Futility
Matthew 6:19-24
Pastor Jerry Koller

Jesus is using what is called parallelism, a common Jewish way of teaching that groups things in “twos.”

Verse 19 in the NIV begins: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.
· Do not treasure for yourselves treasures on earth.
· Do not treasure treasures on earth.
· Do not hoard
· Do not stockpile
· Do not amass

In Jesus’ day, the only way you could build wealth was to hoard or stockpile your possessions.
· You could stockpile food.
· You could stockpile clothing.
· You could stockpile gold, silver, gems, precious stones...

Why we should not do this?
· They will deteriorate.
· They may be stolen.

The word Jesus uses for rust means “that which eats up.”

The point Jesus is making is that no earthly treasures last forever.

Rather than pouring your lives into stockpiling or storing up things that will not last, Jesus said ...store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

· What do you treasure?
· Which treasures have your heart?

The eye is the lamp of the body.
· the lamp of the body—not the ‘light ‘of the body

“Good” means simple, single, whole, clear, and fulfilling its office.

Some translations use the word clear. Words like good, clear, and whole refer to an eye that does not have any defect. It does what it is supposed to do. When it does, it lets light in so that you can see.

In verse 23, the eyes that are mentioned are bad. Jesus is making a contrast, the meaning of the word bad has to do with eyes that are in a bad condition and are not doing what they are intended to do.

The Jews thought of the eye as the window of our soul.
It lets light not only into the retina, it let its into your whole body.

As far as the Jews were concerned, to have a good eye was an idiom (an expression) of being generous.
· A bad eye was a reference to being stingy, to those not wanting to share their goods with others; to those who hoarded what they possessed.

What causes a bad eye? Treasuring earthly treasures.

The best way to overcome a bad eye was to store up treasures in heaven.

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
· Serving a master is understood within a slave-master relationship.
· Love and hate seem to be issues of the heart.
· One chooses to love just like one chooses to hate.
· The other relationship contrasts devotion with despising.
· Devotion is being committed to some purpose.
· To despise is to look down or scorn someone or something.

The point is you cannot totally serve two masters. You will always favor one over the other.

Jesus sums up His point of trying to serve two masters. He said, You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matt. 6:24)

The Greek word Matthew uses here has its origins in Aramaic.
· It carried with it the idea of “that to which I am entrusted.”
· “That which is entrusted to me”
· “That which I trust.”

Jesus is pointing back to the first parabolic illustration He used: earthly treasures.
· You cannot serve God and earthly treasures at the same time.
· We do not belong to an earthly kingdom.
· Our citizenship is in heaven. (Phil. 20)

1. We were bought with a price.
· You must understand that you do not have the right to serve other masters.
· You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

2. We are servants of God.
· Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

3. Our loyalty must only be directed to Him.
· Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. (Matt. 4:10)

4. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, (Heb. 12:2)

· Gena Bassett is asking for prayer that she can find a new job that is more suitable for her as a single mom; particularly one in which she can work Monday-Friday during the day and have weekends off. Please pray for a solution and if you're aware of any job openings, please let her know.
· Robert Pranger (Tracy Marshall's stepdad) who lost his father on 12/29 due to COVID. This has been an especially difficult year for him as he lost his mother very unexpectedly to cancer earlier this year as well.
· Steve Follman is recovering from surgery for a total knee replacement.
· Ken & Tina Dell and their family upon the loss of Tina’s mother, Paula Chambers, on 12/15 following complications from Covid. Ken and Tina are also recovering from Covid.
· Rafael & Rachel Cabrera (friends of Bob & Kim Collins) are recovering from kidney transplant operations. Both are home and doing well.
· Randy Follman (brother of Steve Follman) is recovering from hip replacement surgery.
· Deborah Kirby (Vasha Ferguson's sister) is in a rehab center following a massive stroke in July 2020. Pray that medicare/medicaid insurance can be upgraded to cover needed treatment. Her recovery is slowly progressing and although it is greatly painful, she is gaining movement on the left side with the help of therapy.
· Lynn Rarick continues to deal with hip issues. Pray that a resolution can be figured out.
· Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com