Commands of Christ-21b

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 The Commands of Christ-21

A Christian's Priorities

Last week we began to think about this passage:

Read: Matthew 6:19-24

Matthew 6:19–24 NASB95

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

The key to right priorities is realizing what missionary Bill Elliot said:

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Not only can we not keep anything for which we labor here on the earth — but there is also a REAL downside that the Preacher talks about in ...

Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 (NASB95) I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. 4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines. 9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:18–26 (NASB95) Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. 20 Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

Explore It

Why should we store up heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones (Matthew 6:19-21)?

Revelation 3:14–19 (NASB95) “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

Question 2. What Jesus forbids his followers is the selfish accumulation of goods ("Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth"):

extravagant and luxurious living;

leads to hardheartedness which does not feel the colossal need of the world's underprivileged people;

leads to the foolish fantasy that a person's life consists in the abundance of his or her possessions;

Luke 12:15 (NLT) Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Leads to the materialism which tethers our hearts to the earth.

In other words, to store up treasure on earth does not mean being provident (making sensible provision for the future) but being covetous (like misers who hoard and materialists who always want more). This is the real snare of which Jesus warns here.

Does this mean that we cannot have personal property, savings accounts or insurance policies? Explain.

*Where did Jesus urge His followers not to "store up treasures"? Why? (6:19)

Is Jesus discouraging us from stockpiling things? (6:19)

What can happen to a person’s material possessions? (6:19)

*Where did Jesus encourage us to invest our wealth? Why? (6:20)

Revelation 14:13 (NASB95) And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

Why is heaven a better place to "bank" than earth? (6:20)

Nothing will diminish what we store in heaven.

What does the location of a person’s treasure say about that person? (6:21)

Philippians 3:18–19 (NASB95) For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

What is described as the "lamp of the body"? How is this so? (6:22)

Perhaps NOT just the eyes, but all of our earthly senses?

Not infrequently in Scripture the "eye" is equivalent to the "heart."

That is, to "set the heart" and to "fix the eye" on something are synonyms.

Therefore, Jesus' argument seems to go like this: just as our eye affects our whole body, so our ambition (where we fix our eyes and heart) affects our whole life LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount.

What is the result of "good eyes"? (6:22)

Only two instances of haplous are found in the New Testament; both of these appear in Jesus’ saying about the “haplous eye” (Matthew 6:22; Luke 11:34).

In both texts haplous contrasts ponēros (4050), which in a physical sense can mean “in poor condition” (Bauer, “ponēros”).

If that is the case, “sound, healthy,” or “whole” are proper renderings of haplous. It is the physically “healthy” eye which permits light.

At the same time, ponēros can mean “wicked, evil, bad” in the ethical sense (ibid.).

If that sense is preferred, then haplous can mean “sincere,” “innocent,” or even “generous.”

Marshall wants to take haplous as an “over-literal translation of an Aramaic word, perhaps with a contrast to the idea of ‘double vision’; the metaphorical sense of ‘wholehearted, single-minded’ . . . is basic in the application” (see Marshall, New International Greek Testament Commentary, Luke p.489). He thus sees haplous as a reference to the “single-mindedness” of the genuine disciple.

Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary, The - Alpha-Gamma.

Complete Biblical Library Matthew (Chapter 6)

The term “single” (haplous) when used of the heart indicates a singleness of purpose, hence “sincere, pure, sound, upright, free from wrong motives, guileless, and generous.”

When used of the eye it means “sound, whole,” that is, clear and healthy.

The haplous kind of eye therefore can not only see but see well.

It does not suffer from double or distorted vision.

A healthy eye is the “light of the body” because the entire body depends on it to function properly.

It enables the body to be oriented properly to its surroundings.

Jesus, however, by using haplous, probably had an application in mind that would include all meanings of the word.

This would give further understanding of the need to be free from hypocrisy, jealousy, and greed.

If it is spiritually healthy, the eye of the heart will fill the life with good and generous works.

It will help in making right decisions because the motives will be true and pure.

It will focus the attention on aims that will be to the glory of God. (Golfer who won Masters: Sheffler)

When will people’s lives be full of darkness? (6:23)

Complete Biblical Library: In contrast to the person with healthy eyes, the person with bad eyes fumbles and stumbles in the darkness.

Eye trouble was very common in New Testament times, and there were many blind people.

Jesus touched and healed many of them, but as long as their eyes were blind, their whole body was in darkness.

To make the application obvious Jesus used a word that means not only “bad, sick, degenerate, or worthless,” but also “wicked or evil-intentioned.”

Such an eye will be full of worldliness and will call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20).

Isaiah 5:20 (NASB95) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

It will seek the praise of men instead of the praise of God and will eventually cause a person to become like those who lived before the Flood where “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” and “the earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:5, 11).

The Hebrew implies also that they were not only wicked, they deliberately worked at becoming more wicked.

Proverbs 20:27 states, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”

If an unhealthy eye has such disastrous physical consequences, then how much more the spiritual body if “the light that is in thee,” i.e., the heart, is not the light of the Lord, but darkness! (Cf. verse 21.)

*What did Jesus say about serving two masters? (6:24)

Why did Jesus say we cannot serve two masters? (6:24)

Many people hold two jobs and are able to satisfy two bosses. So why would Jesus say that it is impossible to serve two masters—God and Money (Matthew 6:24)?

A supervisor usually only places limited demands on the employee (for example, to work a certain number of hours a week).

Thus a person could satisfy two bosses if the hours required by each do not conflict.

But Jesus is referring to slave owners who own "all" of a slave.

Thus it is impossible to be owned completely by two masters.

LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount.

What two masters did Jesus mention in this context? Why? (6:24)

Get It

How have you felt whenever you have lost a valued possession?

*How can we "store up . . . treasures in heaven"? What can we store?

Now on earth, heavenly treasures might include:

Character account — becoming more like Jesus.

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Godly or Biblical Knowledge/Wisdom

Proverbs 4:5–9 (NASB95) Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. 7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. 8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. 9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB95) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Doing “good” works

Hebrews 6:10 (NASB95) For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

Matthew 19:17 (NLT) “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”

Matthew 10:40–42 (NLT) “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NASB95) Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So, I can do anything? Anything?

Colossians 3:23–25 (NASB95) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

Packing and shipping for heaven”

Barbara Z. went to a baby shower in Idaho. She sent the gifts ahead by UPS (hard to carry on a plane).

What might we “send ahead?”

Ray Boltz song (since disgraced) - Thank you for giving to the Lord

I dreamed I went to heaven And you were there with me We walked upon the streets of gold Beside the crystal sea We heard the angels singing Then someone called your name You turned and saw this young man And he was smiling as he came And he said friend you may not know me now And then he said but wait You used to teach my Sunday School When I was only eight And every week you would say a prayer Before the class would start And one day when you said that prayer I asked Jesus in my heart

Then another man stood before you And said remember the time A missionary came to your church And his pictures made you cry You didn't have much money But you gave it anyway Jesus took the gift you gave And that's why I'm here today

One by one they came Far as the eyes could see Each life somehow touched By your generosity Little things that you had done Sacrifices made Unnoticed on the earth In heaven now proclaimed

(Crown of) Righteousness

2 Timothy 4:8 (NASB95) in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

(Crown of) Life

James 1:12 (NASB95) Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Praise & Worship

Psalm 22:3 (NLT) Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

John 4:23–24 (NASB95) “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Revelation 5:11–14 (NASB95) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

Godly conversations:

Malachi 3:16–18 (NLT) Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. 17 “They will be my people,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. 18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

Prayers

Psalm 56:8 (NASB95) You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?

Psalm 39:12 (NASB95) “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner like all my fathers.

Revelation 5:8 (NASB95) When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3–5 (NASB95) Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

How can we determine where our treasure is (and thus where our hearts are)?

What sort of things do you think about most?

Where does your mind naturally gravitate to in those moments just before you go to bed?

How clear is your spiritual vision right now?

What masters most often fight for your allegiance?

In what ways do you serve money?

*In what ways can you master your money?

Apply It

*How could you make an investment in eternity today?

What (Do you have?) committed Christian friends could help you evaluate your use of money in the next month?

Adult Questions for LESSONMaker.

LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount.