TITLE: Which God Will You Serve? TEXT: Matthew 6:19-24 THEME: The believer should use money as a means to serve and worship God.

What motivates people to violate the law and their conscience that leads to bribes and corruption?

I. Why should we focus on storing up heavenly treasures?

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21)

Matthew 6: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Why is money important to us? FOUR LEVELS:

Why is money important to us? FOUR LEVELS: Survival and Provision- Basic existence

Why is money important to us? FOUR LEVELS: Survival and Provision- Basic existence Security and Comfort- Emotional well being

Why is money important to us? FOUR LEVELS: Survival and Provision- Basic existence Security and Comfort- Emotional well being Luxury and Pleasure- Identity

Why is money important to us? FOUR LEVELS: Survival and Provision- Basic existence Security and Comfort- Emotional well being Luxury and Pleasure- Identity Prestige and Power- Control

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary – things can lose value

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary – things can lose value – we cannot always trust the experts

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary – things can lose value – we cannot always trust the experts – greed can lead to careless management

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary B. It gets stolen

I. Because earthly treasures do not last. (19-21) A. It decays: money is temporary B. It gets stolen: C. Our heart is where our treasure is

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s.”

II Timothy 3:1-3 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good

What do college freshmen say is "very important" or "essential" to them?

78.1 percent wanted to be "well off financially" (compared to only 42.2 percent of college freshman in 1969).

What do college freshmen say is "very important" or "essential" to them? 78.1 percent wanted to be "well off financially" (compared to only 42.2 percent of college freshman in 1969) percent considered "raising a family" as very important to them.

What do college freshmen say is "very important" or "essential" to them? 78.1 percent wanted to be "well off financially" (compared to only 42.2 percent of college freshman in 1969) percent considered "raising a family" as very important to them percent wanted to help others in difficulty.

What do college freshmen say is "very important" or "essential" to them? 78.1 percent wanted to be "well off financially" (compared to only 42.2 percent of college freshman in 1969) percent considered "raising a family" as very important to them percent wanted to help others in difficulty. 48 percent wanted to develop a "meaningful philosophy in life" (compared to a whopping 84.9 percent in 1969.

Why should we focus on storing up heavenly treasures?

II. Because our spiritual focus is the greater need. (22-23)

Matthew 6: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

II. Because our spiritual focus is the greater need. (22-23)

Principle: Obsession with gaining wealth creates spiritual blindness

Key principles of modern capitalism find their origin in Christianity. The right to private ownership

Key principles of modern capitalism find their origin in Christianity. The right to private ownership The value of the work ethic

Key principles of modern capitalism find their origin in Christianity. The right to private ownership The value of the work ethic The right of a person to enjoy the benefits of his labor

Os Guiness in“Pro-Existence.” Socialism and communism are affronts to man’s dignity because they rob him of the fruit of his labors.

Karl Marx denied the right to private ownership in Das Kapital

Key Points Unbridled love for money has consequences

Key Points Unbridled love for money has consequences Capitalism, in principle is not evil

Key Points Unbridled love for money has consequences Capitalism, in principle is not evil. We need people whose values and their love for God shape what they do and how they live.

Why should we focus on storing up heavenly treasures?

III.Because you cannot serve both God and money. (24)

Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

In Matthew 6: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life

In Matthew 6: “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear

In Matthew 6: For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”.

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Your love for God should supersede your love for money. You cannot love both.

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Your love for God should supersede your love for money. You cannot love both. For believers money is to be used in our love and service of God

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Your love for God should supersede your love for money. You cannot love both. For believers money is to be used in our love and service of God. We are stewards of what He has given us.

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Our love for God should shape all our decisions. If we love and trust God we have the assurance He will provide for our real and basic needs. We need not worry. That is the easy burden.

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Our love for God should shape all our decisions. If we love and trust God we have the assurance He will provide for our real and basic needs. We need not worry.

APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: Our love for God should shape all our decisions. If we love and trust God we have the assurance He will provide for our real and basic needs. We need not worry. That is the easy burden.