Matthew 6:24: Trying To Rep Both Sides

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 6:24

When my wife was a real estate agent and I was her trusty sidekick, it was a big deal when she would get a client-either a buyer looking to find a house or a seller looking to put theirs on the market. She was responsible to represent the buyer to sellers or represent the seller to potential buyers to the best of her ability. When the deal was concluded, my wife would receive a commission for her work and the other agent-the one who represented the other party-would also receive a commission.

There was always the question: could a real estate agent do both? Could you represent the buyer and the seller and thus get both commissions? The answer was (I don't know now) yes, it was legal. But it was full of potential difficulties. Sure, in a normal case, things flow smoothly and everybody is happy. But what if issues come up?

Real estate agency has always contained the danger that the agent would pursue the sale at the expense of the people involved. Maybe by glossing over an issue with the property or contract conditions that were not in their best interest. The commission can be an incentive for personal advantage at the expense of those you represent. In our experience, when you represent one party, they are "your" people and you can feel an attachment to their well-being. We were so involved in the lives of my wife's clients that I once presided at their wedding. This can change when you represent both people and neither party is "your" people. Instead it is you (the agent) and them (the buyer and seller).

But the real danger comes when there is a conflict between the parties. If you try to represent both sides, you are either squeezed or you end up favoring one or the other.

This is the issue Jesus highlights when he refers to "two masters". It seems good when you are receiving the benefits from both sides and all is going well. When they come into conflict, in terms of goals, dreams, hopes or even failures, that is when you see which is really directing your heart. The fault line in your heart can be ignored before the earthquake, but it is waiting for the tension to build to a point where the tectonic plates of our desires must go different directions.

I believe that God leads us into difficulties and temptations to reveal to us where our loyalty lies. He knows to where our heart tends, but we are often ignorant of its inclinations (or deceiving ourselves).

One of my favorite parts of the Lord's prayer is "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." It is a puzzling phrase that even has given the pope trouble recently. But I see it as the prayer of a man or woman who wants rescue from the divided life before God must use stuff in our life to make it obvious to us.

God, please show the way out of the split-loyalty life before you have to use more drastic measures to draw it to my attention. In my mind, I call this the coward's plea: a request made from someone who knows he is flawed and accepts that God should do whatever it takes to make him whole, but prefers the gentler path if possible.

This requires careful examination of what is tugging at your heart. What is delighting you? Or maybe more telling, what is frustrating or irritating you? I have found that finding the root cause of these questions often reveals something that wants to be rep'd on an equal footing with God in my life. Sometimes it isn't clear because my heart is full of mixed motives swirled together and the Spirit must be involved to help me sort it all out. Sometimes it is frustration for the right reasons: for example, my heart is frustrated that the world is not as it ought and I long for something better. But usually, it is my own desires to be recognized or to be central. I can't rep both myself and God.

Matthew 6:11: Today, Grace Arrived Because God Thought Of Me Days Before

Give us today our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11

When I was a young boy it was my mother's regular habit to inspect our rooms-and even our closets-before we were allowed to watch our hour of television. So it was on one occasion that she discovered my cache of vitamins, granola bars and other miscellaneous items. Marching me before the closet door, she demanded to know what this was all about.

"In case I should want to run away." I informed her.
"Are you planning to run away?" she asked.
"No, not really." I replied tersely.
"Then why?"
"Just if I should need to?"
"Well, if you think you need to, we should talk about it."

Then she promptly gathered all my hoarded items and put them away. We never spoke of it again.

The sermon at our church was on verse 11 of the Lord's Prayer by pastor Kent Carlson provoked my recollection. What would such a life-style of keeping back bits reveal about our opinion of God and our satisfaction with his provision for us.  I'm sure my mother was worried what was inside my young head when she found my running-away cache. Was it a commentary on how I saw our relationship as mother or our situation as a family at that point?

My wife, Helen, told me of an occasion where her mother brought her home an apple from the far-away household where she worked. The apple was so unique and precious that Helen would admire it and smell it. She admired it so much that she could not bring herself to eat it until--finally--the emaciated, rotten apple had to be discarded.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. - Matthew 6:26

What is it that the pea-sized brains of birds know that our 3+ pound brain can't grasp? That today has enough supply for what he wants for us today. That our lives are a necessary celebration of God's goodness. That our needs are met through vast, incomprehensible systems of nature, labor and commerce which God manages to the benefit of his children to arrive each day. That we receive far more than we remember to ask for. 

We can't eat tomorrow's bread. I will not take it for granted that today's bread, or shelter, or health this morning arrived on schedule, but instead regard it as the grace it truly is.

