The second sermon in this series picked up where Jesus left off. Our focus passage was Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus begins this with a “Therefore…” Basically he has told this gathered crowd that they can’t worship two things. The human heart only has the capacity to worship one thing. God or mammon, you choose.
What follows Jesus’ “therefore” is a life lesson for those who in their hearts have decided on God as the focus of their worship rather than mammon. The “therefore” then means, in a very real sense, “this is what such stewardship looks like in your life.”
And what does Jesus say? Don’t worry or be anxious! Stop worrying about what C. H. Spurgeon calls “the world’s trinity of cares”: what you eat, what you drink, and what you wear; what you put in and what you put on. Worry is not conducive to a life of worship. Anxiety does not produce good stewardship.
Jesus says, “Look at the flowers. Watch the birds. Let God’s creation testify to his ability to sustain all that he has made. And don’t you know that you are more valuable than the rest of creation? Pagans, godless wanderers, mammon worshipers fill their lives with worry over the things of this world- what we put in us and what we put on us. God is sovereign. God is benevolent. And humanity is the focus of both of those things.”
Jesus goes on to say that stewardship, a life of worship, is focused on God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. A life of stewardship is consumed with the godly kingdom purposes of our creation and calling. Focus on that and all of this other stuff, this important stuff, will find its proper perspective and place in our lives.
What follows Jesus’ “therefore” is a life lesson for those who in their hearts have decided on God as the focus of their worship rather than mammon. The “therefore” then means, in a very real sense, “this is what such stewardship looks like in your life.”
And what does Jesus say? Don’t worry or be anxious! Stop worrying about what C. H. Spurgeon calls “the world’s trinity of cares”: what you eat, what you drink, and what you wear; what you put in and what you put on. Worry is not conducive to a life of worship. Anxiety does not produce good stewardship.
Jesus says, “Look at the flowers. Watch the birds. Let God’s creation testify to his ability to sustain all that he has made. And don’t you know that you are more valuable than the rest of creation? Pagans, godless wanderers, mammon worshipers fill their lives with worry over the things of this world- what we put in us and what we put on us. God is sovereign. God is benevolent. And humanity is the focus of both of those things.”
Jesus goes on to say that stewardship, a life of worship, is focused on God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. A life of stewardship is consumed with the godly kingdom purposes of our creation and calling. Focus on that and all of this other stuff, this important stuff, will find its proper perspective and place in our lives.
Stewardship is not about money, it's about the Kingdom of God.
Look to the lilly and the sparrow... "You see, he is making the birds our school masters and teachers. It is a great and abiding disgrace to us that in the Gospel a helpless sparrow should become the theologian and teacher to the wisest of men." -Martin Luther
Pastor Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment