Matthew 6:24 (NKJV) 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? Matthew 6:24

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  We continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7  We resume with a single verse found in chapter 6  Even though it is just one verse, there is much truth to be learned and practiced here

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  Jesus had spoken previously about the danger of riches and laying up treasures on earth (vs )  Here again Jesus looks at where our loyalty lies in this life  It is a verse that should make us think about how we live our lives

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  1. Understanding Jesus’ Words o It’s certainly important for us to understand exactly what Jesus is saying here o To do that, it becomes necessary to see the words in it’s original Greek o The word translated serve is the key word in this verse

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  1. Understanding Jesus’ Words o Serve is the Greek word douleuo which means to be a slave or be in bondage o It’s not just the mere idea of serving someone, but rather belonging to them o It would be impossible for someone to be a slave to 2 different masters…

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  1. Understanding Jesus’ Words o The idea of a slave is giving yourself wholly to your master o The same is true of our allegiance to God o If He is our master, then we belong to Him and it would be impossible for us to serve anyone or anything else

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  2. Decision To Be Made o The Bible has always taught that a decision must be made on who we serve o There are many verses that command this o Joshua told the children of Israel that they should choose who they would serve, and gave them an either/or mandate (Josh. 24:15ff)

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  2. Decision To Be Made o Elijah asked the Israelites, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (I Ki. 18:21) o Jesus quoted the OT when He said to Satan, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matt. 4:10)

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  2. Decision To Be Made o When we become children of God, we go from being slaves of sin to being slaves of God (Rom. 6:16-22) o Jesus says that eventually one will win out over the other o In other words, one way or another a decision will be made

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  3. The Fence Has No Seat o There are some in the world that would like to sit on the fence o That’s why so many people now go “church shopping” o They want to find a church that matches their personal beliefs

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  3. The Fence Has No Seat o Many want to continue with their lifestyle o They want to enjoy the pleasures of life, but at the same time be saved at the end o The Bible tells us that this is not possible o Jesus in His own words states this fact…

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  3. The Fence Has No Seat o “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matt. 12:30) o “…friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4)

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  3. The Fence Has No Seat o Paul showed the impossibility when he said, “For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10) o The idea is a very simple one o Two masters will have two different sets of rules, duties, responsibilities, and priorities

SOM: Whose Side Are You On?  3. The Fence Has No Seat o Demas had forsaken Paul “having loved this present world” (II Tim. 4:10) o John warned not to love the world or the things in it because it would mean that the love of the Father was not in him (I Jn. 2:15) o This points to the inevitability of a decision