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Text to Read: Matthew 6:21 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.
25 “Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds flying about! They neither plant nor harvest, nor do they gather food into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they are?
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Matthew 6:21-26
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.
Verse 25
[25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
And if you serve God, you need be careful for nothing.
Therefore take not thought — That is, be not anxiously careful. Beware of worldly cares; for these are as inconsistent with the true service of God as worldly desires.
Is not the life more than meat? — And if God give the greater gift, will he deny the smaller? Luke 12:22.____________________________
Daily Devotions:
Monday, August 3, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:21-26
- Depending on the translation, the sixth commandment says, “do not kill,” is there a difference between killing and murder?
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:21-26
- Does Jesus’ death shock you like it did Peter?
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 6:21-26
- Jesus would be sentenced to death by a group of religious leaders, but he seems to clearly suggest that choosing to follow him would lead to the cross.
- How does this impact your willingness to follow Jesus?
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 16:21-26
- If Jesus asked you to lose your life in order to gain it, would you?
Friday, August 7, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 16:21-26
- We may not be asked to lose our life in a physical sense, but what do you sense Jesus is asking you to give up in order to follow him?
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 16:21-26
- What are some practical ways in which you can help others find their life?
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Text to read: Matthew 16:21-26
- Today, pray for those who experience death due to war, gang violence, and abuse.
- Pray for those who have lost their life due to senseless violence, as well as those who willingly step in harm’s way to protect others.
- Pray for Families and Friends who minister with people who are differently abled that churches will wake up to their needs to worship together and separate Sunday School or Bible Study Classes.
The First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, California 92108 United States
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Sermon Story "Who Do You Serve?" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 9 August 2015 with Scripture Text: Matthew 6:21 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.
25 “Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds flying about! They neither plant nor harvest, nor do they gather food into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they are?
We have three teachings in this passage of Scripture for today from the second chapter of what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. We understand that we may title this sermon as Who Do You Serve? or Being Good Stewards of What God Has Given You. We understand that Jesus is comparing the eye to a lamp that is very generous with what God has given us as having a good eye. Then He talks about with this generosity that we cannot serve both God and Money while He goes on to say that we are not worry about how our needs are to be supplied. Wow! What is Jesus attempting to teach us in this passage about choosing to serve God alone and trust Him fully for everything and to give to Him what He has given to us to build His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. In this context of the Scripture, we realize that when we choos to serve Money we will do anything to get all we can for our needs and wants in this world, but if we serve God alone we have a tendency to put money as a tool to build God's Kingdom on earth as it is Heaven so that we only worship God alone and not what He has given to us in this life. How are you doing? What story can you relate to or not relate to? How generous are you with what God has provided for you with your strength to work menial or mentally? How are you willing to confess and repent of your sins for not placing the right priorities in your life? What about your children especially if one or more of your children happen to be a person with a disabililty. How do you understand the care and love God is calling you to do towards your children or even other family members who need extra help to live in this life to see God's love in action? We realie that we need God's blessings, mercy, and grace to live our lives in generosity to bring on earth as it is Heaven as we take and eat the Body of Jesus and Drink His Blood through our participation in the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to receive singing the Hymn "Take my life, and let it be" by Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879):
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
--and--
"Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan:
1. You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
2. Might be a rock'n' roll adict prancing on the stage
Might have money and drugs at your commands, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
3. You may be a state trooper, you might be an young turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
4. You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody's landlord you might even own banks.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
5. You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
6. Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed.
Chorus: But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
7. You may call me Terry, you may call me Jimmy
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray
You may call me anything but no matter what you say.
Chorus: You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844 United States
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