Three Life-Changing Questions
Who's Your One? • Sermon • Submitted
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Matthew 6:19-24
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.
23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
INTRODUCTION :
I. WHAT IS TOP PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE? (Matthew 6:19-21).
I. WHAT IS TOP PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE? (Matthew 6:19-21).
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
A- A Focus on earthly things yields only temporary satisfaction (Matthew 6:19).
A- A Focus on earthly things yields only temporary satisfaction (Matthew 6:19).
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
1- Jesus issued a stern warning about making this material world our focus.
a- The things of this world are pursued by many
b- The things of this world do not satisfy. (Eccl.1:2-4; 4:4).
2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.
4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
3- The things of this world will someday pass away. (2 Pet. 3:10-11).
10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live,
B- Focusing on eternal things yields permanent joys (Matthew 6:20).
B- Focusing on eternal things yields permanent joys (Matthew 6:20).
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
1- Joy that is here and now (Jn.10:10b).
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
2- Joy that is everlasting (Matt. 25:21 ).
21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
C- What you treasure reveals where your heart is (Matthew 6:21).
C- What you treasure reveals where your heart is (Matthew 6:21).
21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
1- You will pursue what you value the Most (Matt. 12:35).
35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
II- WHAT ARE YOU USING TO LIGHT YOUR PATHWAY? (Matthew 6:22-23).
II- WHAT ARE YOU USING TO LIGHT YOUR PATHWAY? (Matthew 6:22-23).
A- Using artificial light will leave you in darkness (Matthew 6:23).
A- Using artificial light will leave you in darkness (Matthew 6:23).
23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
1- Satan only deals in counterfeits.
2- Just when you think the way of the world lights the way, the lights go out.
* Childish prank: turning the light out on someone.
a- No light for families.
b- No light for eternal life
(Matthew 7:13)
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
* Where is Happiness?
The Story of 8 rich men
In 1923, a very important meeting I was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Attending this meeting were eight of the world’s most successful financiers. Those present were:
the president of the largest independent steel company;
the president of the largest utility company;
the president of the largest gas company;
The president of the New York Stock Exchange;
a member of the President’s cabinet;
The greatest “bear” in Wall Street;
The head of the world’s greatest monopoly; and
President of the Bank for International Settlements.
Certainly we must admit that here were gathered a group of the world’s most successful men. At least, men who most successful men. At least, men who had found the secret of “making money.” Twenty-five years later let’s see where these se men are:
The president of the largest independent steel company — Charles Schwab — died a bankrupt and lived on borrowed money for five years before his death.
The president of the greatest utility company — Samuel Insull — died a fugitive from justice and penniless in a foreign land.
The president of the largest gas company — Howard Hopson — is now dead.
The president of the New York Stock Exchange – Richard Whitney — was recently released from Sing Sing Penitentiary.
The member of the President’s cabinet — Albert Fall, was pardoned from prison so he could die at home.
The greatest “bear” in Wall Street Jesse Livermore — died a suicide.
The head of the greatest monopoly — Ivan Kreuger — died a suicide.
The president of the Bank for International Settlements — Leon Fraser — died a suicide.
All of these men learned well the art of making money, but not one of them learned how to live.
- Louis R. Lurie, in Journal of Living
B- Using the true light makes your pathway clear. ( Matthew 6:22).
B- Using the true light makes your pathway clear. ( Matthew 6:22).
22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.
1- Jesus is the only true light (JN. 1:7-12).
7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.
9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
2- He will light your way now, and in eternity (Rev.21:23-25).
23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.
24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory.
25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there.
III- WHAT ARE YOU REALLY COMMITTED TO? (Matthew 6:24).
III- WHAT ARE YOU REALLY COMMITTED TO? (Matthew 6:24).
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
A- It is impossible to keep one foot in the world, and follow Christ (Matthew 6:24a).
A- It is impossible to keep one foot in the world, and follow Christ (Matthew 6:24a).
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
1- The two pathways do not run parallel.
a- They lead to different destinations.
B- It is impossible to love Christ, and the world. (Matthew 6:24b).
B- It is impossible to love Christ, and the world. (Matthew 6:24b).
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
1- It is impossible to have two first loves (Rev.2:1-7).
1 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.
3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.
7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
C- You must make a choice: Christ or the world. (Matt. 12:30).
C- You must make a choice: Christ or the world. (Matt. 12:30).
30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.
Like traveling down an interstate highway. When you come to a fork, you have to choose. Both don’t go to the same destination.
CONCLUSION :
In Death There is Equality
Alexander the Great, we are told, being upon his deathbed, commanded that, when he was carried forth to the grave, his hands should not be wrapped, as was usual, in the cerecloths, but should be left outside the bier, so that all men might see them, and might see that they were empty; that there was nothing in them; that he, born to one empire, and the conqueror of another; the possessor while he lived, of two worlds, of the East, and of the West, and of the treasures of both, yet now when he was dead could retain not even the smallest portion of these treasures; that in this matter the poorest beggar and he were at length upon equal terms.”
If we live for this world, we shall go I out of it empty-handed, but if we live for the next world we shall depart full-handed, “rich in faith” and soon to enter upon an eternal inheritance.
—The United Evangelical