One
Week in the
10 Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount
Part 6 (of 7)
10 Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount
Part 6 (of 7)
Some
Straight Talk from Jesus and from me (Jeff)
24“No
one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be
devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
(Your heart always follows your money vs. 21)
“That
is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough
food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your
body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest
or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you
far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single
moment to your life?
“And
why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they
grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his
glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so
wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire
tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So
don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we
drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of
unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
Seek
the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you
everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own
worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:24-34 (NLT)
Straight Talk #1
In
vs 24 and 21 Jesus is straight with us.
He tells us he knows us. He
knows that where we put our money is where our hearts go.
Where we put our money tells us what we value.
If my relationship to God is like a marriage then we must merge our
resources. What’s mine is
his.
The
Old Testament tells us to give 10% of our gross income to the Lord as a sign
that we belong to the Lord. The
New Testament’s standard is not a tithe. The
New Testament tells us to give more than we can afford.
Either amount is monetary proof that God has my full loyalty and trust.
Frankly
if I don’t tithe, then I am withholding trust.
I am saying I need something more than God to be happy or to meet my
needs.
And
if I am relying on something other than God, then I’ll always be anxious
because I am feeling like providing for myself and family is all up to me.
Many believers can’t feel right with God because deep down they know
they are holding back, holding onto their own resources.
But Jesus was blunt. What
you hold onto is where your heart is and it’s choking your relationship with
Him.
Personally
I am convinced that, except for extraordinary circumstances, anyone who
doesn’t tithe or give more than they can afford is holding back in their
relationship with God. All the
excuses we give (I give my time, I give my talents, giving to my family is
giving to God) seem to me to be ways to rationalize, ways to seek the minimum
commitment necessary to be a Christian.
A
marriage can’t work that way. Nor
can my relationship with God. Divided
loyalties leave us . . . divided . . .and anxious, and worried and stressed and
unable to trust that God will provide. Were
stuck in the world of “if it’s to be it’s up to me”.
Were stuck there, of course, because having only trusted ourselves
for our needs we never get the experience of discovering the trustworthiness of
God.
This
Christmas season, if you have not taken step one in giving God your heart,
(Jesus said your heart goes where your money goes), by giving God the first 10%
of your income, the first thing for you to do is to do it. Just do it.
The clue is in the do. “I
love you Lord” means nothing unless actions follow.
Personally I am not convinced that there is any more important spiritual
step to take with God than this one. Jesus
said your heart follows your money.
Give
your tithe to your home church, the first and the best of your income and then
work everything else around that.
In that way you are working your life around God.
Doing this is acting on your vow to put God first in your life.
Kathy and I did this over 30 years ago and it is unimaginable to us to
have lived without having done so.
Once
you’ve settled that issue, you’ve begun to enter into the world of practically
trusting the Lord for your needs – yes just like a marriage.
Without this you’ll always be divided.
Straight Talk #2
Jesus
also told us not to worry about our lives: food, clothes and shelter.
He said “don’t worry”. “Don’t
be anxious”.
This
is stunning.
Cars
have accidents, terrorists seek us out, incurable disease takes our lives, jobs
are insecure. Is Jesus
crazy? How can I not worry?
Jesus
did not tell us not to plan but he did tell us to resolutely refuse worry and
that anxiety is groundless and pointless.
It does nothing for us.
If
I actually believe that nothing, absolutely nothing can harm me.
If I believe that I am completely safe in God’s good world.
If I can believe that the worst that can happen including death cannot
take my life, my future, my past, my hope and my joy, then I am free.
It
is this kind of confidence in God that opens the door wide open to God’s
abundant life, NOW, and then later in heaven.
The
Gospel and Jesus Himself, tell me that in Him, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO
WORRY ABOUT.
As
your pastor I can tell you that kind of confidence is a strange but beautiful
thing. People will think you
crazy to have it. You have
available to you the confidence that says that whatever happens I have peace
that God is making all things right and well and beautiful.
That kind of confidence is exactly what God wants to give us.
Jesus
actually finishes this section with a little bit of humor, “hey”, he says,
“you don’t have time to worry about tomorrow anyway.
I absolve you of all fretting, worry, fear, anxiety, control-feakishness
for tomorrow. Live today.
Don’t miss today by freaking out about tomorrow!”
(that’s actually a jpl paraphrase)
For
more:
follow on Twitter @jefflampl
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