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Sermon on the Mount: God and Money

Matthew 6:19-34 NIV

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Application

  1. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth: Like those who do righteousness to be seen by others (6:1-4), we should not work and
  2. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven: By giving to the poor (Proverbs 19:17) and investing in that which forwards God’s Kingdom (2 Corinthians 9:12-15)
  3. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also: “What a man loves, that is his God,” said Martin Luther. Your whole life is directed by your loves. Your time, talent and treasures are poured into what means the most of you.
  4. If your eyes are healthy: What you take in through your eyes goes into your heart and what is stored in your heart expresses itself in your attitude conduct. Garbage in, garbage out-be intentional to fill your heart with the things of the Kingdom (Matthew 12:35; 15:16-20; Psalm 101:3; Philippians 4:8).
  5. You cannot serve both God and money: The Christian who serves Mammon will serve God in pretense, but He will always take a backseat and be seen as an obstacle to your real goals and delights (Psalm 37:4).
  6. Do not worry: About clothing (vv. 28-30), food and drink (v. 31), or what may happen tomorrow (v. 34)- bring every need and concern to God in prayer and with rejoicing and thanksgiving (Philippians 4:4-7).
  7. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness: Don’t be a part time Christian who dabbles in God’s Kingdom on the side.