Ekklesia - March 29th, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

This is Sujata. She lives in India and is a Dalit. She is not a criminal but is treated as one. Her only crime is that she was born to the wrong parents. And when they died she became the orphan of an “Untouchable.”

In the Hindu Caste system, there are over 160 million people living in India just like Sujata. They have been born into the lowest class - the “Dalits”. Unlike America, where people might work themselves out of a lower class, these Dalits carry that label the rest of their lives. For the rest of their life they may not eat with people of a higher caste, they may not drink from the same well, they may not attend the same temple, and they may not wear their shoes in the presence of an Upper Caste individual. But most of all, they may not be touched. Touch a Dalit, and you become defiled, which is why in India today, a Dalit fears for their life. They run the risk of being publically humiliated, beaten, raped, and paraded naked through the streets. Even the local police simply watch and laugh. These are your outcasts, your dregs of society in the Hindu culture.

Sujata longs to be touched and longs to be held. However, she is forced to sleep in a room apart from the rest. Oh sure, she has long black hair like the other girls. Like the others, she gets hungry and thirsty, yet she is forced to wait for whatever scraps might be left once the rest have their fill. Even then, she cannot eat with them, drink with them, or sit with them. She is cast aside and separated from the rest of society.

Can you image living like this? Where might this person find joy? Where might they find a place that they belong? Tossed away or cast away by their society, will this person ever find hope or love? Probably not, unless, of course, a local Christian assembly that is truly obedient to the teachings of Jesus reaches out to them and makes them a part of the Ekklesia; the Body of Christ.

Accepting outsiders was a big issue in the early church. It was difficult for the Jewish Christians and it was difficult for the Gentile Christians. In the Corinthian Church, there was a division. People segregated themselves by how wealthy they were, by whose teaching they followed, whether they were single or married, and even by ethnicity. Throughout his ministry, the Apostle Paul continued to remind these early Christians that there is oneness and unity in Christ. Turn to Ephesians Chapter 2 and look how he attempts to draw the people together regardless of any former segregation or division.

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:11-22).

In another letter, Paul says, “all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you” (Galatians 3:27-29).

The early church struggled with segregation. Today’s church struggles with segregation as well. The church today builds barriers instead of bridges. We separate ourselves into little groups, proud of our theology or our ethnicity or our station in life. What concerned Paul, and what should concern us, is that when we segregate we sacrifice relationships with people who are different from us. We exclude rather than include. Those who are different are cast aside and possibly lost. This is not how it should be.

Picture, if you can, young Sujata as she is brought into the church. She is loved, not abused. She is welcomed with open arms, not thrust aside. She is treated with honor and dignity, not despised and rejected. Picture, if you can her first meal with the Body of Christ, this Ekklesia. Bread is shared; cups are passed. She sits at a table with the rest of these Christians who passionately follow the teachings of Jesus. She is embraced. At this Agape meal, this “Love Feast”, she sits in her seat while these people, people unlike any she has ever encountered, kneel before her, remove her shoes, and touch the feet of a girl whom society has called untouchable. To her, this “Love Feast” is unlike anything she has ever imagined.

For those people who have been cast aside by our society, the Body of Christ is unlike anything they have ever imagined. What society would throw away, the Ekklesia treats as valuable. What society finds repulsive, the local assembly of Christians embraces with loving arms. And nothing demonstrates this so thoroughly as the Agape Meal; the Love Feast. It is a time when all of us are united because of the sacrificial death of Jesus; united because His blood paid the penalty for our sin and because the Holy Spirit shows no bias. It is a time when the barriers of race, gender, social status, Spiritual gifts, and most of all Spiritual maturity are laid aside. In God’s kingdom, all are welcome at His table regardless of where they live, what they look like, their social status, their gender, how long they have been a Christian, or even what they do for His kingdom. The Ekklesia, this local assembly of Christians, is unlike anything else seen on earth.

It is important that the Church remember who we are. It’s important we remember, “God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:24-25). We need to stop dividing ourselves and instead look for ways to become united. We need to act like the Body of Christ -the Ekklesia of the Lord. What better way than to gather for our own “Agape Meal”; to kneel before someone and demonstrate with our hands that although our society calls you an outcast, in our eyes you are a part of this family; this Body of Christ.

Ask God for Help - March 22nd, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

A girl calls her boyfriend and says, "Please come over here and help me.  I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get it started."  Her boyfriend asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"  The girl says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a tiger."  Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.  She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.  He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a tiger."  He takes her hand and says, "Second, I want you to relax.  Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then" he sighed, "And then, let's put all these Frosted Flakes back in the box".

Well, at least she asked for help.  That’s more than most of us would be willing to do.  Some of us would have tried to cope with the problem or live with the problem.  Most of us would attempt to solve the problem on our own.  Now, I’m not talking about boxes of cereal or broken cars and rusty bolts.  I’m talking about spiritual things in our lives that keep us separated from God.  We know things in our life need to change if we want a closer walk with God.  But where can we find the help we need to change?  Do we need to wrestle with these things on our own?

The Sermon on the Mount is a lesson for the believer on how to develop a closer walk with God; on how we are to grow and mature as a Christian.  However, some of these lessons can be quite difficult.  It can be quite difficult to choose humility and meekness over power and position.  It is unnatural to turn the other cheek when offended and attacked.  It is very hard to forgive those who have hurt us or see the value in those who have taken advantage of us.  Trusting God to provide our basic needs is very, very difficult; not to mention taking a blind step of faith when our minds tell us it is impossible.  As we read these scriptures, our hearts convict us about that one thing which keeps us from walking closely with God, but where do we turn for help?  Is it up to us to change?  Yes, we want to walk more closely with God, but does Jesus know how hard it is for us to let go of our worries?  Does He understand just how difficult it is to fight our instinct?

