The Life of Christ

SECTION 70

Mt. 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”

Bill Gothard offers valuable insight on these three words:

• Moth: items we will never use that end up cluttering up our storage

• Rust: items that highly depreciate; their value just rusts away.

• Thieves: items that are considered extravagant, which tempt others to covet.

Mt. 6:20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”

Prov. 8:18 refers to amassing "durable riches."

Mt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. ”

One researcher discovered that “ mammon ” was the name of the Philistine “god of prosperity.”

• In practical terms, the love of mammon is the driving force that pulls people toward greed and the inordinate desire to acquire things.

• It is called a “ master ” in scripture; its context suggests that it is the master in greatest competition to our true Master.

• Money itself is never the issue; it’s the attitude toward money that prohibits loving God fully.

Money is a master if...

1. We refuse to tithe back what already belongs to God.

2. We refuse to give alms or special gifts should the Spirit lead.

3. We think about money constantly.

4. We take the option of working more hours so we can have more money, rather attend and serve our church.

Mt. 6:25-26 “For this reason, I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”

What is noted about the birds of the air is that they neither sow nor reap or gather into barns.

• Birds don ’t worry about their food because God always makes sure they are fed.

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