Good morning, good to see you guys. I’m glad you’re here. I have great respect for you. Coming back to hear part two of First Fruits, if you’re new, we do this every four years because we want to know what God’s Holy Word says about money and possessions. We teach it, and then we let the Spirit do the work, and God has richly provided for this house. We’re not teaching this out of some need or begathon, there’s no guilt trips coming, but whatever the Spirit might want to do, He’s going to do if your heart is as Matt prayed pertained last week, tender, willing and noble, and that’s been my prayer for you and for me all week. Just by way of reminder, there are over 2000 verses in your Bible directly related to money. It is a deep, deep issue. The Scripture is very concerned about it. We’re going to see why here today. In fact, 1 out of 10 New Testament verses is about money or possessions. Think about that. And by the way, have a noble heart, go away and check it out. It’s stunning when you think about that. In fact, 15% of all the words in red, we would say Jesus literally speaking those words that are in your Bible, 15% have to do with money or possessions. In fact, 16 of the 38 parables in the New Testament are about money and possessions. So, there’s no way to get around it, unless we want to be afraid of upsetting someone and causing them to be offended. Because we talk about money. But if the Bible talks about it, we have to talk about it. Otherwise we don’t have the whole counsel of God and we leave out this vital, vital issue, both for the individuals and families as well as for the body of Christ local here at Sherman Bible and around the world, the title of this message is, “Where Is My Heart”? Last week, we talked about three different types of hearts, a tender heart, a willing heart and a noble heart. Where is my heart? And I’m going to say this, we’re going to do. There’s six parts to this series. This message is the easiest lesson to understand and the hardest to hear. This is it. So if you make it through this, everything else will be relatively easy. It’s just, this is just one of those things where the Word says what it says, and it doesn’t do it in regards to your feelings. I don’t know if you’re aware, but truth doesn’t care about your feelings, right? You’ve probably heard that before. It’s used secularly often these days. Well, it’s true biblically. It’s because the Bible is truth. Truth doesn’t care about your feelings. The goal is not to hurt anybody’s feelings. The goal is not to offend anybody’s heart. Offend anybody’s heart, but it is to present accurately and clearly what God’s Word says about where our heart is.
So, I’m going to start here in Luke 12:34 and Jesus says this, “For where your treasure is there.” “Where your treasure is there.” So, if you want to ask yourself the question, where is my heart? Let me say it to you this way, I’m telling you what God says. These are the very words of God, where your treasure is? It’s right there. Look, you can hear a pin drop in here. I love the awkwardness. Let’s lean into that. Let’s not fear man. How about that? “Where your treasure is there, your heart will be also.” This is what it shows, now the heart is deceitful. It’s desperately sick. Even after someone’s born again, they’re still going to struggle with heart ailments as their mind is being renewed. Have you been given a new heart and new affections born again by the Spirit? Yep. Are you still going to battle with old affections and old excuses and old pride? Yep, both. You’re in a battle, spirit versus flesh. We’ve gone over that in Romans six and seven lately. And no place is this more clear than when we talk about your money, talk about your possessions. Because it really gets down to what would be the nitty gritty. It really does. In fact, you could talk to people all the time about their morality, just don’t talk to them about their money. You could talk to people about their sexuality and call them on the carpet related to what the Bible says, they’ll get over it. But I’m telling you, talk about the money. Ooh, something just really, really pushes back. But people tend to say this. “Well, I think it pertains to my heart, but I don’t think that’s really the clear evidence of that.”
Well, let me illustrate to you this way, the Bible forbids a man to not work. Now, if you’re here and you’re retired, you did your working and now you’re working at golf, I get it, no problem. I’m not picking on you. But if a man doesn’t provide for those of his own household, the Bible says that he’s denied the faith, and he’s worse than an infidel. Now, if you’re pastoral ministry, a few years, you’re going to see this. I’ve seen it many times, men whose families are destitute because they won’t provide for their family. Now for you, that’s going to seem foreign but they don’t provide for the family, they would say they love their wife. I heard it, “I do love my wife. I do love my kids.” It’s like, well, you’re drinking all the money away, or you’re gambling all the money away, or you’re playing and partying all the money away, or you’re just going and driving them into debt. So they can say that they love but the fact is, what? They don’t. They don’t. Why? Because your treasure is not there. Your treasure is not there. Where your treasure is there? Where your heart be also. You say, “where is my treasure?” I can tell you where your treasure is. It’s in your bank statement, it’s in your credit card bills. That’s where it is. If you look that up, you’re going to see where your treasure is, and you’re going to find out where your heart is. You say, “Well, it’s not only going to go one place.” That’s correct but God has designated places it is to go to. The family is absolutely is one of those. As we move through the series, we’re going to learn there’s other places as well that He doesn’t just prescribe but He commands. And that binds us in our conscience, in that and if our love is where we say it is, then we prove it with our money.