Give us, Father, what we need today. I'm so glad you do-that many days before, you started thinking of what I would need today so that I wouldn't need to worry, because you are good. Amen.

Good Friday 2015

This was first used as a series of devotions for Good Friday at Cornerstone Christian Church, April 3, 2015. Each devotion corresponded to a location on the church property. The response card mentioned can be found at the end. The locations were the Mount of Olives, The High Priest's Courtyard, Pilate's Courtyard, The Road to Golgotha and Golgotha

Station #1: The Mount Of Olives

During our short walk, we will visit six stations that represent six scenes from the final 24 hours of Jesus’ life. At each station, we will read a small section from the records of Jesus’ life, and think about the impact of that 24 hour journey towards the cross. We have a chance to come clean with God about the rust that has accumulated from this life, and claim the renovated life He offers. Let us pray.

We come first the Mount of Olives. Jesus and his disciples have just eaten the Passover meal together. Two unexpected things happened: Jesus was more open with them than he had ever been and Jesus had just told them that he was leaving. Luke’s biography of Jesus records what happened next:

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-26)

The Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way like we are tempted. Here we see it. There was alternative narrative—another plan--one where Jesus became king without the agony of the cross, the humiliation before his people, the betrayal and desertion of his friends and the blackness of the world’s sin. So compelling was this narrative that the devil used it to tempt Jesus—so forceful that Jesus was in anguish—so intense that he sweat blood. Asking for any alternative within the Father’s will, he nonetheless returned to this simple phrase “Not my will, but yours be done.”

Not my will. Not my agenda. Not my plan. Not my dreams. But your agenda. But your plan. But your dream, oh God. Jesus taught us to pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

Spent any time dreaming this week? For your career, for your kids, for your friends, for your security, for your ministry, for your health? Was there ever a time when you have to give up what you really wanted in order to do the right thing? Write that down on your response card.  

God has a bigger dream for us, but we cannot always welcome it when our hands are full of our own dreams. Perhaps less prominent, less visible, less secure, less comfortable, or less respected—but ultimately bigger, more impactful, more joyful and more satisfying.

If you are able, will you kneel with me here to pray? If you cannot kneel, place your heart in an attitude of kneeling before God. Now, life your closed hands toward heaven. Let us pray (as they pray to open their hands to let go of their dreams, and welcome of the aspirations and dreams of God)

Station #2: The High Priest's Courtyard

We are standing now in the High Priest’s Courtyard. Witnesses after witness, come following Jesus’ nighttime arrest to give their conflicting testimony to the chief priests and temple officials. Nearby, another crowd of servants and temple guards gather around a fire to warm themselves. Peter, Jesus’ disciple, mingles anonymously nearby. Luke’s biography of Jesus records the scene:

Then seizing him [Jesus], they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 

But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Peter’s dreams and aspirations were built around Jesus. Not the actual Jesus. Not the arrested and condemned Jesus. Not the suffering servant, love-thine-enemy Jesus. No, his plans were built around the successful Jesus, the conquering, kick-Roman-butt, iconoclastic, king Jesus. Now, miserable, he came to this courtyard to see what would happen. Knowing Jesus was a sort of liability. As in, he was liable to get arrested himself.

Jesus is an uncomfortable word in our vocabulary. Not because we don’t know who he is, or what he has done. We are free enough within our circle of the friends of Jesus. But, like Peter, we worry how the stigma of his name will carry over to us. Are we weird? Are we pushy? Are we negative? What will people think if they know we are with Jesus? So we mutter our prayers, muffle our thanks and mumble about the source of our strength and guidance. Jesus is a Sunday word, or a swear word, but not the name of a friend mentioned in polite company.

On your card, list one scene in your life, where it was tough to talk about Jesus, even though you knew you should. You were unnaturally quiet about Jesus. Work? Friends? Family? School or after school? Clubs?

Pray (ask them to join you in saying the name Jesus).

Station #3: Pilate's Courtyard

We’re standing in Pilate’s courtyard. While the chief priests could convict Jesus of all sorts of trumped-up charges, only Pilate, the Roman governor, could authorize the death sentence. I’m going to read a portion of Matthew’s biography of Jesus that records the scene, but I need your help. When I come to a certain point in the story, I will raise up my left hand, and you should shout out “Barabbas” and when I raise up my left hand, you should shout out, “Crucify him.” Let’s practice that. etc.

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Are we innocent? The funny thing is, everyone in this scene knew one truth: Jesus was innocent. Pilate knew it. The chief priests knew it. The crowd was led away from it. The guards didn’t care. Even Pilate’s wife knew it. But somehow, at the end, despite that innocence, Jesus is led away to be crucified.  Why?

Because they settled. The priests should be the point people for God, but settled for staying atop the garbage heap religiously by pushing Jesus down. Pilate should be governing with an even hand, but he settled for the upper hand by sticking it to the priests. The crowds had been shouting for Jesus Messiah “Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” just the day before, and now they settled for Barabbas. The guards, well, they were bored and, when you don’t believe in anything yourself, you settle for making fun of those who do believe. Jesus was standing right in front of them! But they settled.

Have you settled? Maybe you once were excited about the future, maybe excited about where God was going, maybe excited about this new life of faith in Jesus. The truth burned within you. But then something happened, maybe you couldn’t see how it was going to work out, maybe you got in a relational cold war, maybe you felt threatened, or just tired and burnt out and so you backed off. You settled.

Settling traps you, but:

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

God has shown you great things, but think of one area where you’ve settled, where you knew what was really true, but did nothing about it and settled. Then pray with me. 

Station #4: The Road to Golgotha

We are following the road from the governor’s palace, out of the city of Jerusalem, towards the place of execution, Golgotha, perhaps a mile away. We read in Luke’s biography of Jesus these words.

As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. (Luke 23:11-12)

This is the second time during these last 24 hours that Jesus’ physical strength has failed him. First, it was in Gethsemane when he prayed. Angels came while his disciples slept. Simon Peter has denied Jesus and fled, but now the Roman soldiers escorting Jesus conscript Simon, a spectator, an outsider to carry what was probably the cross-beam, weighing as much as 100 pounds. 

Jesus’ mission was uniquely his own, but it was not his to do alone. When other disciples fell away, others were found to walk behind Jesus.  Why wasn’t Jesus strong enough? Why weren’t more angels dispatched? It was to leave a gap, so that Simon could be a participant in God’s plan, rather than just a spectator. Jesus said:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

God has left a gap; left something undone—not because he couldn’t arrange to do it for himself, but because he want us to participate, not spectate. Maybe someone else should have done it or could have done it. Not because it is natural or a good fit or convenient for you or me. But because we want so desperately to go where Jesus goes. Will you take up Jesus’ burden and follow after him? He said:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Has God left a gap for you-for you to participate? On your response card, list one area where God has left something for you, but it would require a big change. Then, pray with me. 

Station #5: The Cross

Now we come to Golgotha, the place of the skull. Jesus is stripped naked, his arms stretched out and nailed to the crossbeam, the crossbeam lifted and attached to the upright, his legs bent slightly and nailed to the post. Luke records it this way:

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:33-34, 44-46)

Why did Jesus go there? Why the cross?

Each of us carries secrets. Memories of things we’d rather forget. Helping hands withheld. Words that we should not have spoken. Things we wish we’d never done.  Thoughts that we can’t unthink. We like to think better of ourselves, but our secrets would tell a different, shameful story. 

That’s why the cross. Jesus knows those secrets. He took the shame, the humiliation, the punishment you deserved for your secrets on that cross.  The Bible says:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

No one can say, “Not good enough” or “Used up” or “Damaged” When we trust him, those secrets no longer control today or tomorrow or forever. The Bible says:

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13b-14)

Maybe you have secrets. Never shared. Will you let God take the shame from you? Write a word on your card, fold that card in half, and with the other words you’ve written this evening, take a nail, take the hammer and agree with God by nailing it to the cross. Take the freedom he offers through that forgiveness.

Response Card
The boxes were for stamps that were present at each station for people to record their progress. They were originally meant for children, but proved as popular with adults.

Colossians 1:13: Imperialism by Act of Love

On June 16th, Jeremiah Heaton planted the blue flag with four stars and a crown and declared that Bir Tawil, a 800-square-mile patch between Sudan and Egypt, was now the "Kingdom of North Sudan" He was the king and his 7 year old daughter, Emily, was now a princess. "Heaton says his claim...is legitimate...exactly how several other countries, including what became the United States, were historically claimed. The key difference, Heaton says, is that those historical cases of imperialism were acts of war while his was an act of love."[1]

As followers of Jesus, the kingdom of God is planted wherever He sends us. We are his sovereign territory. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Col. 1:13) As such, we live as foreigners and resident aliens in this world, arguably subversive since Jesus said, of the devil: "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." (John 12:31) Each home, each office, each shop, each field and school becomes a beach head in God's plan to bring about Jesus' prayer: "...your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt. 6:10)

But is it a kingdom if no one recognizes its existence? For Jeremiah Heaton, if the neighboring countries with political control or the United Nations don't acknowledge "North Sudan" is it real? For the kingdom of God, the king will receive universal acknowledgement: "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord." (Phil. 2:10b-11a)

The kingdom of God is not a geographic location, but a new demographic, marked by those related to the king.



[1]Ileana Najarro, The Washington Post as cited in The Sacramento Bee, July 14, 2014, A10

If I Could Tell You One Thing...Introduction (Matthew 6:33)

(these are my notes for the introductory message at the Cornerstone Family Camp)

 

You are picked up off the street, brought down to the police station in the back of a black and white squad car. After taking inventory of what was in your pockets and taking your picture, you are one phone call. Better make the right choice.

 

When Helen and I thought we were about to head to the Philippines as missionaries I called my high-school English teacher, who was a Christian. About to retire, she had encouraged me so much. I wanted so much to let her know about what was happening in my life!

 

Here it is. This place. This evening. My channel. If I could tell you one thing, what would it be? We are going to unpack that question of “the one thing” over the next few days. But if I could tell you one thing, tonight, here it is: Trust God.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33

Jesus tells us, in his most famous sermon, to seek God first. If you just walked up to someone on the street and told them, "You know, you should really put God first in your life." you are likely to get a variety of puzzled responses, ranging from "God who?" to "I'm doing all right on my own right now" More telling, though, are those people whose response is some variety of: "If I really got to know God well, would I like him?" Is God good? Does God really have my best interests at heart? Is it worth finding out the question to that answer?

That's part of the reason God put down the good, the bad and the ugly of his relationships with people in the Bible. If you compare the Bible with any other work of "religious" writings, you will notice that (a) the people are pretty messed up and (b) God deals with them in a straight-forward manner. That's a 2,000 - 3,000 year track record. Why? Because he want's us to seek him first. And if we are going to seek him, we are going to have to trust him.

 

From the survey that folks filled out before this camp:

“If I could tell my friend one thing about God, it would be that He will never disappoint you and He is the only one who won’t. Let yourself trust in Him.”

 

“If I could tell my mom or dad one thing about parenting, it would be that…Let go and trust God in what He has begun. He will finish”

When Paul re-told the good news about Jesus to the people of Corinth, here's what he said:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeared – 1 Cor. 15:3-5b

Notice that phrase: "according to the Scriptures" What Paul is referring to are all of the promises and prophecies in the 1st half of the Bible, talking about Jesus, his life, death and return from death. Why did he say that? Because God keeps his promises. Why is that important? Because God wants us to trust him. Paul goes on in that same chapter to describe how Jesus was seen by hundreds of people after he came back to life. Promises kept and verified.

 

When we were in Shonto, AZ, working among the Navajo, we were working up on 20 foot ladders, painting the trim on a mobile home. We would work in shifts of 2, one of us would hold the ladder and the other climbed up with the paint and the brush. I had Ryan Sullivan on my team and he was always saying to me “I’ve got your back.” You want God have your back. But you have to trust him.
 
You have to trust him in the three areas that Jesus mentioned in his sermon:  

1. You have to trust God that: You Are Loved
2. You have to trust God that: You Can Change.
3. You have to trust God that: You Have A Purpose. 

You Are Loved


Let's work backwards from the end of that verse:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33

If you are going to seek God first; if you are going to put God as the top priority in your life, then you have to trust that God really loves you. You don't want to second guess God's opinion of you.

Earlier in his sermon, in Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus has gone through a laundry list of things that people worry about--food, shelter, clothing, personal safety--and says (vs. 32) “…your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” God knows that we need them, and Jesus reassures us in verse 33, that if we seek God first, he will take care of all of our needs.

It says: "all of these things". Not some of them--all of them.

Take a moment. Get out a pen and a piece of paper. We're going to construct a worry list. Before you came to camp today, you were worried about something. Maybe it was your job, or a money situation. Maybe it was a health situation. Maybe it was a relationship situation. Write them down. If there is something you're worried about that's not on the list, your list is too short.

That's part of the trust: can you place your livelihood and your safety into His hands? Do you trust God? Do you believe he knows what you really need? Do you believe that he will take care of them? Seek him first and all these things will be added. Why? Because God loves you.

 

You Can Change

 

“But seek first...his righteousness” – Matt. 6:33

 

You can trust God to change you. It says to seek first his righteousness. Inside you is a bubbling stew. It is bubbling because, when you trust God, and Jesus has paid your debt, he changes your insides, your want-to. But that changed inside still needs to work its way out and convince the rest of you, your attitudes, your habits and your behaviors, to get with the program.

 

Sometimes we want to short-cut the process, by saying that “the stew is good enough” or “it will get there anyway” Sometimes we want to renegotiate. When we say that we are saying that we really don’t want the kind of person that God is making us into, or that it is not worth it.

That's part of the trust: Am I willing to place my personality into his hands. God knows what kind of person you could be and God knows the kind of person you are now and God knows the best way to get you from point A to point B. He is less concerned about what things you can do than what kind of person you are. That's righteousness: turning you into the kind of person who does the right thing at the right time for the right reason.

 

You Have A Purpose

 

Seek first his kingdom... Matthew 6:33

 

You can trust God’s plan for your life. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, what do we say at the very beginning: “Our Father, who is in heaven, holy is your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Did you catch that? God’s kingdom comes when what He wants happens here just like it already does in heaven.

 

We have had many examples in recent weeks of people who live in a kingdom; in a nation; but are actively working against it (Russian spies, Hutaree)

 

God’s kingdom advances, not with the shifting of political borders, but in the shifting of allegiance, the transformation of hearts; the step across the border from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. And when you have a ‘kingdom’ soul, the kingdom goes wherever you go. When you are with God, every place you go can become ground-zero for new life, for transformation.

 

But what about you? Did you spend so many years in school, so you could get a job, so you could work really hard, so you could retire, so you could die? Is that your purpose? Some people wish they could take it easy. Some people wish they could get some rest. But I want my life to count.

 

God wants to change the world one heart at a time. Not to make people crabby, self-righteous, pessimistic and socially awkward, but to make them into joyful, humble and fully alive. That is why you have a job. That is why you have a family. That is why you have neighbors and relationships and money.

Conclusion

 

God calls each one of us to seek him first. In order to do that, we have to trust God. It is not an easy thing.

 

Maybe it is hard for you to trust that God loves you, either because you don’t feel loveable, or because love has always been such a fickle, disappointing thing, or because God doesn’t seem real. That’s honest. But he has a remarkable track record of adopting new children and loving them.

 

Maybe it is hard for you to trust that God can change you. But he can. He created you. But don’t tell God “I’ll trust when you change so-and-sos heart” Ask him to work on your heart. On your attitudes.

 

Maybe it is hard for you to trust that God is taking you anywhere. Maybe your life seems aimless. But God has a plan and he delights in asking each one of us to take part with him, changing the world one heart at the time.

Is your heart ready to change? Maybe you haven't come to the point where you are ready to trust God. Let me ask you a question: what would it take for you to be convinced? Be honest. If that happened, are you ready to accept the consequences and seek God first? I warn you, don't answer my question unless you are ready to follow through. Because God "rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Heb 11:6)

Make the choice. Trust God. Seek him first.

 

If I Could Tell You One Thing...Money (Matthew 6:24)

These were group-time lessons used for Cornerstone's Family Camp. The room was split into three groups. The speaker introduced the topic (Key Idea) the led the groups through a series of questions and then had them brainstorm actions. Each topic took 20 minutes.
Key Idea
Money acts as a spiritual thermometer, showing our priorities.

"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. You cannot serve both God and Money. – Matthew 6:24

There can only be one “first place” in your life. There are no ties. There are no committees. There is either God or something else. And the many something-elses in our life are constantly jockeying to take down God as king of the mountain in our life.

Some of these other things are good things, like love or beauty or excitement. Others prey upon our fears of insignificance or insecurity. The way we use our money is often a symptom or thermometer of our spiritual condition, because it is used as a band-aid for our out-of-control fears and desires.

Jesus highlights one specific symptom: how much attention we pay to the gathering or preservation of money. Think about how much time you spend checking your 401K, your investments, your bank balance, or shifting around money from savings to checking or optimizing your taxes. Are you managing your money or is it managing you? Does it seem like it demanding more and more time and effort? If money is short, do you obsess? If it is plentiful, do you check on it like McScrooge? Those are symptoms that money is trying to claw its way to first place in your life.

Questions
These are questions you should ask yourself about this passage:

The word translated “Money” here was actually the name of a pagan god (mammon). How is money like a god? (see also Colossians 3:5)

What happens to people when they try to serve two masters? What are the symptoms?

How do you think God tests where our true loyalties lie?

Action
What is one practical thing you can do to lessen the hold of money on your life?

List one or two people who are most likely to notice the symptoms in your life.