God’s
grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon is entitled Provide, Passage and
Practice. My text is Matthew 6:19-21. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the
psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of
the Lord.’” Now that our feet are
within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit
enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we
pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.
Most
of you are aware that I include in my sermons etymology, the study of the
history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning change over
time. For example, if you say today, that your neighbor is a nice person, most
people understand that you mean that your neighbor is pleasant or good-natured.
Did you know that nice stems from the Latin word nescius meaning
ignorant or unaware? Literally, it meant not-knowing, from ne- not
and scire - to know. By the late 13th century, nice
meant foolish, stupid or senseless which stemmed from the Old French word nice meaning
careless, clumsy, weak, poor, needy, simple or stupid. By the late 14th
century, it came to be understood as fussy or fastidious, only to morph into
meaning agreeable or delightful by 1769, and then kind or thoughtful by 1830.
By 1926, nice was a favorite word among ladies, who used it to mean mildly
agreeable. So, when you say that your neighbor is nice, what do you really
mean?
What
do I mean when I use the word, provide? Provide is a combination of the Latin words pro meaning
ahead or forward and videre meaning to see. Providere means
to look ahead, prepare, supply or act with foresight.
People
provide for themselves, their future and family, their church and country,
their causes and constituents. Our reasons for providing are as plentiful as pennies
in a piggybank. Our methods include salary, savings, and an array of financial
instruments and advisors as numerous as our social security numbers. When it
comes to preserving loved ones and legacies, we strive to provide in the here
and now and the hereafter.
We can
turn to many outlets on why and how to provide, but because this is a sermon, we
turn to God’s Word to find advice on providing for family, strangers, widows,
orphans, prisoners and the poor. For example, in his First Letter to Timothy,
Paul wrote, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially
for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever.”[1]
Right before that verse he advised, “If a widow has children or
grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household …
for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”[2]
When
it comes to supporting people in need, John asked, “If anyone has the
world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him,
how does God’s love abide in him?”[3] In Deuteronomy, we read, “If
among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within
your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart
or shut your hand against your poor brother.”[4] We also find several similar
verses in Proverbs.[5]
In his
Sermon on the Plain, Jesus taught, “Give to everyone who begs from you, and
from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish
that others would do to you, do so to them.”[6] In the Great Judgment
parable of Matthew, he said, “The King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to
you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to
me.’”[7]
Regarding
treatment of strangers and imprisoned, Hebrews instructs, “Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Remember those who are in prison.”[8] For those in
government service, Ecclesiastes teaches about the vanity of wealth and honor. “If
you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice
and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is
watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.”[9]
My
friends, because we are sinners in need of repentance, we have as a model,
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector, who “stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord,
the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of
anything, I restore it fourfold.”[10]
As you
can see, Scripture offers plenty of advice on why and how to provide for others.
Now that the table is set, we turn from my first point, provide, to my second
point, passage.[11]
We find
our passage within the major teaching portion of Matthew’s Gospel, chapters
5-7, known as The Sermon on the Mount. The sermon is fairly systematic,
covering the main areas of ethical and religious life as understood in Israel. …
It has been criticized as setting too high a standard, which remains
unfulfillable, but, understood against its Jewish background, it becomes a
possible yet high standard of moral wisdom about life.[12] In other words, the
Sermon is a series of pointers illustrated by examples.
The
Sermon is divided into several sections: Beatitudes; followed by a New Ethic
dealing with anger, adultery, love of enemies and so on; Reformed Works of
Piety – almsgiving, fasting and prayer, including The Lord’s Prayer; concluded
by Further Instruction, today’s section. In the section of Further Instruction,
we find Jesus’ teaching on treasure in heaven, care, anxiety and judging
others. This section concludes with passages on The Narrow Gate, Lost Judgment
and a House Built on Rock.
Today’s
passage contains a positive and a negative command, followed by a proverb that
justifies the commands.[13] But before delving deeper
into the passage, allow me a minute to thumbnail sketch treasure in the Ancient
Near East. Treasure or wealth would be kept in palaces and temples in the
ancient world.[14]
It was acquired by royal conquest, trade, taxes or gifts. Treasures adorned
palaces and were dedicated to a deity or to purchase military resources. In
Scripture, we read how treasures were looted and restored. Proverbs tell us how
treasure is accumulated for the wise and the righteous, those who honor their
mothers and those who give alms.[15] It is a metaphor for
wisdom, almsgiving, a faithful friend and immortality.[16] It does not last and may
be troublesome, and yet, hidden treasure is useless.[17]
The
New Testament recognizes the vanity of earthly treasures, the permanence of
heavenly treasure, and the way one’s life is shaped by what one treasures.[18]
In
Luke 13, we read, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide
yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens
that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”[19]
Elsewhere
in the Gospels almsgiving is a way to convert earthly treasure into a heavenly one.
The Synoptic Gospels record the story of the wealthy young man seeking eternal
life. Luke recorded it this way. “A ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you
call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments:
‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Honor your father and mother.’’ And he said, ‘All these I have
kept from my youth.’ When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘One thing you
still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ But when he heard these things,
he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become
sad, said, ‘How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the
kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’”[20] In other words, the
secret of eternal life is not congenial to our ideas.[21]
Now,
the ears that heard the words of Jesus are not the same ears who hear Him today
in this church. As far as we know, most of Jesus’ disciples did not come from
wealthy circumstances. Moreover, the crowds who are also listening in on Jesus’
teaching to his disciples … are largely poor Palestinian farmers, peasants and
tradesmen. Nevertheless, despite the poverty of Jesus’ original audience, so
universal is the lure of possessions that even those who do not have many still
must be warned and taught not to assign them too high a priority in their
lives! How much more, then, do today’s disciples who are wealthy by every
historical standard need to know how not to set their hearts on god-Mammon![22]
Fine
clothing with designer labels is either eaten by moths, donated to nonprofits
or dumped in trash bins. Ten thousand tons of clothing end up in US landfills
annually. Half the world’s food is thrown away because of contamination,
expiration dates, poorly planned meals or other reasons. Each year in the US,
we discard 60 million tons of food valued at $160 billion.
Thieves
break into houses, safes, cars, banks, businesses and churches. Domestic and
international fraud exists in consumer, corporate, government, political,
healthcare and educational arenas. Bernie Madoff serves as a tarnished example
of blindly trusting your financial planner. And to a lesser extent, bank and
advisor fees as well as local, state and federal agencies and officials constantly
find new methods to drain or draw down your paycheck or savings.
Right
now, Jesus sounds like the smartest guy in the room. So, why do we still pay so
much attention to clothes, food and money? Why is it so urgent for disciples to
store up true treasure?
External
choices reveal our internal spiritual condition. It is to no avail for me to
insist that my heart is oriented rightly, even though it may look as though I
am investing my life and energy in treasure that will rot and fail. The
evidence that I am bent on accumulating earthly treasure is the conclusion that
my heart is set on the wrong things.[23]
Jesus
did not give some sort of standard or means of evaluating how I am doing. He
simply exhorted with authority, but several practical applications are
possible.
First,
every believer must recognize the danger of worshipping mammon. No one, rich or
poor, is immune. No one.
Second,
all Christians are subject to the law of diminishing returns. Once we acquire them,
the luxuries we desire tend to become necessities that we can no longer live
without. We imagine that if we obtain certain things we will be satisfied, but
when we get them and still feel empty, our greed grows larger still. Our desire
for things increases, given our fallen state and insatiable sinful nature,
which persists throughout our lives, even after we become followers of Jesus. Doubt
me? Read Romans 7.
Third,
it follows then that when a believer hears Jesus’ call not to store up
treasures on earth, he should at all times assume that this sin has been present
in his life and that he has need for repentance and renewal. He need not
question whether he has committed this sin, nor should he offer any excuses for
it. Because I am flesh and blood, I need repentance, change and growth. … And
if I’m looking for a positive indication that I am not cherishing things on
earth, it is the extent to which I am free to give up my money and possessions
for the good of my neighbor and the church’s mission to spread the Gospel.
Finally,
what does it mean to treasure for yourselves treasures in heaven? The key is in
the next verse, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
It would be a grave mistake to think that my response to our Lord’s teaching
should be, in the first place, to orient my goals and priorities away from
possessions and toward love of neighbor. This is not the first thing, nor the
core of Jesus’ teaching. The primary response is to turn and believe again that
the heart of the Christian is founded upon Christ, upon the life he gives and
the identity he bestows. That is where my heart is fixed. When my heart is
focused on Christ and his promises and word, then priorities change and my
freedom to choose what really matters, rather than earthly possessions, is
evidence of faith in Jesus. Certain of my relationship with the Father through
the Son, I can spend my life on things that matter and store up treasures in
heaven.
