Bible Study For You

KINGDOM LIFE – THE SERMON THE MOUNT – LESSON 10

TREASURES AND WORRY

            Summary - The Sermon on the Mount, which was overheard by multitudes, is one of the best known and most beloved teachings in the Bible.  Careful consideration of this text reveals principles that are taught elsewhere in scripture, but nowhere else are they proclaimed with such concentrated depth and power. Most of us know that the portion of an iceberg visible above the water is only a small part of a gigantic body of glacial ice. Ocean liners have learned to use sonic technology to ‘see’ beneath the surface to gain safe navigation. And so it is with study of the word of God. If we skim over the surface we miss a large part of the message; the deeper issues, the understanding of which is essential for a victorious Christian life. Beneath every commandment is a deeper application than at first seems evident. Every ‘do not’ has an accompanying ‘do.’ Matthew 5, 6 and 7 lead us on a pathway to profound wisdom. Jesus’ words are often hard to understand, of incredible breadth and depth, poetic and convicting, yet they are the key to knowing God and the joy that comes from digging for the gems in His word. It is by dedicated study, with a reliance on the Holy Spirit, that the light will come into our understanding making possible the application of His great wisdom and truth.

         Treasures on earth - Last week’s questions challenged us to think about the degree to which the world and its ‘things’ have a grip on our hearts and minds. In this age where we are constantly bombarded with persuasive messages, it is difficult to avoid the pull of the allurements being thrown in our faces every day. It encourages more than keeping up with the Jones, for we are urged to have more than the Jones; prettier, more tech savvy, and, of course, more expensive than the Jones. But who cares about the cost? Just put it on your credit card! I wonder how many unpaid-for-treasures people presume are theirs, when in reality, the credit card and mortgage companies hold title to the treasure! A careful reading of the Bible will assure you that there is nothing inherently wrong with the things of this world, though they are temporary. No, it is our hearts that have the problem. Jesus’ warning may seem nebulous, (that is clouded or vague), when He speaks of storing our treasures in heaven. You can’t send your ‘I-pod’, your ‘Kindle,’ your house, your car or your gold coins to heaven. Many of the gadgets and goods that folks are ‘investing’ in today are actually not smart investments anyway, for they become obsolete within months, replaced with something faster, trickier and more expensive. The moths and rust don’t have a chance to ruin them, for their usefulness is brief and they end up in a bottom drawer, used car lot, or electronic recycle bin. Just like money, which we need to exist in our culture, so it is with material goods. They are not bad in and of themselves. But the love of them can lead to ruin. Paul’s words to Timothy are wise. “But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Timothy 6:6-10).

         Treasures in heaven - The treasures we are to store up in heaven are not material, but are spiritual. They include our salvation, our personal relationship with the Savior, our faith and our hope of a home in heaven. Paul continues in his instructions to Timothy: But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1Timothy 6:11-12). The pursuit of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness, these we are to store up as treasures in heaven along with the ultimate gift, eternal life.

         The eyes of your heart - The Lord tells us that the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye looks on what is good and beautiful, that quality will fill your being. But if we look on what is evil, worldly or ungodly, we are filled with great darkness. There is a proverb from the French that says, “The eyes are the window of the soul.” The idea is that when you look into someone’s eyes, you get a glimpse into the inner most self; and see whether it is sound or splintered, spiritual or unspiritual. Perhaps a crude expression says it best; garbage in, garbage out. It is that simple. Have you have seen something on televisions, even by accident, which was shocking in its evil or sensual content? Have you noticed how difficult it is to rid your mind of those images? We must, as Jesus warns, be careful upon that which we cast our eyes. Do not be led astray or lured by the sights and sounds of what is forbidden by God; because they are unholy, and bring only great darkness.

         Have only one master - Matthew 6:24 contains great wisdom, and it is related to the aforementioned   thoughts about what we see and or desire that leads to ungodliness. Jesus tells us that we cannot love and/or serve two masters, the holy and the profane, at the same time. We will be captured by one or the other. He mentions ‘mammon,’ another word for money, and it can become a cruel task master, just as is any ungodly pursuit or habit. Do not fool yourself into thinking you can be a Christian on Sunday and walk with the world on another day. One or the other will be your ruler. Choose wisely what you value, think, see and do. We know that the evil one wants to entrap us in sin so he can entice us away from our Lord.  “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Sinclair Ferguson says, in regard to our choice of a master, “…life in the kingdom of God calls for single-minded allegiance to the King. [We] are stewards of everything we have. We do not possess them. They are gifts given by the Lord, the blessings of his rule over us. They are never, ever, to become our masters, or even to compete with him for mastery over us. If we love them, without first of all remembering that they are his, we will soon hate and despise the one who gave them to us.”¹

            The burden of worry - How closely all these issued are tied together! The accumulation of the things of this world, treasures today and trash tomorrow, will not have eternal existence. Allowing them to run or rule our lives will block our relationship with the only true Master of the universe. It is a wrong perception of the things of this world that causes huge problems in our society. Affinity to ‘things’ brings anxiety, leading to all sorts of stress, sleeplessness and sickness, not to mention depression and despondency. Quite a few years ago, when our country was in another financial crisis, the price of gold and all precious metals went sky high. I was living in Arcadia at the time, and commuting to our home in the desert on weekends. Because I have several lovely pieces of jewelry which came down to me through my family, and also sterling silver flatware that had belonged to my maternal grandmother, I was anxious about being away from home lest someone would break in and steal those precious items. Robberies of that kind were prevalent at the time. One morning, while I was in prayer, I took my fears to the Lord and He revealed something quite wonderful to me, something I have never forgotten. When we get to heaven we will have no material possessions. What freedom that will be! There will be no locked doors, no need for insurance, safes, banks and no anxiety! Although these kinds of things are ours to be enjoyed, they can also become a ball and chain in our lives, holding us down and preventing us from enjoying life. It is He, after all, who provides and owns everything. This does not imply that we should be careless with worldly goods. Rather we are to be good stewards of whatever we have, but not set our hearts on second things. God is always to be the first thing. He is to be our ruling passion. Here is a remedy for anxiety from God’s word: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

            The simple life under God’s care - The Lord’s teaching on worry continues in Matthew 6: 25 through 34. The simple fact that He speaks so much about this troubling emotion of worry should be a red flag and cause us to pay close attention. How many of you have worried about something in the past week? How many people do you know who are troubled with anxiety, about food or clothing, a job or money? At one time or another all of us worry about our health and our future. These are often the subjects of our prayers. When Jesus says, “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes” (Matthew 6:25b), what does He mean? What is more important than our daily bread and protection from the elements? The implication is that there is something we need to concentrate on more than life’s basics; so what is it? With beautifully descriptive language He calls our attention to how nature is dressed and fed; “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). As His crowning creation, made in His image, we are to have faith that He will not ignore our necessities, while He calls us to something higher. Again the emphasis is on first things. “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:32-33). This does not negate our responsibility to feed and clothe ourselves and our families, albeit by His provisions, but it says His kingdom and His righteousness must be the number one priority in all of our lives. This should be the first thing we think of when we wake in the morning and the last thing when we lay down for the night. Does it come naturally? Well, no, or the pagans who remain in their unregenerate state would naturally think that way. It is by God’s Holy Spirit, whom He has given to His children, that we can grasp this principle; that when we put God’s kingdom and His righteousness first, everything else will be added unto us. Focus on today in simple faith, knowing that your heavenly Father already has tomorrow in His hands. He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides.