Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / The Sermon On The Mount

Raising The Bar With Wise Investments  Part 2 3/30/08

Message: ‘Raising the Bar with wise investments’

Text: Matthew 6:19-24 pt. 2 

Introduction: All of us have faced the torture of having to make difficult decisions…like….Chinese or Italian for dinner. If you end up choosing Olive Garden, then you might feel torn between

Asiago Steak:

·       Grilled marinated steak medallions topped with a sweet balsamic glaze and asiago cheese. Served with asiago-filled tortelloni in alfredo sauce with roasted red peppers and mushrooms.

Or Tuscan Garlic Chicken:

·       Pan-seared chicken breasts with roasted garlic, red peppers and spinach in a white wine and garlic cream sauce, tossed with curly fettuccine.

How many of you are heading to Olive Garden after our Worship Celebration today?

Another way of talking about making decisions is having ‘mixed feelings.’ Like I do about my vacation time.

·       I really need to visit my parents in Charlotte so I can take care of the house. But I have ‘mixed feelings’ about the long drive and their constant complaining.

‘Mixed feelings’ and ‘feeling torn’ are terms that describe having a divided heart on an issue.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with moments of ‘indecision’, or having ‘mixed feelings’ about certain things. But there are some decisions that are vitally important, and on those things, we can’t afford to ‘feel torn’ or have ‘mixed feelings.’

We must choose and choose wisely…under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Explanation: I have been saying that Jesus’ teaching on the  Sermon on the Mount, requires life altering change and radial obedience. So there is no room for ‘feeling torn’ or ‘having mixed feelings’ about following him.

Jesus wants his followers to raise the bar of spiritual expectations and actions in their lives by making wise investments and we do that by having undivided hearts.

Transition: That’s what we want to continue to look at this morning. So, open your Bibles to Matthew 6:22 (pg. 741 in the Bibles under the chair in front of you)

Before we start, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last spoke on this text so allow me a few moments to review.

I. The choice between two treasures.   Matthew 6:19-21

Read: Matthew 6:19-21

I said earlier that our attitude toward money, possessions and admiration is a barometer of righteousness.  Which is why Jesus said if we want to be a part of His kingdom, our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees.

Righteousness = right living before God.

·       The Pharisees in Jesus’ day believed God materially and financially blessed all who were faithful to Him.

·       They believed that amassing huge treasures on earth was a sign of God’s blessing.

There are many Christians today, who like the Pharisees, seek blessing from God in the form of money, material possessions, and admiration rather than be content and satisfied with the greatest blessing of all…the very presence of God in their lives.

Here’s the big idea

The presence of God in our lives

is our greatest, most valuable

and sought after treasure.

The problem Jesus is addressing is our perception of happiness, satisfaction and contentment in life. Remember?

·       We give our time and energy to accumulate material possessions, financial wealth and people’ admiration.

·       Because… we’ve bought into the lie that these things will make us happy, satisfied and content.

So the requisite question is ‘How much will it take to make you happy? How much will it take to make you satisfied and content in life?’

The truth is…

·       No one preoccupied with material possessions or financial wealth will ever have enough.

·       No one consistently investing in today will take the time to invest in eternity.

Again…having material possessions, financial wealth and the admiration of others are not bad or wrong.

What’s wrong is:

·       The distraction the desire for and the energy used to obtain and keep those things bring to the Christian life.

What’s wrong is:

·       The belief that those things can bring happiness, satisfaction and contentment to your life.

What’s true is:

·       The only thing that can make you happy, satisfied and content…is the ever increasing presence of God in your life. 

So… ‘Where’s your treasure?’

Transition: IN Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus uses three illustrations to warn us about the dangers of divided heart, of making poor investments by the decisions we make.

First, was the illustration of our treasure. Next, He warns us about our vision.

II. The choice between two visions.                Matthew 6:22-23

Read: Matthew 6:22-23

This passage is really quite simple to understand.

If our treasure is here…material possessions, financial wealth and the admiration of others, then our spiritual vision becomes clouded.

If you spiritual vision becomes clouded

·       You will fail to see the truth, the will of God, correctly.

·       You will fail to see God as clearly as we once did.

·       And your heart will turn away from God.

The text says that the eyes illumine the heart. Another way to say this is  ‘What you choose to focus on in life will guide and order your priorities.’

Friends, one of the reasons we have ‘mixed feelings’ or ‘feel torn’ concerning important decisions in our lives is because our vision of God is clouded.

