Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Intro
Get in line!
That was my sermon title two weeks ago.
I challenged you to follow Christ, taking up his cross, as a disciple.
I don’t think we can leave it there though.
What does it mean to follow Christ as a disciple?
What does it look like?
Is there anything that needs to change?
My goal for the next few weeks is to address these questions and challenge us to get in line.
Jesus challenged the status quo and turned understanding upside down.
He changed how we look at things like relationships, money, and love.
He charged his disciples to live a radically different transformed life.
Today is the first sermon to consider the Upside Down world of Discipleship.
Have you ever seen this bumper sticker on a car?
He who has the most toys wins.
I think this guy was trying to prove it right.... Next pic.
Question: Wins what exactly?
The philosophy behind the original bumper sticker was there’s nothing after you die and you can’t take it with you, so work hard, enjoy life and find worth in the pleasures of the world.
These things are not bad and I don’t want to imply that they are, but the danger of these types of things is the sin of idolatry.
In the Bible, idolatry was a big problem for the Jews in the O.T.
They were sent into exile for idol worship and serving foreign gods.
On their return from captivity, they didn’t worship foreign gods as a nation, but their idolatry turned to new forms found in materialism.
They struggled with the same issues that we do today.
Our toys/idols are just bigger.
In our text found in Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us that:
[Big Idea]
Your heart reveals your priorities
Jesus illustrates the priorities of your heart three different ways.
1 Treasure
2 Eyes
3 Masters
Treasures of the heart
[Explain]
Jesus instructs that there are only two possibilities for the heart to treasure.
Things on earth or in heaven.
There is an interesting word play happening in verses 19 & 20.
Lay up, store, collect, save, hoard = TREASURE
Jesus said...
“Don’t treasure up for yourself treasure on earth.”
A Google image search for treasure reveals the following page… {PICTURE HERE}
Accumulation of wealth is deceptive // False sense of security // Don’t make you happy.
Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body.
~ George Carlin
Doesn’t last!
Moth & Rust
The most valuable possessions don’t last!
<< Steve McQueens Trans Am from movie the hunter>>
I haven’t had a car yet that’s lasted...
“Do treasure up treasure in heaven.”
Jesus doesn’t say what this is specifically.
Clues: Things that moth and rust don’t destroy.
Greatest treasure in heaven is the Father.
[Illus]
If you are living in a 1st Century city you have limited water and sanitation, the smells of sweat, urine, feces, and decay permeate the air.
They didn’t live in houses like we do filled with furniture, TVs, and toys.
They didn’t have refrigerators and pantry filled with food.
Most people live in near poverty, just making a living.
Hand to mouth.
What you can produce from the land is what you eat.
[Apply]
You can imagine their idea of materialism is different from ours.
They idolized things that might make their life a little better.
Interestingly, we do the same…in our wealth.
Bigger/better things: car, house, TV, job, salary, more clothes, etc...
It is not wrong!
Until it becomes the treasure you treasure.
Jesus summed it up this way...
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Whatever you treasure affects your motives, deeds, ambitions, relationships, self-worth.
Secondly Jesus said we reveal our priority through the...
Eyes of the Heart
The eye is a lamp shining on the heart of the inner being.
Jesus teaches about two eyes:
The Healthy eye.
Good/sound/sincere/clear.
Fills you with light!
Evil/Sick eye.
Bad/unhealthy/evil/bad/sick
Covetous eye - desiring what everyone else has.
Fills you with darkness - how great is that darkness.
Just in case you find yourself coveting the “security, esteem, power, or pleasure of money” remember the words of the Psalmist
Ps 49:16-20
[Illus]
Picture 3 dots...
The things that you focus your eyes on will affect your heart in powerful ways.
We reveal our priorities through treasures and eyes of the heart.
Lastly Jesus said, we reveal our priority through...
The Masters of the Heart
This is a tricky one.
The language here suggests a slave/master relationship.
Not an employee/employer relationship.
You can work for two employers but you can’t serve two masters.
IMPOSSIBLE!
Two Options: God or Money
Meaning: you are a slave of one or the other.
Jesus is unequivocally stating.
You can’t serve money and then say, “I’ll give at church, I’ll give to God.”
You are a slave to that money.
There is no space for divided loyalty
Slave is the sole property of one master - exclusive service.
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