Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19960218.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part VII: Discerning True Kingdom Righteousness From Mere Religiosity
D. Christ's TRUE Righteousness As Contrasted With Religiosity's Bankrupt Practices
2. Contrasting A TRUE Piety Toward Possessions With Religiosity's False Concept
(Matthew 6:19-34)
  1. Introduction
    1. Jesus taught that unless one's righteousness surpassed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, in no way could he enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mtt. 5:20.
    2. One of the most telling areas of life that distinguished between godliness and false religiosity in the Pharisees of Christ's day regarded handling possessions! (Mtt. 6:24) It certainly applies to us today!
    3. Matthew 6:19-34 reveals God's level of righteousness in handling possessions that critiques the Pharisees.
  2. Contrasting A TRUE Piety Toward Possessions With Religiosity's False Concept, Mt. 6:19-34.
    1. The Mosaic Covenant promised financial prosperity for righteousness in God's people, Dt. 28:1-2, 11-12.
    2. The Pharisees thus became intent on building great treasures here on earth as they equated wealth with godliness itself, not as the mere divine reward for obeying the law, Bib. Know. Com., N.T., p. 33.
    3. With this drive to be wealthy to be righteous, the Pharisees went into greed, Ibid. In the end, they came to serve money rather than God, so their righteousness became an Achilles heel to their whole society.
    4. Jesus critiqued this false view of wealth and righteousness in His address in Mtt. 6:19-34 as follows:
      1. It is not man's role to lay up wealth for as a goal in itself, Mtt. 6:19a. The proof is the fact that natural corruption and evil people can devalue wealth, making it an inadequate measure of godliness, Mt. 6:19b
      2. Rather, one was to concentrate on accumulating heavenly value, the rewards of God in the life to come by obeying God now, Mtt. 6:20a. There are four reasons for this: (a) wealth laid up in heaven reflects one's earthly righteousness as outside factors such as rust and thieves cannot detract from it (Mtt. 6:20b), and (b) building for the life to come keeps one's focus on God rather than money itself, a form of idolatry, Mtt. 6:21. (c) One's goal in handling money determines if he is righteous in handling it, so one needs a loftier goal than money itself to earn it, Mtt. 6:23. (d) One cannot have God and money as mutual ultimate goals, for either one becomes his master, and having money as a master is sin, 6:24!
    5. In view of these truths, Jesus had some suggestions on how to live in practical terms so that we can address living needs under our responsibility while still having G od as our SOLE Master (as follows):
      1. Item One - Don't become anxious about meeting livelihood needs , Mtt.6:25a.
        1. Livelihood provisions are built into the natural order by Almighty God so that everything, whether they be birds or flowers or man obtain God's living provisions in time, Mtt. 6:25b-29.
        2. Therefore, one has to trust God's supply of provisions and live by faith that it will all work out in His timing if we go about life's duties according to His will, Mtt. 6:30. Note how this fits with the intent of Deut. 28 where God promised material blessings Himself as Israel obeyed Him, Dt. 28:1-2, 11f!
      2. Item Two - Rather, concern ourselves with doing God's will of ushering in His kingdom on the earth as a priority and God will take up the slack regarding liv ing provision supplies to keep us doing His will. God is aware of every one of our living and financial needs, so let Him meet those needs without our assuming His responsibility of doing just that, Mtt. 6:31-33.
      3. Item Three - In managing our resources for today's needs, avoid overburdening ourselves with long-term worries. God knows about man's long-term needs, so He asks that we manage what we can for now and let tomorrow's troubles be tackled then, Mtt. 6:34. This does not mean that we shouldn't plan for tomorrow -- wisdom teaches otherwise, Lk. 14:28-32. Yet, we must not worry about it!
Lesson: (1) It was never the intent of God for MAN to worry about how his living needs would be met. That was GOD'S worry. (2) Rather, MAN'S focus should be that of doing God's will, even in the area of a job, for doing that will brings (a) BOTH God's supply for our living needs so we can keep doing that divine will on the earth AND (b) His heavenly reward to come! (3) If we cannot help but worry about living needs, we either need to be saved by believing in Christ, or repent as believers with errant attitudes of faithlessness in God's oversight of our living need provisions!