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JESUS’ TEACHING CONCERNING VALUESText: Matthew 6:19-34 Introduction:
I. We all place a certain amount of value on different
things, and the more that we desire a thing, the value
we will place on it.
II. In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus is comparing material things
with spiritual things and which one should be the most
valuable.
Body:
I. Jesus is comparing material and spiritual things.
A. Matthew 6:19-21
1. Verses 19-20 (brief discussion of what verses
say).
2. Jesus is not forbidding working.
a. Ephesians 4:28
b. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
3. The emphasis is on spiritual things.
4. The reason why our highest value should be on
spiritual things is found in verse 21 (gar - for,
because).
a. “The ‘heart’ can’t be in both of these places
at the same time. It is an either-or-
proposition!” (Hendrikson)
5. Some questions to think about.
a. What do you consider to be your true wealth?
b. How much do you think it is worth?
c. Can you live without it?
d. Am I strongly resolved to become comfortably
wealthy?
e. Am I in a hurry to become that way?
f. Do I regard my neighbor’s thriving prosperity
with envy and discontent?
g. Am I satisfied with my financial position?
Why?
h. Do I trust my money to get me whatever I
want?
i. Are my time, conversation, and dreams spent
chiefly upon earthly projects?
j. Do I grow angry, out of sorts, or
discontented when, for any reason, I fail to
realize my financial goals, suffer losses, or
poverty sets in?
k. Am I willing to sacrifice my conscience or
neglect my duty to God to better my financial
picture or to hold my present position?
l. When in trouble, to what do I turn for
relief?
B. Matthew 6:22-24
1. If our eye is healthy, not seeing double or the
eyes are not dim, things are fine.
2. Jesus is emphasizing the need for single vision
in spiritual things.
a. Illustration of walking across a new field of
snow.
3. Verse 24
a. mammon is material riches, wealth, property,
riches.
b. basically He is saying that you can not be a
slave to two masters.
c. You may start out serving two but as time
goes by, you will be serving the one master
you like the most.
C. Matthew 6:25-34
1. Verse 25 “Take no thought” (“do not be anxious”
NAS)
2. Jesus gives an example in verse 26.
3. Can worrying cause you to grow (verse 27).
4. Jesus gives an example of flowers (verses 28-
31).
5. “if we worry as the pagans do; it is transparent
that we are pursuing the same things they are;
but if we are, then because the kingdom values
are so different, the kingdom is necessarily
being denied. Second, such worry on the part of
those who profess faith in God constitutes some
sort of denial of that profession, since the
heavenly Father is well aware of our needs…and
our conduct is advertising loudly that we don’t
believe it.”
6. Verse 33 is…
7. Don’t worry about tomorrow (verse 34).
8. This section shows the senselessness of worrying
about material things.
II. What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of heaven?
A. Allegiance (loyalty) to the king.
1. Matthew 28:18
2. Acts 5:29
B. Our obligations to the kingdom comes first.
C. My affections for the Lord and His kingdom should
be the greatest.
1. Matthew 10:33, 35-37
2. Matthew 13:44
3. Matthew 22:37-38
D. It is not a hobby of his.
III. What are some of the problems to overcome?
A. Short sightedness.
B. Faith vs. Sight
C. The pressure to conform (Conformity)
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