Mat 6:19-24; “Good Eye” – Wait for Your Pitch.

Thursday September 19, 2024

Idea: The eye of desire is in every person and God gives us a choice to use it to seek light or darkness, while helping us to choose light. 

Intro: What is the problem with youth? They lack wisdom and understanding. Because of that, they can more easily be forgiven of foolishness. The fool and the wise man both have desire. The fool thinks he will be fulfilled by the wrong things. The wise man knows better. 

In Proverbs, the introduction of the book shows us two women: Lady Folly (Pro 9:13-18) and Lady Wisdom (Pro 9:1-6). The choice of one or the other is the crucial principle of attaining wisdom.

Mat 6:19-24

Jesus uses imagery to show man’s desire. 

Eye - lamp (portable oil lamp, not a candle). The right light is Christ, Rev 21:23. 

Body - the whole person which would include the inner heart.

Light - life of Christ (glory; Rev 21:23).

Darkness - absence of the life of Christ (Pro 4:19; Psa 18:28). 

Light is associated with an eye that is haplous (Greek: “clear” in NASB). 

Darkness is associated with an eye that is bad. 

Haplous (Greek): Good, pure, singular minded, generous, wholehearted [eye]. 

Desire is what we look at and dream of (in context with “treasure” vv. 19-21).

Store up treasure in heaven or on earth - Christ emphasizes the difference in terms of permanency. Permanent things take longer to understand.

This is why instant gratification is so often the wrong decision. Vaporous things are quick to see and know, long-term things take time and patience – wisdom (Jam 5:7-11)

Desire is what our hearts look at, what our physical eyes would like to look upon, what we dream of. This does not mean that earthly things are all bad. It does mean that they should be seen by us in their proper place before the will of God.

Desire will lead to life or death (and that death can be fast or slow). 

Desire will lead to life or death and death can be fast or slow. 

Earthly treasures can be immoral or even respectable. A Christian can seek money, romance, success, earthly comforts, reputation, education, pleasures. All of these can be good if they are from God, meaning that God’s will and plan is always your top priority.

We are faced each day with seeking eternal life (the way of life of heaven) or seeking the way of the earth; the Spirit or the flesh; the Lord or self. From the moment we wake for the day until we sleep again, our choices always flow from one or these two sources.

Keep your eyes fixed on the prize: Christ and heaven.

Jesus knows that we are going to wonder if we can have both treasures: We cannot (Mat 6:24). 

Can you serve two masters? People can have two jobs, moonlight, have two professions, two bosses, etc. But A slave cannot serve two masters. He is clear to inform us that we are slaves not free [Luk 16:13] 

Rom 6:15-23 Serving heaven is experiencing eternal life. Eternal life is the quality of heaven in you. 

The cost of having a bad eye is way too high. 

Set your eye on the Master and do what He does. 

Do not let the treasures of the earth fool you. They are temporary and many of them bring death.