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Scripture Text: Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. 21 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also. 22 ‘The eye is the lamp of the body.’ So if you have a ‘good eye’ [that is, if you are generous] your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if you have an ‘evil eye’ [if you are stingy] your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for: Matthew 6:19-24
Verse 19
[19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Lay not up for yourselves — Our Lord here makes a transition from religious to common actions, and warns us of another snare, the love of money, as inconsistent with purity of intention as the love of praise.
Where rust and moth consume — Where all things are perishable and transient. He may likewise have a farther view in these words, even to guard us against making any thing on earth our treasure. For then a thing properly becomes our treasure, when we set our affections upon it. Luke 12:33.
Verse 21
[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 11:34.
Verse 22
[22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
The eye is the lamp of the body — And what the eye is to the body, the intention is to the soul. We may observe with what exact propriety our Lord places purity of intention between worldly desires and worldly cares, either of which directly tend to destroy.
If thine eye be single — Singly fixed on God and heaven, thy whole soul will be full of holiness and happiness.
If thine eye be evil — Not single, aiming at any thing else.
Verse 24
[24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mammon — Riches, money; any thing loved or sought, without reference to God. Luke 16:13.____________________________
Monday, July 6, 2015
- What treasure is Jesus talking about?
- What is it for you?
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
- How is money used as an idol?
- Is it the chief idol of our culture?
- Why?
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:19-24
- What is Jesus’ remedy for idolatry?
Thursday, July 9, 2015
- Where is idolatry active in your life?
- Where is it seen?
- Unseen?
Friday, July 10, 2015
- Matthew 6:24 speaks of a competition of sorts.
- What does this mean?
- How do we solve it?
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:19-24
- What effect does “what” we worship have upon us?
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:19-24
- Pray for those enslaved by their own will or someone else’s.
First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del rio South
San Diego, California 92108, United States
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Sermon Story "Wealth or Poverty" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 12 July 2015 with Scripture: Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. 21 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also. 22 ‘The eye is the lamp of the body.’ So if you have a ‘good eye’ [that is, if you are generous] your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if you have an ‘evil eye’ [if you are stingy] your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money.
What is Jesus really attempting to tell us about wealth in this passage? How does this passage relate to other teaching about welath in the Scriptures we have been given? Let us begin with a John Wesely quote to assist our understanding: “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” We look at what Jesus is teaching here and we look at John Wesley's quote and we still walk away confused. Jesus is teaching that our trust and reliance should be upon God alone, not on what we can earn in this life to support ourselves and our family. Jesus appears to be teaching that if we make a large amount of money beyond what we need to live on, we will begin to lose our trust in God's provision for each day similar to the line in the Our Father that we ask God to give us our daily bread or sustanance. Then, John Wesley comes along and says that we should work hard to make all we can then to save all we can leaving us to give all we can. The advice from Jesus and John Wesley really are one in the same because we are actually to work for our employer as if we are working for God and not rely on hand outs from other people to meet our daily needs. The problem comes in when we may be working at a job that does not meet our bssic needs or to have employment as taking care of young children, children with disabilities, parents with aging disabilities, and we work long hours with no income coming in. This is where our trust needs to be with Jesus and His provisions for our fmailies that we do not let the children or people who are disabled to die without daily needs being met. If we relay on what has been taught in the United States that each of us should be independent from anyone else rather than the thinking of interdependency upon God and others to assist us with the needs to be supplied where interdepency is realizing that we are not living on an island by ourselves, but live in relationship and connection with other people to live our lives in meeting our basic needs without begging. God has a way to bring people whether family or friends or even the government to assist us. The call is that the people in leadership in the family or government or even the church need to let God lead to be the people God uses to supply people who need extra help to live meet their basic needs. Actually, the basic needs are food, shelter, and clothing. Where do you see God using your wealth to assist others in needs? How do you understand that assisting others does not mean not to get involved in their lives? How are each of us doing to be fully dependent on God and interdendent on others? We come to realize that too often we have fallen shor or even sinned against God and other people as we come to eat the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come singing the Hymn: "I Can Depend On God" by Patrick Love
Chorus:
I can depend on God (4x).
Through the storm,
through the rain,
through sickness and pain;
I can depend, I can depend.
Verse 1:
I remember the day,
I remember the hour;
filled my soul with His Holy Ghost power.
I was lost and couldn't find my way,
He stayed with me each and every day.
I was sick and I couldn't get well,
healed my body, now I can tell;
I can depend (3x),
I can depend on God.
Chorus:
I can depend on God (4x).
Through the storm,
through the rain,
through sickness and pain;
I can depend, I can depend.
Verse 2:
I remember the day,
I remember it well,
snatched my soul from the gates of hell.
Sounded so good and maybe you haven't heard,
all you have to do is trust in His word.
Through the rain, through the storm
through sickness and the pain;
I can depend (3x),
I can depend on God.
Bridge:
If you don't believe that I've been redeemed,
follow me down to the Jordan stream.
I was lost, couldn't find my way,
He stayed with me each and every day;
I can depend.
Chorus:
I can depend on God (4x).
Through the storm,
through the rain,
through sickness and pain;
I can depend, I can depend.
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, Califonria 92104-1844 United States
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