Where does your treasure reside? – Sermon on the Mount – Part V
As
the Sermon on the Mount begins to wind down in Matthew 6:19-34, the distinction between the world
and the kingdom of God will continue to grow. Matthew 6:19-21 makes a distinction between
storing up treasures on Earth verses Heaven, in Matthew 6:22-23 a distinction is
made between light and darkness through the lens of the eye, in Matthew 6:24
one will serve God or wealth, and in Matthew 6:25-34 we see how pagans worry about
provision and Christians trust in God for provision. Matthew 6:21 becomes the key verse in this section of the
Sermon on the Mount saying, “for where your treasure is, there you heart will
be also.” This key verse is
enhanced through a mild inclusio found in Matthew 6:33 where we are given the
imperative to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these
things will be added to you.” If
the kingdom of God and His righteousness are the desire of our hearts we will
most definitely have everything added to us; true treasure, a righteous master,
truth, and true provision.
In Matthew
6:19-21 distinction is drawn between storing up treasure on Earth verses in
Heaven. The things of Earth are
subject to the fall and deteriorate through rust, infestations, and theft,
whereas the things of heaven are not subject to these degrading forces. The obvious choice for us is to want to
store up things that will last and Jesus is telling us these are found in the
kingdom of God. It is not natural
for us to desire these seemingly intangible things of the kingdom of God, and going
back to our over arching thesis (Matthew 5:20), we need Christ to do a work in
us to see this truth. We need
surpassing righteousness to enter the kingdom of God and to desire its
treasures. Matthew 6:21 shows us
where we stand with the Lord through our desires. If we desire the things of the Earth, our heart is there and
these desires will guide our life making the things of the kingdom of God a
burden. If we desire the things of
the Lord our heart will be set on the kingdom of heaven, making His calling and
commands a joy to follow. We must
decide if we want to pursue treasure on this Earth or in the kingdom of
heaven. Where do you store up
treasure?
Matthew
6:22-23 draws a distinction between light and darkness through the lens of the
eye. If you perceive truth, having
a clear eye, your whole body will be full of light engaging the truth that has
been perceived in thought and deed.
In contrast if your eye is bad, perceiving falsehood, your body will
also engage in the perceived falsehood.
Finally if the eye perceives falsehood as light, the darkness is
overwhelmingly dark. In this case
the Pharisees may serve as a genuine example of those that thought they were
perceiving light in rejecting Christ, yet had become ultimately deceived,
living in utter darkness. Once
again surpassing righteousness is needed.
We need our eyes made clean so that we can perceive truth and be filled
with the light and knowledge of the Gospel. Have your eyes been made clean?
Matthew
6:24 is familiar verse, yet it contains a potent contrast between those that
follow the world and those that follow God. We must serve God or the world and this is made clear
through the personification of money as a master as compared to God as a
master. We will hate one and love the other, be devoted to one or despise the
other. Money is a rotten master
compared to God, and the choice again seems clear. The implied rhetorical question is, “What’s it going to be ?
God or Money?” The obvious choice
again is God, but this is pitted against our worldly desire for the benefits of
money we can see all around us. We
are reminded again that we have to decide between the two, no one can serve
both. Who do you serve?
Finally,
in Matthew 6:25-34 we see how pagans worry about provision and conversely
Christians are to trust in God for provision. This is brought to light through the example of birds,
lilies, and grass. In Matthew 6:25
the worries of this life are contrasted against real life found in trusting the
Lord with the rhetorical question, “Is not life more than food, and the body
more than clothing?” We are not to
worry about our life, what we will eat, or what we will wear. God the Father feeds the birds without
their own toil, and He values us much more. In the same way Solomon in all his splendor never looked as
good a flowering lily in a field, nor grass of the field which God provides
for, even though both are temporary and pass away with the seasons. If God provides for and clothes the
foliage of the Earth He will do much more for us being more valuable than foliage
to Him, yet our faith is small.
Matthew 6:32-33 brings this section of the Sermon on the Mount back
around to Matthew 6:21. Gentiles eagerly
strive for all these aspects of provision (food, drink, clothing), but God
knows exactly what we need. God in
6:32 is personified as Father adding even more weight to His ability to provide. We are to seek His kingdom and His
righteousness and He will take care of us. Do you see God as a Father ready to take care of your needs?
Matthew
6:34 becomes the natural outflow of a profound trust in the Lord for
provision. No worry. We are not to worry about tomorrow
because the Father will provide for us.
Each day has its own issues and the Father has promised to provide for
us as each day has its needs.
There is no use in worrying about tomorrow.
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