Seeing The Treasure Of The Heart (Matthew 6:16-24, Proverbs 2:1-10)
Rev. William L. Barron, November 5, 2023Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
What controls your life? What do you treasure? As humans, we are to prepare and provide treasure on earth, but the earth is fleeting. On the other hand, treasure in heaven is eternal. Where do we put our focus with the eye? We must see the value of treasures in heaven that are eternal. Healthy eyes see beyond the immediate. Light enters through the eye. Life is full of light if we have a healthy eye. But it takes spiritual understanding to have a healthy eye. If we are in darkness, how great is that darkness, if we cannot see the spiritual world around us? The church proclaims the truth, which is salvation and abundant life. A healthy eye is full of life, and it is a privilege to be servants of God, telling people the gospel. Often our light is dim, because we have fear or because we're not comfortable. We miss a great blessing. We cannot serve two masters, God and material things. We share the gospel because Jesus is our master. Sinners that we are, we can forget and serve people or ourselves instead of Jesus. We have a decision to make--which way do we go? With original sin, we want to do things our way. We are going to worship something, and for the Christian, God is the focus of our worship. As far as material things are concerned, how much is enough? J.D. Rockefeller answered, "Just a little bit more." That being so, who are we going to trust? How do we put Him first? In vs. 33 Jesus commands us to seek first the righteousness of God. Hypocrisy and anxiety are connected. If life is shining in you, the whole body is shining.
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| « God Is The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory | None | Living The Anxious Life? » |
Matthew 6:16–24 (Listen)
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
(ESV)
Proverbs 2:1–10 (Listen)
2:1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
(ESV)