Our vision of God gets clouded

·       by our fervent accumulation of things

·       by our impassioned hunt for approval

·       by our insatiable appetite for more: more money, more square footage, more education, more popularity…more…

These things cloud and distort our vision of God…and we develop a divided heart. We begin to make choices and decisions apart from God and his best for us. While we settle for what we think is good, but in fact is far less than what God desires for us.

A couple weeks ago I asked… ‘Where’s your treasure?’ Today I want to ask… ‘How’s your vision?’ Do you see things clearly or is your vision of God and His will for your life clouded by an unhealthy preoccupation with the pursuit of an earthly treasure?

Transition: ‘Where’s your treasure?’ ‘How’s your vision?’ Finally this morning, ‘Who are you serving?’

III. The choice between two masters.   Matthew 6:24

Read: Matthew 6:24

ILL: Once while lecturing in Utah, Mark Twain got into an argument with a Mormon on the subject of polygamy. The Mormon confidently asked Twain, "Can you find a single passage of Scripture that forbids polygamy?" "Certainly," Twain replied. "No man can serve two masters." (J. David Hoke)

We’ve come to perhaps the high point of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount…Jesus asks us the all important question… ‘Who are you serving?’

People often think they can have the best of both worlds…

·       live with a fervent accumulation of things

·       live with an impassioned hunt for approval

·       live with an insatiable appetite for more.

And at the same time

·       Live with a fervent desire to invest in God’s Kingdom.

·       Live with an impassioned quest to bring glory and honor to God.

·       Live with a confident contentment in God’s abundant provision.

Truth be told…you can’t have it both ways. You will live in only one world….this one or the Kingdom of God. True, you may be able to navigate between the two for a while…

·       but as your church attendance,

·       ministry involvement

·       and financial support begin to lessen because you’re too busy with…life,

you will have crossed the line and pledged service to your new master.

ILL: Once upon a time a little boy was walking to Sunday School. His mother had given him two quarters; one for candy and the other for the offering. And wouldn’t you know, as he dawdled on his way, he tripped and fell. One of the quarters in his little hand slipped out, rolled down the sidewalk, fell over the curb and went kerplunk into the sewer. The boy got up, looked up into heaven, and said, “Well, God, there goes your quarter!”

 

If it’s always God’s quarter that gets lost, then the fact is we’re serving money. (Michael Luke)

Jesus is calling us to radial service.

ILL: Dietrich Bonhoefer said, ‘Our hearts have room only for one all-embracing devotion, and we can only cleave to one Lord.’ (Dan Stires)

Either God is served with single-minded devotion and an undivided heart…or He’s not served at all. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t straddle  the fence between pursuing the Kingdom of God and pursuing an earthly treasure. This is the bottom line of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Conclusion

ILL: The story is told by a missionary in Africa who received a knock on the door of his hut one afternoon. Answering, the missionary found a native boy holding a large fish in his hands. The boy said, ‘Reverend, you taught us what tithing is, so here, I’ve brought you my tithe.’ As the missionary gratefully took the fish, he questioned the boy. ‘If this is your tithe, where are the other nine fish?’ At this, the boy beamed and said, ‘Oh, they’re still back in the river. I’m going back to catch them now.’ (Joseph Rogers)

 

·       That’s the heart of one whose treasure is in heaven.

·       That’s the vision of one whose eyes are fixed on God.

·       That’s the service of one whose Master is God.

1. How do we make wise investments?

We make them in our relationship with people.

·       Spend time with people, let them see Jesus in you. Tell them of the hope that is within you…love them as Christ loves you, forgive as Christ has forgiven you.

·       Choose to care.

2. How do we make wise investments?

We make them in our Service.

·       Get involved in the ministries of the church.

·       Participate in the activities of the church.

·       Choose to serve.

3. How do we make wise investments?

We make them in our worship.

·       Make it a priority in your life to be here on Sunday mornings. Worship is never wasteful in God’s eyes. Can you say that about some of the alternatives that occupy your time on Sunday mornings?

·       Choose to worship.

4. How do we make wise investments?

We make them in developing our godly character.

·       Get involved in a small group…Women’s Walk, Men’s Group, or our Bible Studies during the week.

·       Join us on Wednesday nights for community prayer.

·       Choose to grow.

5. How do we make wise investments?

We make them by our generosity.

·       Don’t give God the coin that was lost…give him your best…he gave his best for you!

·       Choose to give.

Remember…

The presence of God in our lives

is our greatest, most valuable

and sought after treasure.

We raise the bar of spiritual expectations and actions in their lives by making wise investments.