So,
much for the passage. What about a practical application? For my third point, I
asked friends to reflect on this passage and to write their thoughts. Five
individuals faithful to their respective Churches responded.
My
co-worker, Joe, wrote, “I like Matthew 6 so much that I memorized the
chapter. … The passage helps me to correct a tendency that I have – to
constantly overvalue things – and have a future focus.”
I met Barbara
when I worked for a nonprofit organization: “You must know all my
weak spots! Well, I have struggled with materialism, and have used shopping to
comfort myself, and to deal with all the struggles in life (sadness,
loneliness, anger, etc.).
[This] Scripture verse
… is very convicting for me. I wish I could go back in time and make other
decisions, wiser decisions, on how I would spend my money. I think it’s a good
way to measure our hearts — where Is my treasure? Have I spent time with God
and made Him a priority, or is He low on my list?”
Robert taught me Financial Management at
Carnegie Mellon University: “I struggle with this as many I'm
sure. Jesus is a minute-by-minute confidant and guidance counselor to me,
so in many ways he is more a part of me than a focus. My family's health,
happiness and preparation for my and their financial futures are a focus for me
in part because of my obligation to care for us all as a father and husband and
in part because that is my profession. So, for me, my treasure is my
family and pursuit of wealth/security is my obligation. Rightly or
wrongly, I don't think much about heaven as much as trying to do the right
thing minute by minute – more importantly getting out of the way of Jesus and
the Holy Spirit.”
Theresa
is a neighbor who said: “For me, my treasures are not material things, but
how I can reach out to help others. I receive more satisfaction in helping
others. It can be as simple as calling someone to see how they are doing, or
taking food over to a food pantry, visiting someone who is a shut in, and can't
get to church. I have tried to pass this message on to my children, and I'm
proud to say that they are also passing this message on to their children.”
Jim is
someone I have known my entire life. He wrote this: “I believe our Lord
is telling us, not to spend our lives striving for more and more material goods
and more and more money. First, we should put our faith in God, that he knows
what we need and will provide, as it says in Mt 6:8, then teaching us how to
pray the Lord’s Prayer to ask our Heavenly Father for these gifts. This is not
to say we don’t need to make a living, buy the necessary things to provide for
our families and save for the future, which we need to remember that it is from
God who is providing this anyhow. It’s the excessive want of more that is bad,
because while a person is striving for more, I believe they become focused on
themselves and forget about God, thinking this will make them happy. We have
heard so many times how the people who do this still have an empty feeling
inside, thinking they need to do more, but that empty feeling is their need for
God. Now for the storing up of treasure in heaven part. I believe that is explained
in Mt 25:31, this is what the Lord asks us to do, to love one another and to
help each other, not to beat our chests saying I did this, but if we help others
out of love and it comes from the heart without wanting recognition, I believe
we will be storing up treasure in heaven.”
Their
words are not solid solutions but honest reflections on how we all struggle to
follow Jesus daily. Friends, let me leave you with one more piece of advice
that ties together my three points of provide, passage and practice. Whenever I
get the chance to listen to Dave Ramsey’s show, I do. Without offering any
additional anecdotes, let me close with one of his quotes. “Remember,
there’s ultimately only one way to financial peace, and that’s to walk daily
with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.”
As we
leave here, I pray that you walk with Him daily, and when you do, may the peace
of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus. Amen.
[5]
Proverbs 19:17; 21:13.
[12]
Benedict T. Viviano, O.P., The Gospel According to Matthew, The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary, Edited by Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer,
S.J., Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990),
640.
[14]
Harper’s Bible Dictionary, (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1985), 1093.
[15]
Proverbs 21:20; 15:6; Ecclesiasticus 13:4; Tobit 4:7-9.
[16]
Proverbs 2:4; Ecclesiasticus 29:12; 6:14; 2 Esdras 8:54.
[17]
Proverbs 27:24; 15:16.
[21]
New American Bible (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co, 1979)
[22]
Jeffrey A. Gibbs, Matthew 1:1-11:1 (St. Louis MO: Concordia Publishing House,
2006), 353.
[23]
This and the next five paragraphs are from Gibbs, 353ff.
