"THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT"

Materialism (Mt 6:19-24)

INTRODUCTION
  1. Jesus continues to expound upon the "righteousness of the kingdom" WITH RESPECT TO MAN'S RELATION TO GOD...
  2. In this section and the one to follow (concerning anxiety), we learn that man must have his priorities concerning material things properly aligned if his relationship with God is going to be what it should

[To keep our priorities straight, Jesus taught several principles and illustrations which should govern our lives...]

  1. LAY UP YOUR TREASURES IN HEAVEN (19-21)
    1. IN HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH...
      1. For on earth:
        1. Moth and rust destroy (i.e., material things are perishable)
        2. Thieves break in and steal (material things are subject to theft)
      2. But in heaven:
        1. Neither moth nor rust destroys (our treasures are imperish- able - 1Pe 1:3-4)
        2. Thieves do not break in and steal (our treasures are secure- ly guarded - 1Pe 3:4-5)
    2. BECAUSE WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR "HEART" (AFFECTIONS, HOPE, DREAMS) WILL BE ALSO!
      1. If your treasure is on EARTH, your heart will experience much disappointment
        1. As the things for which you have affection decay or are one day destroyed by fire
        2. As the things in which you find your primary joy are suddenly gone through things like theft
      2. But if your treasure is in HEAVEN, your heart will not suffer great disappointments
        1. For your treasure is "incorruptible, undefiled, and does not fade away"
        2. Nothing can take your treasure away from you, for it is "reserved in heaven for you...kept by the power of God through faith"
      3. With treasures laid up in heaven, whatever happens on earth will not devastate you! - cf. the Hebrew Christians in He 10:32-34
      4. When these words of Jesus are taken to heart and applied, how true His words in Mt 7:24-27 will be!
        1. The "storms" of life will not overwhelm us
        2. Because we have built our foundation upon such words of Jesus as found in our text!
    3. HOW CAN WE LAY UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN?
      1. First, by becoming children of God, and thereby "joint-heirs with Christ" - Ro 8:16-17
      2. Then, by using material wealth which we may have to bless those around us...
        1. As Jesus instructed the rich young ruler, in order to "have treasure in heaven" - Mt 19:21
        2. As He instructed His disciples, in order to have "a treasure in the heavens that does not fail" - Lk 12:33-34
        3. As Paul wrote Timothy to charge those rich in this present age, that they may be "storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" - 1Ti 6:17-19

        [The importance of such generosity is seen in the illustration next used by Jesus in His sermon...]

  2. THE LAMP OF THE BODY IS THE EYE (22-23)
    1. IN THIS METAPHOR USED BY JESUS...
      1. The "body" likely represents the "soul" or "inner man"
      2. The "eye" likely represents the "gaze of the soul" or the "heart of man"
      3. The word "good" in Greek means "simple, single, uncomplicated"
      4. The word "bad" in Greek means " wicked, evil"
      5. And in the Scriptures, the expression "evil eye" is used to mean "envious, covetous" - cf. Pr 23:6; Mt 20:15; Mk 7:22
    2. AN EXPLANATION BASED UPON THESE DEFINITIONS WOULD THEN BE:
      1. If the heart or gaze of the soul be single (in its love of God and the things of God)...
        1. Then one is filled with "light"
        2. In other words, goodness, righteousness, and truth - cf. Ep 5:8-10
      2. But if the heart or gaze of the soul be evil (envious, or covetous)...
        1. Then one's soul is filled with "darkness"
        2. The opposite of "light": selfishness, wickedness, and falsehood!

        [Thus the need to be rich toward God and free from covetousness of material things (cf. also Lk 12:13-21; especially 15 and 21).

        To strike home the point once more that we should not make material things our treasures in this life, Jesus proclaims...]

  3. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND "MAMMON" (24)
    1. FOR NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS...
      1. A "master" by definition demands "total loyalty"
      2. Such is certainly true with God - cf. Exod 34:14
    2. THE CHOICE WE HAVE IS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GOD AND "MAMMON"
      1. "Mammon" is an Aramaic term which refers to wealth, prosperity
      2. When wealth is coveted, and becomes the priority in our lives, it becomes a "god" - cf. Ep 5:5; Col 3:5
      -- So the choice becomes one as to whether we shall worship the One True God, or be "idolators" following after a false god!
CONCLUSION
  1. Jesus is obviously teaching us to CHOOSE GOD!
    1. Because MAMMON...
      1. Is susceptible to decay and theft (19-21)
      2. Will make us blind, selfish creatures
    2. Whereas with GOD...
      1. Our treasures are secure
      2. We will be kind, righteous people
  2. But if we follow Jesus' teachings concerning MATERIAL THINGS, what about our physical necessities of life? Don't we have to WORRY about providing these things?

Our next study will examine what Jesus taught about ANXIETY over our physical necessities in this life...