Kingdom Mindset: Matthew 6:19-24
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CIT: As Christians we are called to have an unwavering loyalty to the Kingdom of God.
CIT: As Christians we are called to have an unwavering loyalty to the Kingdom of God.
Loyalty with our possessions
Loyalty with our desires
Loyalty with our lives
Loyalty with our possessions
Loyalty with our possessions
Have I made an idol out of my possessions?
In the 1st century context of this passage, Jesus is talking about clothing and food, which was all these people really had. But for those of us who have more than just the food on our plates and the clothes on our backs, have we made an idol out of our possessions?
We must ask ourselves this very real question.
Having possessions is not sinful, but the love of our possessions is. And how foolish is it for us, as Christians, who know that this world is passing away and that we will have more than we could ever imagine in Christ on the New Earth, to focus on our possessions here on earth?
James saw the foolishness in that when he wrote James 5:2-3 “Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.”
Our actions on earth are how we store treasures in heaven
Jesus tells us to store up treasures in heaven. Okay cool, but how do we do that? There’s not a giant tube that I can send my Xbox up to heaven.
DA Carson is helpful in understanding this when he says, “Here it refers to whatever is of good and eternal significance that comes out of what is done on earth. Doing righteous deeds, suffering for Christ’s sake, forgiving one another - all these have the promise of a ‘reward’”
We see the truth of that future reward for present deeds in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Whatever controls your heart controls your life
The heart is the center of our being so what our heart treasures most is going to control how we think and act.
“If honor is rated the highest good, them ambition must take complete charge of a man; if money then greed takes over the kingdom; if pleasure then men will certainly degenerate into sheer self-indulgance.” - John Calvin
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Loyalty in with our desires
Loyalty in with our desires
Our desires are what lead us through life
What we desire is what we look for, and what will fill our eyes.
If our desires are holy then our lives will be holy
Therefore, if our eye is healthy then we will be searching for light, for what is holy, for what is godly. And when we search for those thing our whole body is filled with them.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
If our desires are sinful then our desires will be sinful
However, if our eye is unhealthy, or dead, then we will be searching for what is dark, for what is sinful, for what is ungodly. And when we search for those things our whole body is filled with them.
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
Loyalty with our lives
Loyalty with our lives
Your life cannot be God and _________
In this section God and money (or possessions) are portrayed not as employers but as slave owners. *Don’t let our understanding of the evils of slavery get in the way of this example*
A person can work two jobs, I had to do that while going to school full time while raising Elias with Abbey, but a person cannot serve two slave owners. This is because single ownership and full time service are the essence of slavery.
So thinking about what may have become an idol of yours, or what desires are leading you away from God, what master are you trying to serve?
For me this master was football. I tried to make my life God and football, but that doesn’t work, it never can.
Either God is served with full devotion or he is not served at all.
“Attempts at divided loyalty betray, not partial commitment to discipleship, but deep seated commitment to idolatry.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Rich Young Man had a wake up call to these truths in Matthew 19:16-26
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
We cannot be true kingdom citizens until we abandon ourselves and fully trust in Jesus. This is only possible by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. So let’s sing the truth that all we truly have is Christ alone!