That’s not the only time Jesus says it by the way. He actually makes that statement three times. And He makes that statement three times. You think about we have a very, very, very limited amount of Jesus’ actual words. Now we have, we have all we need. The Scripture is sufficient. We have all that the Holy Spirit lovingly and willingly set right to show us. But think about this, if Jesus repeats something three times in the Gospel, I would call that important. And each time He says it, it’s to a different audience at a different place, in a different time. Here’s the second, this is Matthew 6:19-24 chapter six, again, different group. He says this, we’ll start verse 19, “Do not lay up for yourselves. Treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Here it is again, verse 21) For where your treasure is there.” There it is. Where is my heart? It’s where your treasure is. It’s not where your mouth says it is. It’s where your treasure is. In other words, it’s where your money is. That’s actually what the Bible is talking about. He says it again.
Now this second time, He doesn’t just leave it there but here’s what He’s going to do. He’s going to expound upon it with two verses that are in illustration, and then He’s going to land the plane, so to speak, on the topic, to these people with a verse that I know you know. But most people don’t know these two verses that come before the verse that I know you know. Here they are. He says this. He says the “The eye…” Now, all of a sudden, we’re getting a lesson on ophthalmology? What is happening here? No, remember, He said, “Where your treasure is, there’s your heart also.” Jesus is about to talk about the heart, and He’s going to say it in a way where we can understand the illustration. He says, “‘The eye (this is going to represent, you’ll see this is going to represent the heart) the eye is the lamp (it’s the lamp of the what? it’s) the lamp of the body.’” Now, what does that mean? It means the only place your body takes in light is through your eyes. That’s it. It all comes in your eyes. It doesn’t come through your fingertips. It doesn’t come in your ears. There’s nothing in your mouth that can take in light. Your eye is the only place that takes in light. Now, I hope that’s not disputable. I really hope there’s not anybody here going, “I don’t know if that’s true or not. I’m going to fact check back on the Google.” Yeah, you’d agree with that. He says, “‘So if your eye is healthy (in other words, you can see you have vision that works) your whole body will be full of light.’” There’s your body again. So, this would be, we would say, “the outer man”. This is what’s relevant to the outer man. Eye is the lamp to the body, right? If it’s healthy, your whole body’s full of light. Look at Verse 23, “‘But if your eye (which is relative to here, what? the heart, you’ll see this clearly) if your eye is bad.’” Now, what does “bad” mean? Well, that word can be “bad”, or it can be translated “evil”. You can go back and forth. I think “bad” is probably the better one here of that Greek word, “‘But if your eye is bad, your whole body (again the illustration, your outer man) will be full of darkness.’” Now let me ask you a question, is Jesus trying to teach you how the eyeball works? No, no, He’s not. He’s pointing to the heart. That’s what He’s actually talking about. “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. (Watch) If then the light that is in you. (Now, what’s He talking about? He’s talking about the inner person) If then the light that is in you is darkness. (In other words, if you think what you’re seeing is light, but your eye is bad outwardly) how great is the darkness!’” The same is true with the heart. If you think that the light is coming through your heart and bringing light into your inner person, but your heart is bad in this context, related to your treasure, related to your money, then what you think is light is not light, it’s darkness. And it’s a horrible situation, because this is the picture of a deceived person who says, “I love God”, but their money says they’re lying. That’s a great darkness. “Oh, I love the Lord.” Really? Show us. What do you mean? Well, show your bank, not literally, but show your bank statement. Show your credit card bills, right? Show your savings amount. Where’s your checkbook? Your money will show who you love. And He’s speaking about loving God. If the light in you is bad, if your eye is bad, if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness? Now remember the verse before these two verses said, “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Remember?
Here’s the verse afterwards which I know you know, therefore, wait, let me get this right. Verse 24, “‘No one can (no one can) serve two masters.’” Now I want to point something out to you. This verse does not say, “No one should serve two masters.” It doesn’t say that. This verse says “no one can”. It doesn’t mean people don’t try because they do. It might be you, I have to say this, but it says you can’t. And remember, it’s talking about money. It’s talking about treasure. That’s where your heart is. If your heart is bad, the light that’s coming in, you might think it’s light, but if it’s a greedy heart, if it’s not tender, if it’s not willing, if it’s not noble, light’s not coming in, you can tell yourself it’s light, but it’s a great darkness, because you’re deceived. How would I know I’m deceived? Look at your money. You’ll just look at your money. It’ll tell you. You can pull up your bank statement. It’s an EKG to your heart. You know that? It is. You don’t need a surgeon for that, and you don’t need a pastor. You only need a bank. A piece of paper or online. I dare you go back 12 months, itemize everything, see where you spent, what, where to who and for what purpose. You’ll see your heart. It’s right there. How do I know? Jesus told me. Jesus told you, “No one can serve two masters.” Now, if you try to, this is what will happen. “‘No one can serve two masters, for either, he will hate the one and love the other.’” That’s I don’t even know how to expound upon that. I don’t know why I would want to. Because if you have a divided loyalty, what you’re going to find is you’re going to grow in disdain for one and you’re going to hold on to the other one, or else He says it another way, “‘Or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.’” What’s the point here? You cannot serve God and money. You can’t do it. If you love money, you won’t serve God. You just won’t. You won’t. You say, “What about what if I come to church?” If you love money, you can’t serve God. You cannot. This is the same word. It’s the same look. We’re tying it right back. You cannot do it. And if you think you can, your heart is dark, you’re deceived. And you think you have light, but you don’t. And it’s a great darkness, and it’s a deep darkness. And your discipleship, because somebody could say, “Well, you say, could a Christian be this? Yes, I’ll prove it to you. Christian could be this? A Christian could act that way? Yes, and that’s where their discipleship stops. I don’t care if you modify some behaviors. I don’t care if you clean up your haircut. I don’t care if you get a better watch or you learn how to curtsy, whatever that means these days. Those are behavior modifications. But your true discipleship, the illumination of light coming into your inner person, has to come through your heart, and it will not come through a heart that’s serving money. They won’t do it. You can say it does but it doesn’t. You can’t serve God and money.
This word is actually this word “money” right here. King James Version actually just uses the transliteration of the Greek word Mammon. This word translates from the Greek “what you trust in”, or “that which is trusted in”. Once you think about that, you can’t serve God and money. Why? Because money promises you the same thing God does, doesn’t it? Security, peace, joy, fulfillment, freedom, etc. It does. That’s what money promises you. How many of you have ever and don’t raise your hand. You fantasized about winning the lottery. That’s called a knowing laughter. Forrest has fantasized about it more. I’ve done it. How many of you have ever fantasized that you were a rock star? You listen to Journey and suddenly you’re in the car by yourself, and you’re Steve Perry. You notice nobody ever fantasizes about like being the roadie, the sound guy who sets up the system. It’s always the- You know, you’re up there. Guys, I’m a killer air base guitar player. I’m telling you I am. But when you fantasize about money. You never fantasize not having it. That’s called a fear. You hate that. The fantasy is something that’s over and above. And you probably think in terms of this, what would I have? Well, I’d have security, peace, joy, fulfillment, freedom, et cetera. You’d be loose from this terrible boss, free from all my bills, secure, no matter what sickness I ever got? I’d have peace. I could finally relax. I could go to all those places that would make me happy. That’s money talks to you. You heard that, “money talks”? That’s right. Money promises the same thing God does. In fact, we have a colloquialism for money, don’t we? “The almighty dollar”. Think about that, “The almighty dollar”? Well, it’s not almighty but it acts like it does, and a heart that loves it, you got to hear this, it cannot serve God and money and your discipleship stops right when it hits your money. I told you, it’s easy to understand. I could go over in Children’s Ministry, probably to five year olds and teach this to them, and they go, “Got it”. Then they go home, and they’d be like, “Daddy, do you love money? Well, then you can’t serve God.” That might be a good strategy to kind of get this through people’s head. A kid goes home, “What’d you learn in Sunday school?” “That you love money.”
Here’s the third time Jesus uses the statement, it’s Luke 16:10-14 chapter 16. Different time, different place, different audience. Okay? Don’t think this is just a repeat, because sometimes the stories repeat in the Gospels. This one doesn’t. These are different. He starts off this way. He says, “‘The one who is faithful.’” Now, what does “faithful” mean? It means, “True to the original”. It means, “Keeping what was told you the way it started”. A faithful husband and wife, they’re true to their vows. Same thing. The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. Now I know what people say, “Well, if I had more money, then I’d be more faithful.” You ever heard that? “I can’t afford to tithe.” You can’t afford not to. And if you did win the lottery, you wouldn’t tithe it, because what? Because that’s so much money, so people tend to either have too much or too little. If they find a human excuse, that’s the heart loving that money, that’s what that is. And we’ll teach what tithing actually is by the way. I wish I wouldn’t have even said the word because it’s so misunderstood. You’ll see it from a biblical perspective finally. But he says, “‘The one who’s faithful in very little is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth.’” And that would simply mean that. It doesn’t mean money is evil, by the way, we’ll get to that. People say, “Money is the root of all evil.” It doesn’t say that but it is unrighteous in the sense that money is not innately righteous. “‘If you’ve not been faithful with your unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?’” What’s the understood answer? No one. No one. So, you’re saying, “What?” Well, no God’s saying this. God’s saying one of the spiritual qualifications for anybody who’s going to do anything in a conquer. Creation is going to be somebody who’s faithful to what the Word says about their riches, about their money. Look at the next verse, “‘And if you’ve not been faithful in that which is another’s.’” “Uh oh, what do you mean? I thought it was my money.” Well, some of it isn’t. We’ll get to that. “‘But if you’ve not been faithful and what is another’s who will give you that which is your own?’” It’s in that context that He says the familiar verse. Look at verse 13. Here it is again except one word changes. “‘No servant can.’” Oh, that’s different, isn’t it? Because now it’s not just talking about somebody who you’d be employed with, or you would know. This is talking about a slave. That’s doulos. That’s slave. By the way, if you’re reading the LSB, that word is “slave” translated there. “‘No (slave) can serve two masters. Why? Because a master has claim on you. 24/7, 365, group that no slave, “‘No servant can serve two masters for either (and here’s the same picture) he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. And (here’s it again), you cannot serve God and money.’”
Now what’s wonderful about this verse is it doesn’t end there, either, much like the references in Matthew the next verse is incredibly telling. Look at verse 14, “‘The Pharisees, who were (what?) they were lovers.’” Not of God, not of people, because if you love money, you’re what? You’re not loving God and people, right? That’s exactly right. “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, they heard all these things.” They heard these things. What things they heard? The things that you’re hearing right now. Do you have tender heart? Do you have willing heart? You have noble heart? You’re going to know it right now, because here’s what they did. “They ridiculed him.” They ridiculed Him. I’m going to get ridiculed this weekend. I’m going to get ridiculed when this plays online. I’m going to get ridiculed in the comments of any clip that’s put out there. I’m going to get ridiculed when this message plays on K-ten. I’ll get emails. Yep, I guarantee it. I’ll get ridiculed. “You greedy old-” I won’t even do that impersonation for any other service. It’s one of the reasons why you come to first service. So, it’s one of those things where what you do always have the armor of God, but sometimes you put on the plate armor and or I walk out there, drop down the face shield, and here we go, and I just want to say this to you. I am not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not, because if I was, I wouldn’t tell you this. I’m afraid of Him. I have a fear of the Lord. He is my Master. I am His servant. He is the King. I am the subject. He is the Lord, and I am under His merciful care. That’s what I’m to do. So, I’m to represent Him. It’s like a pizza delivery guy. A friend of mine who cuts my hair and his initials are “Dennis Motes”. For Christmas one year he bought me one of those big it’s Papa John’s signs that goes on top of the vehicle that was my. And then Larry and Donneita Morris got me to pose with it, and now he has it up in his shop. So, every time somebody’s getting their haircut, they’re like, “Who’s that guy?” He’s like, “He delivers pizza for me.” That’s my job, man, it is to simply take it and go like this, not corrupt it, not add to it, not take away from it. They ridiculed Him. This word ridicule in the Greek. And I’m not going to try and say it for you. I did practice saying it. It’s long, it’s a huge compound word, but it literally means this. Here’s the quote. It means “to turn up the nose”. That’s what it means. Jesus tells them, “No one can serve two masters. You’ll either love the one, hate the other, you’re cling to one, and you’ll despise the other. You cannot serve God in money.” And this is what they did. Where’s your heart? Are you doing that? Because if you’re doing it, you know it. And if you’re not doing it, you know it. If you’re sitting under the word, and even though it stings and even though it cuts you, and even though you feel it, you don’t flinch, you don’t look away, you remain under it, that is discipleship, nothing more, nothing less than that. And if we only ever talked about everything that felt encouraging and safe, we would have to lose a lot of Bible. Are you ridiculing? Because what’s going to happen, people are going to hear it. They’re going to ridicule. I hate it when they do this, but they’ll take sound bites of what I say. Nobody wants to be taken out of context. Then they’ll put it online on Fake book. I’m not on fake book. Reasons should be obvious. It’ll be like, “You see what this guy said.” It’s like, that’s not what it said. By the way, God didn’t like it either, and He gets taken out of context way more than I do. But this is what the Bible says, and this is what it means by what it says, and these are its implications upon our life as Christians, a simple form of the word is only used one other time. A simple form of the verb that means to ridicule.
It’s used in Galatians 6:6-7 chapter six. Now I’m going to read you two verses from Galatians. I’m going to do this so that you kind of see it, because I know you’re going to recognize verse seven. You’ll recognize it, but I want to read you verse six first. “Let the one who is taught the Word share all good things with the one who teaches.” Now you might be sitting there going, “Oh, look at this. This guy’s dragging the sack. He’s trying to get me to give him something.” I’m not trying to get you to give me something. Look at me, I’m tasked with telling you something that could seem self-serving. I get it. I’m still tasked with telling you. Parents, don’t we have that too? You know, son or daughter, you are honor me and your mother, right? It’s still true. Now, a kid could go, “Well, that’s real self-serving quoting the bible like that.” Doesn’t change it. It doesn’t change this. Let the one who’s taught the Word share all good things with the one who teaches that’s the context. I’m not trying to teach you this verse. I want to show you the context. Look at the next verse. Look at verse seven. I know you know it. “Do not be deceived.” This is always a warning that something’s about to happen where you could be deceived. “God is not mocked.” That’s the word. That’s the nose Word. God will not have someone turn their nose up at Him and get away with it. Can you turn your nose up at God? Yep. Can you mock God? Yep, but He won’t be mocked. So, we don’t get away with it. Will God’s kids sometimes try to mock God to turn up their nose at Him? Yep. Maybe they’ve been ill taught. Maybe they haven’t been taught. Maybe they’re young in their discipleship. Maybe they’re old and they’re stubborn. You turn up your nose. It does not go well. Because whatever a man sows, that’s plant that will he reap. That’s what you get back. You see it? That’s not talking about big time money or something. That’s talking about God dealing with you, and if you’re His child, and you turn up your nose at His Word, well, out comes the paddle. So what does that look like? I don’t know. I don’t know I want it. It’s like the rewards that are listed in Revelation, or First Peter, chapter five, one through four, verse four, especially, what does that mean? What is the crown of righteousness? I don’t know I want it. I want it. If it’s from God, I want it, don’t you? I hope you do. He’s a reward of those who seek Him.
You say, “Do not be deceived. God is not mocked.” You say, “Well, are there illustrations of that in Scripture?” Oh, all through Scripture, here’s a couple at random. The Parable of the rich fool in Luke 12, he mocks God’s calling on his life by hoarding, thinking that good crops mean he’ll live forever, and then he dies that night. What about Achan in Joshua chapter seven? He greedily grabs the forbidden loot after the conquest of Jericho. Sneering at God’s divine limits, he turned up his nose at the limits, and he gets Israel cursed and his whole family put to death. Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter five, lying about their free will offering, basically ridiculing God’s generosity, both drop dead on the spot. By the way, why did I do that to you? Because it’s Old and New Testament. You can’t go, “Well, that’s the God of the Old Testament.” Ananias and Sapphira would beg to differ with you. What about Judas with his 30 pieces of silver that he took to betray the holy, sinless Son of God, sneering, turning the nose up at Jesus’ immeasurable worth, and exchanged Him for cash? And he ends up hanging himself in regret. King Ahab in 1 Kings chapter 21 that covets Naboth’s vineyard, he sneers at God’s justice by murdering this innocent man, only to be killed himself by a lucky arrow that miraculously sneaks in between the tiny seam of his royal armor, and the dogs end up licking up his blood off the ground. Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, in 2 Kings chapter five, he chases down Naaman. Remember, he was a leper and the Prophet healed him. God wanted to heal him for free. And Gehazi chases him down and charges him money. He ends up getting leprosy for scoffing at God’s Word through the prophet. And what about Simon the sorcerer? In Acts chapter eight, he tries to buy supernatural power with money, basically sneering and turning his nose up at God’s free gift of the Holy Spirit, and he receives a terrifying rebuke by Peter. All through the Bible, God is not mocked. Christian, He won’t be mocked by you. Don’t turn your nose up at Him. That’s what the Pharisees did. You cannot serve God in money. There’s going to be people through this series that won’t come to it, and what they’re going to want to do is they’re going to want to come back and be like, “Oh, Romans chapter seven. Oh, good.” You mocked God. Your nose went in the air and your heart was hard. It wasn’t willing, and you weren’t noble. Guess how much you’re going to grow? Zero. You won’t go past it. Guarantee it.
1 Timothy 6:9-10, told you it was hard to hear. He says, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” I have a question for you, do you think that’s positive or negative? That’s one of the most negative verses in the Bible. It’s actually kind of terrifying. What? I don’t want any of that. Who is he describing? He’s describing those that love money. That’s he is. He’s describing those whose hearts is toward money. And again, if you want to where your money is go, look, you’ll know where your money is. You know you all know where your money is. And when you find where your money is. It’s where your heart is. And if it’s not with God, if it’s not proven His way, not yours, by the way, then this is where you’re actually headed. Here’s the big problem. Look at verse 10. Let’s get this right. Let’s cut this straight. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Money is not innately bad. Money is not evil. If it were bad, if it were evil, why would you want to give any way? Why would you want to hurt somebody with that? If you had cancer, keep it to yourself, right? Don’t spread it around. Money is super evil, so I’m going to give you some. Money’s not evil. The love of it. That’s the key word. In other words, this is synonymous with where your heart is. It’s “The love of money that is a root (not the) of all kinds of evil.” When you love money and you don’t love God. I mean, I’m just saying it true. You can say it and you can say you love people. You can say you love the church. You can say you love the gospel. It’s so easy. Talk is- cheap. That means it doesn’t cost anything. Talk is cheap. And look, “It is through this (through what? What is ‘the’ this here? What is the ‘there’? That’s there. It’s the love of money) it is through this craving that some have what they wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
I don’t want that for you. I don’t want that for me. I found out that I loved money when I got some. Here confession time, I’d been a pastor. I’d been in ministry for nearly 20 years, and I was in a system that I couldn’t deal with anymore because it was heretical. And we left, and we went and signed up and were members at a Baptist church. Yes, loved it. Still love them. And went to work for a friend that lives in the Northeast, a guy I led to Christ. I was his youth pastor. And 90 and 91 we’d been friends for it seemed like ever, and I worked for him, and I traded stocks, which is one of the toughest ways to make an easy living. And I got some money, and then it was never enough. I went, ah, like, what’s going on in this? And what I realized is, from my upbringing, my heart had been trained in greed. You realize that’s a thing. It says whose hearts have been trained in greed. Good thing about that you can unlearn that, repent and then get retrained. And I realized it, I was praying one time, and I was just discontent. I was asking God for this success. And it just struck me. This struck me. I was being pierced through with many pangs, and it was like, it was like a shock. I went, I love money, and the Bible goes, if you will, yes. Oh, no. Oh. Then I remember the words of Paul. I know nothing good dwells in me that’s in my flesh. Why am I surprised? And what did I need to do? I ran to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help in my time of need and to repent of that sin, because I was accusing God of not being enough, and my heart had latched onto something else, and that’s all I needed to do. I needed to repent. I couldn’t change my heart, but He could. Some of you have never had money, and you love money. People can be rich and not love money. People can be poor and not love money, and people can be rich and love money, and people can be poor and love money, your economic status has literally nothing to do with this, none, nothing at all. It has 100% to do with your heart. Where is my heart?
Let me read you this. This is Deuteronomy 6:4-5. And I’m doing this on purpose because I know you know these verses. This first verse, verse four, is actually called the Shema. It’s the word that every four or five year old Jewish boy learns. It’s called the Shema, Shema Israel Adonai El henu Adonai akod. Here, Shema Israel, Adon Israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai ekhad is one. “Oh, Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the Lord is one.” And then you know this verse, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” I ask you this, this is an Old Testament commandment. Is it still enforced today? Yes, it is. Well, I thought Jesus fulfilled the law. He did, and we walk it out in a new and living way. They were told to do it, and they had to exert energy on the outside. We’ve been given the Spirit now. We do live it out in a new and living way, and we can actually do that. But according to Jesus, if you love money, can you love Him with all your heart? No, you can’t. You can’t. Why? Because you have a divided heart. Your heart is split in two. “Oh, man, I really want to love God.” Yeah, I know, you’re going to have to let go over this other love, because no man can serve two, No servant can serve two. No one can serve two. We don’t ridicule that. What we do is we come underneath it. We say, “Well, God, will God tell me how to demonstrate that?” Yeah, He will. We’re going to see that. But this is where this is, this is ground level. This is heart issue right here. Let me illustrate it this way. And if this is a I know this is elementary. Again, I want us to be able to catch this. Imagine that we’re later in the we’re further down in the end times, and they’re persecuting Christians. By the way, I just told you your future. Live long enough to see it. But imagine we’re in those days, and in those days, imagine a government agent comes and arrests you and drags you into court and accuses you of loving Jesus Christ. Here’s the question, could your budget, your bank statement and your credit card bills be summoned as evidence against you? Ouch. I mean, just answer it, and if you go, “I’m not really sure,” then go get your budget, look at your bank statements and check your credit card bills, you’ll see where your heart is. If auditors examined your finances, would they find proof of your love for God? You say, “It sounds like a guilt trip.” Well, if you’re guilty, it’s a trip. Have a nice trip. If I’m guilty, it’s time for the trip. But the purpose isn’t to guilt you. The purpose is to cut the heart so you can be healed and you have an undivided heart.
Here’s the “you should”. Then I’ll give you the “how to”. Here’s the, “you should”. Hebrews 13:5, “Keep your life free (ooh, yeah) from (what?) from the love of money.” It doesn’t say, “Keep your life free from money.” Aren’t you glad? “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have for he (that’s Jesus) for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” You know what? Money will. “Money cometh and money goeth.” Bible says it takes up wings and flies like an eagle into heaven. It does. Yeah, tell you what that’s problem with living in the lap of luxury. You never know when luxury might stand up. That’s the “you should”. So how do I do that? Well, that’s the problem. Yeah, you’re going to need grace. Yes. Back to that again, are we? Absolutely. Hebrews 11:6. Look at this. It says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that, first he exists (and I know you believe that) and that he rewards those who seek him.” Those that seek Him are those who love Him. You say, “I think I have a heart problem.” Right? If you’re seeing it, the Bible is loving you. And what are you to do? You’re to go to the throne of grace and say, “Lord, You’re the head of my heart. I have a divided heart. I love me some money. I’m grabbing on to it. I’m getting all I can. I’m canning all I get. I don’t obey Your principles. I don’t obey Your rules. I’m not even sure I want to hear them.” Yep, that’s the issue. What do you do? Humble yourself. Be teachable. Ask Him to tenderize and soften your heart. Ask Him to give you a willing heart. Repent of having a hard heart. Repent of being unwilling to do His will. Put your “yes” on the table and then be noble. Go away and read. Go and study this. You take it up with God. I invite you to do that.
Let’s finish where we started, Luke 12:34, “For your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” What’s the question? Where is my heart? Now you know. And let me just tell you this, the goal here is not to get anybody to turn over a new leaf. The goal of this is for you to examine yourself and be able to truly answer the question. Because if you truly answer the question, you are going to grow when you get down to that gut level honesty. I don’t know anything that we could ever cut deeper than this.
KEYWORDS
Money, Possessions, Light, Lamp, Bible, Word, God’s Word, Tender Heart, Willing Heart, Noble Heart, New Testament Verses, Treasure, Heart Deceitfulness, Love Of Money, Discipleship, Financial Stewardship, Biblical Principles, Work, Eye, Dark, Faithful, Slave, Spiritual Growth, Divine Commandments, Gospel, Jesus, God, Holy Spirit, Church, Bible Church, Texas, Sherman, Online Sermon, Mammon, Doulos, Shema, Ridicule, Turn Up The Nose, Lap Of Luxury, Talk Is Cheap, Money Talks, Almighty Dollar
SPEAKER
Steve LeBlanc