your employer, you allow the temptation of something being right there and available to entice you to take it with you.

3. Maybe you are someone who struggles with looking at inappropriate things. You say you hate it, yet, you find your eyes going back to things you should look at.

4. If we are honest, there are times when we love our wicked sinful lives more than we love God. But it we are ever going to be free and have that loving relationship with God that we say we want, then we have to allow God to change us.

5. Psalm 139:24 KJV [24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

6. If we can be truthful, the reason why we can’t love God like we should, is because we haven’t stopped loving the sins that we enjoyed before we were saved.

7. Now what should matter more to us? God or Ourselves? Listen, we should always choose God over ourselves. When we choose Jesus, we will reap the blessing and happiness that we didn’t realize was there.

8. 2 Samuel 22:22 KJV [22] For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

“Wrong Ways”

1. There is the expression, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Now that seems logical to us. If we know that there is a right way to do, it would seem that would be the way we choose; right?

2. I mean that would be like us going to the fish store, and there is a fish floating at the top of the water and then there is another fish that is swimming around, we choose the one that is swimming.

3. But here in is the problem, we know the right way is through Jesus, but there are many who say, well this way is right as well.

4. Proverbs 14:12 KJV [12] There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

5. Listen, there are a lot of people who love their ways, that they think hey, I don’t have to go to church, I don’t have to have a relationship with Jesus, I don’t have to pray, but that is leading them straight to Hell.

6. Listen, you can’t love the wrong way when it comes to Jesus, because going the wrong way is the way to having the worst accident in your life.

“Watchful Ways”

1. Psalm 39:1 KJV [1] I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

2. What we need to have is a love for the Lord that loves him so much, that we watch the way he does things.

3. I learn how to use a variety of tools by watching my father using them the right way, you know how I see some people using them, the wrong way. They will take a pair of pliers and try to use them as a hammer, or use a screw driver as a crow bar. And most often than not, they cause more problems than what you had to begin with.

4. Jesus wants us to love him so much, that we will watch him and follow His ways. Now, you ask yourself, if you love someone do you ignore them and not look at them? No, if you love someone then you look and learn from them.

5. We need to quit being so highminded that we think we don’t have to look to Christ, that we can do it on our own.

Do you love God more than the World?

“Worldly Interests”

1. John 15:19 KJV 19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

2. Years ago, I read a story about a man named Charlie Dobson, who lived in Ontario, Canada. They didn’t have regular garbage pickup there; and so, Charlie Dobson had a little fun game, the way he would get rid of his garbage. He took his coffee grounds, and his grapefruit rinds, and his eggshells, and the paper, and the trash, and so forth, and would put it in a little box and then wrap that box up in wrapping paper and put a bow around it and then take it out in front of his house and put it down by the curb. Invariably, someone driving along would see that beautifully wrapped box, would stop, pick it up, put it in their car, and off they would go. And, Charlie was looking behind the curtains all the time, watching those people drive off with their giftwrapped garbage. So often—so often—that’s what the devil does: he just takes the things of this world and wraps them up beautifully. But all we have is not treasure; what we have is trash.

3. Now I’m going to say something that may offend us, but it is not intended to hurt your feelings, it is intended for you to get your priorities right. Loving God ought to come before all the activities and entertainment of this world.

4. Are there things I enjoy doing? Absolutely! But do those things come before the Lord? NO!! Jesus should be our priority, and excitement, our reason for living and coming to church!

5. Now, understand this, when you love Jesus, the world is not going to love you back. People are going to look at you differently, people you use to call friends will have nothing to do with you, but I will tell you, it won’t compare to what you will have in your life with Christ.

“Worldly Ideology”

1. 1 John 2:15 KJV [15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2. Now don’t get the wrong idea that you can love the Lord and love the world too. It doesn’t work that way.

3. There are people today, who want to distort the Bible and say, the Lord wants you to have this and do that, he wants you to be happy. Well, the Lord wants us to be happy in him and sometimes that means not having the things the world can give.

4. Listen, our Lord is a jealous Lord, he doesn’t want to share your love with the world, he wants you to love Him with all of your heart.

5. I will tell you, some people have the wrong ideas and understanding of Jesus, that they think that he was somebody, no He IS somebody!

6. It is hard to convince Jesus that you really love him, when you are out carrying on like the rest of the world.

Do you love God more than your Wealth?

“The Greed of Mammon”

1. Now this is the heart of the text today, that some people are in love with Mammon, meaning they are in love with their money and materials, rather than be in love with Jesus.

2. You’ve seen these, people whose only concern is their pocketbook. They choose old Ben Franklin before they choose Jesus Christ. They are in love with their wealth.

3. I know we need money to buy things, but the saying that money is what makes the world go round is nothing more than a philosophy straight from Satan’s mouth.

4. If you can’t love the Lord without your bank account, then you can’t love him with your bank account. The love of money is the root of all evil!

5. Job 21:13-15 KJV [13] They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. [14] Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. [15] What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

6. Its important to know, that we don’t come to church to make more money. Coming to church is about having an intimate time with the Lord through worship.

7. Listen, God doesn’t condemn you for being rich, but God says this—“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded”—that is, “don’t be proud”—“nor trust in uncertain riches”—“don’t put your trust in your possessions”—“but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17) God does not mind you enjoying your wealth. Just don’t let it make you proud, and don’t put your trust there

“The God of Mercy”

1. Now who is it we should be loving today? Two words, Jesus Christ. You know why we should love him? Because of what he has done, what he is doing, and what he is continuing to do. Listen Jesus is transforming peoples lives.

2. When I was in the sixth grade, I began struggling to read the board at school. I was having to squint just to make out the words. I told my parents and they took me to the eye doctor and it was confirmed I needed glasses. Now what would it have been, if I knew I needed glasses and walked right out of that room and didn’t get some glasses. I would have continue to walk around blind and would have hurt myself or worse.

3. Listen, there are some of us, you came here today, you’ve been checked by the Lord and he is saying you need to start looking at me. Quit looking at the things of the world, it is blinding you, quit looking at all the temptation, it is sending you to hell. Look to Jesus, look at his love.

4. There are people who are realizing that love, they are seeing Jesus clearer than ever, and they are realizing a renew and exciting relationship because of it. Don’t you want that today?

Listen, if we can’t choose Jesus above all these things, then we are not really loving God like we should. There is an expression that we should take to heart, God doesn’t play second fiddle. Now, if we don’t put God first in our lives, then we are giving up the very best that has been offered to us. Listen, don’t be fooled by the things of this life, that we miss the love that Christ wants to show to us.