For the One Series: Worldview & Reaching the One

For the One Series

Worldview & Reaching the One

April 15, 2018

The message that the Lord gave me for this morning in our “For the One” series is Worldview & Reaching the One. Worldview is a buzz phrase today. One definition of worldview is a philosophy of life. It is the viewpoint that affects everything I think and do. It is the unsaid linchpin of my thoughts, decisions, and actions. Clearly, it is the lens (pun) intended through which I view and live my life!

Matt 6:19-24

 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 "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. NIV

You can’t take it with you. There was a man who tried to disprove that. As he lay on his deathbed, he spoke with his 3 best friends, a doctor, a professor, and his lawyer. He said, “I’m going to prove them wrong. I’m going to take it with me. I’m giving you each $100,000 in an envelope. After I die, before they close my casket, I want you each to put the money in with me. Sure enough, he died, and at his funeral, the 3 friends each stopped by the open casket and put in an envelope. Later that day, they were talking about their friend and his unusual request. Then, the doctor spoke up and said, “Guys, I need to get this off my chest. We all know that money wasn’t going to do any good in the ground. The hospital is completing a new children’s wing. I took $50,000 of that cash and gave it to that cause.” “Well, as long as we confessing,” said the professor, “You’re right – there really was no reason to put that money in the ground. I donated $70,000 of it to the university library.” They both looked expectantly at the preacher. He said, “I’m ashamed of both of you. Our friend trusted us. Why I put in a check for the whole $100,000.”

First, note that Jesus teaches that our worldview effects ….

I.     How and what we live for (Matthew 6:19-20) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

a.    The earthly worldview – that is a view that is only concerned about earthly things. Worries about, obsesses and lives for the moment and is consumed with the present moment. Like the shepherd, I read about who live in Montana …

This shepherd discovered oil on his land and became enormously rich. One of the first things he bought was a Rolls Royce limousine, the kind usually driven by a chauffeur who sits in front of a glass partition. When the sheepherder brought this splendid car in for service, the mechanic was properly impressed. “What a marvelous machine,” he said. “What do you like best about it?” “Well,” said the sheepherder, “I can take my sheep to market now without having them lick my neck.” Larson, B., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1983). Vol. 26: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 26: Luke. The Preacher’s Commentary series (239). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.

A strictly earthly worldview usually gets our priorities out of whack!

For instance --- it prioritizes things this way:

1.    Earn money

2.    Enjoy – over-enjoy money – which usually lands us in debt

3.    Repay the debts of overspending

4.    Save for the future once out of debt

5.    Give – if and when there is anything left over

b.    Heavenly worldview reprioritizes treasure management:

                        Notice the text teaches us to store/Save – vs. 20 - But Store up

The scriptures reveal that the wise/the prudent store or save! The Proverbs tell us to consider the wisdom of the ant in Prov 6:6-8 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. NIV

Joseph in Egypt gives us an example of saving for the lean years

Then there is Proverbs 21:20   In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. NIV

The point is this, God reprioritizes treasure management:

·      His word teaches us to earn money (Work is a biblical value)

·      Then give to Him first

·      Then save, then repay and enjoy!

The point is that prioritizing our use of money by God's principles results in more peace, generosity, and financial freedom!

Point of the Dave Ramsey classes we offer here from time to time. “Live like no else so you can live like no one else.” Again, God's principles result in more peace, generosity, and financial freedom!

Next, we can see Jesus teaches that our worldview effects ….

II.   Where I place my treasure (Matthew 6:20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

A.    The believer, the follower of Christ, places treasure in heaven…. Because Heaven is of first Importance in the believers’ worldview.

Play Kristi Estrada’s For the One Testimony

·      It is the premise of everything For The One

·      It is the heart of hearing, understanding and acting on the fact that God is not willing that any should perish

·      It is the essence of leaving the 99 sheep to go after the One

·      Just in case we don’t understand this Jesus makes it clear just a few verses later in this chapter as he sums things up saying,     

Matt 6:33

                             But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, NIV

B.    The believer, the follower of Christ, places treasure in heaven …. Because it is the surest and securest investment anyone can make. where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Sometimes what we think is sure and secure just isn’t as sure as it seems.  As revealed by this story of an archaeologist.

An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a sarcophagus containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural-history museum.

"I’ve just discovered the 3,000-year-old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!" the excited scientist exclaimed. The curator replied, "Bring him in. We’ll check it out." A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist.

"You were right about the mummy’s age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?" "Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said,’10,000 Shekels on Goliath’."

Heaven's vault is the surest and securest place in the Universe! This guarantee is made by the one who spoke it all into existence, who made the gold and is said to pave the streets with it!

Finally, we can see that Jesus teaches that our worldview effects ….

III. The Destiny of the Heart (Matthew 6:21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A.    The ultimate reason for putting your treasure in heaven (eternal things) has to do with the location of your heart.

No one had the insight that Jesus had into the human heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," (v. 21). Jesus knows that everyone has a treasure. He also knows that your heart will be where your treasure is.

Just as a sunflower follows the sun or a compass needle follows a magnet, your heart will follow what you treasure.

B.    The biblical "heart" represents the very center of what we are about —intellectually, emotionally, and your will.

·      Our heart follows what we treasure.

·      This is the truth of the rich young ruler who came asking Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. The point was not that he had great wealth but that his treasures controlled his heart!

·      Jesus said, Matthew 6:24 "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.

·      God’s will desire is that money/things serve us and not master us.

Conclusion:

·      Ultimately God wants us to treasure heaven because he treasures each and every one of us! 

·      I’m talking to someone today that he has been chasing after. He has been busting down walls, pretenses and arguments you have been erecting.

·      It’s no accident you’re in this house today you’ve been a slave to others things but this morning he is calling your name. It is your moment of liberty and freedom.

·      Step out from where you are and come to freedom

·       He values you the One so greatly that he has an overwhelming, reckless love for you!