“O Ye of Little Faith”

Scripture: Matthew 6:24

C.I.: Faith & “Things”

During this month we are discussing the topic of “Faith.” – Last week = Big Things, Today = Daily Things.

•  The Consequences of Living for “Things,” (Matthew 6:19-34)

A. Enslavement, (vs. 19-24)

1. Enslaved Heart, ( vs. 19-21 ), “Do not lay up … For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
a. We can be in bondage to the material things of this life – which is foolish when you think about it.
1) ILLUST.: Where is your 1 st car/prom dress? – At the time = important! – where is it now?!

b. The way a person uses things/money - is an indication of the condition of their heart.
1) ( Jms. 4:3 ), “You ask and you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives….”
2) ( I Tim. 5:8 ), “Anyone who does not provide for his own, especially for those of his household, has
denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

c. Problem = Anything that comes between us & God – becomes our god.
1) ( Ex. 20:3, 5 ), “You shall have no other gods before Me … You shall not worship or serve them.
2) Today's “idols” are not made of stone, ( Col. 3:5 ), “Consider the members of your earthly body as
dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and GREED, which amounts to idolatry .”
3) It has never been wrong to own things. – An enslaved heart is when things own us!!!

2. Enslaved Mind, ( vs. 22-23 ), “The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole
body will be full of light. – But if your eye is bad – your whole body will be filled with darkness. –
If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
a. “Clear” = Single; If we are “seeing double” – Spiritually = a focus on Jesus AND things!
1) But if the focus of our “eye” is upon the light – then we will be full of light ( cf. Jn. 1:9 ),
“There was the true light which coming into the world enlightens every man.”
2) The mind enslaved to materialism won't come to Jesus – ( Jn. 3:19 ), “This is the J., that the light
has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.”
3) Therefore, focusing our minds on “things” – will also enslave us!!!

3. Enslaved Will, ( v. 24 ), “No one can serve 2 masters; for either he will hate one and love….”
a. Ultimately we have to choose – we will either serve ourselves (“things”) – or we will serve God!
1) Those who choose to live for “mammon” - will pay a great price for it!!!
2) ( I Tim. 6:9 ), “Those who want to get rich , fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and
harmful desires – which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
3) The desire to live for the things of this world – will lead us away from God – ( I Tim. 6:10 ), “For the love
of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and
have pierced themselves with many a pang.”

b. Thus, living or “THINGS” – enslaves our hearts, our minds, and our will – to those things.

B. Devaluation, (vs. 25-30)

1. The desire for the acquisition of “things” does not enrich us,… it cheapens us!
a. ( v. 25 ), “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what
you shall drink; nor for your body as to what you shall put on. – Is not life more than food, and your body
more than clothing?”
1) “Anxious” = Worried, demonstrating a lack of trust in God!
2) Therefore, can a person truly say they are “Faith-Full” - if they worry!!!

b. ( vs. 26-29 ), “Behold the birds of the air… - Are you not worth much more than they? – And why are you anxious
about clothing? – Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that
Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.”
1) God has built into His creation the means by which all things are cared for. – The birds are fed
because they seek after the food God provides, ( cf. II Thess. 3:10 ), “…if anyone will not work,
neither let him eat.”
2) The lilies grow daily by following the plan God has prepared within them – ( Eccl. 12:13 ),
“The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this
applies to every person.”

c. ( v. 30 ), “But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,
will He not much more do for you, O MEN OF LITTLE FAITH?” – Why does Jesus say this is a cause of little faith
1) Last week - when dealing with BIG things of faith – the problem was DOUBT, ( Matt. 14:31 ).
a) We need to “Believe our beliefs & doubt our doubts!”
b) We must never begin – believing our doubts & doubting our beliefs!
2) But today – when dealing with the little daily things of life – the problem is WORRY!!!
a) Worry is the thing that characterizes – a “little faith”!
b) It keeps us - from living productive lives – that bring glory to God –
c) ( Matt. 13:22 ), “ And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who
hears the word, and the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, it
becomes unfruitful”

C. Loss of Our Name, (vs. 31-33 )

1. When we “worry” about the things of this life – there is no difference between us and the unbelievers!
a. ( vs. 31-32 ), “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘With what shall
we clothe ourselves?' – For all these things the Gentiles (non-believers) eagerly seek; - for your heavenly Father
knows that you need all these things.”
1) Jesus is telling us that “FAITH” must extend beyond the church-house doors!!!
2) It must be a part of our lives on a daily basis. – “Worry” must be banished from our lives!!!

b. The way we fight against WORRY – is by getting our priorities straight, ( Quote v. 33 ), “Seek first...”
1) God's Kingdom: where Jesus rules; heaven Matt. 25:34 , “Then the King will say to those on His
right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.'” church 16:18-19 , “I will build My church … and I will give you the keys of
the kingdom …,” us 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
2) God's Righteousness: I can't earn it Rom. 3:10 , “There is none righteous, not even one.” – but I
can trust in Him Rom. 4:5 , “But for the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the
unrighteous, their faith will be reckoned to them as righteousness.”
INVITATION:

1. “When we live for things…” (review main points, i.e., “…we are enslaved in heart, mind….”).
2. “But when we live for Jesus – we are set free, we are enriched – and we are granted a good name before God!”
3. “If you are ready to begin living for Jesus TODAY – then come on His terms, ( Mt. 28:19f ).