Three Choices

Continuing our exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, Martin O’Brien highlighted how Jesus often presents teachings in sets of three, focusing this week on Matthew 6:19-24. This passage challenges us to examine our lives and the choices we make.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 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! 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.” – Matthew 6:19-24 (NLT)

Three Choices:

1. Where Do We Store Our Treasures?

- Jesus challenges us to decide if we will store our treasures on earth or in heaven. Earthly treasures are temporary and vulnerable, whereas heavenly treasures are eternal and secure.

- Our heart follows our treasure, so we must examine where our heart truly lies.

- James 1:5-8 reminds us that divided loyalty leads to instability, while 1 John 2:15-17 warns against loving the world and its fleeting pleasures.

2. Is Our Vision Good or Bad?

- The health of our eyes determines whether our body is filled with light or darkness. What we focus on influences our inner being.

- By fixing our eyes on what is good and right, we allow light to fill our lives. The Message translation describes our eyes as "windows into our body."

- We need to be mindful of what we look at, as it shapes our hearts and our overall spiritual health.

3. Who Do We Serve?

- We cannot serve both God and money. The passage forces us to choose our master—either God or mammon (worldly gain).

- Serving God means contentment, honesty, generosity, and trust in His provision, while serving mammon leads to greed, dishonesty, and self-centeredness.

- The teachings emphasize that our ultimate loyalty must be to God, and in doing so, we will find true fulfillment and joy.

Conclusion:

The message calls us to make deliberate choices regarding our treasures, our focus, and our master. By storing treasures in heaven, focusing on the light, and serving God, we align our lives with His eternal purposes and receive His blessings. Making the right choices for the right reasons is crucial, as it shapes our hearts and our lives in ways that honor God and bring true satisfaction.