Sermon-Money, Money, Money based on Matthew 6:19-24

Introduction: Happy New Year!  As we begin this year, I get to start the year off with a sermon that all of you are excited about when pastors preach on it.  Money.  So, I am going to play The Apprentice TV Theme Song.  “Money, Money, Money” and allow you to think about you personally view money.

Treasures vs. 19-21

·         Vs. 19-Do not lay up treasures on earth

o   Lay up-store up, or save up for future use; the activity of stockpiling for reserve or later use^[1]

o   Treasures-accumulated wealth in the form of (money, jewels, valuables)

o   Same root word-Do not treasure treasures

·         Vs. 19-Why? Moth and Rust destroy, thieves break in and steal

o   Wealth in the ancient world, as often still today, regularly consisted of precious metals and cloth. Owners thus worried about attacks of moth and rust.^[2]

o   There are hazards connected with earthly possessions; they may be lost in more ways than one.^[3]

§  Nature or Humans

§  Happiness can be uncertain and short in time

o   God is not opposed to finances but He speaks truth that our earthly possessions can be lost.  Don’t make them our treasure or focus.

·         Vs. 20-But….lay up treasures in heaven

·         Why? Neither moth nor rust destroy or thieves break in and steal

o   What are those treasures? there are riches that cannot be lost^[4]

o   Context: Previous 18 verses-giving, prayer, fasting

o   everything that believers can take with them beyond the grave^[5]

·         Vs. 21-Where your treasure is, there your heart is

o   that which one prizes most, that which one values above all else^[6]

Eyes vs. 22-23

·         Seems like these verses don’t fit the topic of money.

·         Vs. 22-The eye is a lamp

o   The eye is the source of light to the whole body. Apart from the eye the body would receive no light; thus the eye functions much as a lamp does.^[7]

·         Vs. 22-If eye is healthy, whole body full of light

o   seeing things as they really are^[8]

·         Vs. 23-If eye is bad, whole body full of darkness

o   the way people’s eyes betray strong emotion^[9]

·         If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness

o   to walk in darkness is to lack vision^[10]

·         Open our eyes-Eph 1:18-“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened”

Masters vs. 24

·         No one can serve two masters

o   There could be no doubt about the issue of control^[11]

·         Why? You will hate the one and love the other or devoted to one and despise the other

o   “Love” and “hate” in Semitic thought are often roughly equivalent to choose and not choose^[12] Or a higher priority.

·         You cannot serve God and money

§  Wholehearted allegiance to God

o   Slavery to God brings perfect freedom; Slavery to money brings bondage.  Money can draw us away from God so Jesus gives us this warning.

Closing: Pray about how you personally interact with money.  Pray for our church in how we spend money in 2022.  Ask God-should we move forward with a building project? 1-Pause; 2-Build it; 3-Not Build It. More important than the answer is not my agenda and what I want but what does God want? Unity of Spirit.

---

^[1] Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 298). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[2] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 122). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[3] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 153). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[4] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 153). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[5] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 123). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[6] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 153). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[7] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 154). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[8] Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 301). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[9] Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 302). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

^[10] Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 154). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

^[11] Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 86). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[12] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 124). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.