I think Christ knew just how difficult these lessons truly are, especially in light of what He says close to the end.  Listen to these encouraging words.  “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  ⁹ “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ¹⁰ Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! ¹¹ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:7-11).

The words “ask, seek”, and “knock” are active verbs, which means it is to be a continual action.  The New Living Translation has accurately added the words ‘Keep on”.  Keep on asking.  Keep on seeking.  Keep on knocking.  Our Lord’s lesson is that we are never to stop asking God for the help we need.  It’s Christ’s way of reminding us that to walk more closely with God, we are going to need God’s help.

This passage of scripture is not a lesson in getting what we want.  It is a lesson on God’s compassion and love.  The Father desires to walk closely with us.  God also realizes just how difficult it is for us to change.  He understands how embarrassing it must be for us to admit we have a problem.  So Jesus reminds us that if we desire to walk more closely with God – if we are willing to admit we have a problem – God will give us what we need to help us change.

Do you want to know what I hear Jesus saying here?  He is reminding us that God does not grow weary of our constant knocking.  He never becomes impatient with our continued asking.  James says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5).  What all of this means is that if we desire to walk more closely with God, all we need to do is ask for God’s help.  When we learn about something in our life that is keeping us from drawing close to God, we need only ask the Lord to help us remove that thing from our life.  If we need more patience, we need only ask for more.  If we need more humility or meekness, we need only ask for more.  The same can be said about love for others or faith in God.  Ask, Seek, and Knock; the Father will give you what you need.  However, let me clue you in on how God accomplishes this.

I wish, with all my heart I wish, that God would supernaturally infuse me with the ability to be patient.  Bibbidy, bobbidy, boo, I am suddenly able to be patient.  I wish God would grant me the supernatural ability to be patient.  But that’s not quite how God works.  Instead of merely changing my behavior, God desires to change my character.  James says that God trains us; that he allows us to experience things that transform us (James 1:2-4).  If I let Him, God will transform me into a patient person instead of simply a person who has learned that Christians are supposed to be patient.  Trust me; there is a big difference.  In the example I’m using here, if I simply know that I am to be patient, all is well until I am caught off guard.  When I am suddenly faced with a situation that tries my patience, I find myself losing my patience.  Why?  It’s because I have not become a patient person, I have simply learned that I am to be patient and have tried to accomplish this on my own.

Jesus warns us about this at the end of His sermon.  He says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ²⁵ Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. ²⁶ But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. ²⁷ When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).

Whatever might be keeping you from walking closely with God – whatever thing you need to change in your life – keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.  Keep asking God to help you overcome this issue in your life.  Whatever it might be – loving, forgiving, patience, compassion, peacefulness, meekness, humility, faith - ask Him to change you, and in His mercy, God will help change you into the kind of person you need to be.

If you know what needs to change in your life, come to God asking, seeking, and knocking. “Please help me.  I have a problem in my life that I cannot solve”.  The wise person asks God for help.  Then when the floods come, and you are caught off guard, you will find the ability to forgive or love or show compassion.  You will find that you have changed.  And the changed person is the one who walks more closely with God.

In our study of the Sermon on the Mount, perhaps we learned something about ourselves that is keeping us from waking closely with God.  If you discovered something about yourself, you’re in good company.  Truthfully, any godly person you know has learned things about themselves as well.  It’s what walking closely with God will do.  It will cause a person to see things in their life that do not belong.  These godly people keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking so that God might help them deal with issues in their life.

If you talk with one of these godly people, they will deny being very godly – very holy.  They’ve seen more sin in themselves than you can imagine.  Yet, with God’s help, they have been changed.  So when we look at one of these pillars of faith, we are seeing the fruit of a life spent walking closely with God.  The same thing can happen to you if you keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking as well.

Helping Others Overcome Their Sin - March 15th, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Several years ago I was walking across a Walmart parking lot with my family.  As we got closer to the van, I could hear a thump and rattle coming from one of the cars parked next to us.  At first I thought the car had a serious engine problem, but as we got closer, I realized the rattle was being caused by how loud the stereo was blasting; strong enough to shake the fenders.  As I opened the van door, one of the boys in the car rolls down his window and said, “What’s the matter, don’t you like loud music?”  My first reaction was to respond by saying “Yes, I like loud MUSIC,” however, I was hungry and tired and wasn’t in the mood to haggle over musical preferences.  So I gave him the “don’t bother me – I’ve got better things to do” look and said “Sure.”  Enthused, the man in the parking lot beamed a toothless grin and cranked the music even more.  “Three thousand dollars!” he boasted (I still can’t figure what kept the windows from blowing out right there on the parking lot).  As we drove off, I mused about the amount of money he poured into his stereo.  “Should have spent it on a trip to the dentist,” I thought.

          
Now, I know many of us have been in similar situations.  We meet someone whose priorities in life do not match our own, and we immediately form an opinion about their life; we decide what would make that person’s life a whole lot better.  But if we’ve been around church long enough, we struggle with the feeling that we have just passed judgment.  We get this nagging feeling that we have just looked at the speck in someone’s eye yet failed to see the log in our own.

          
As Jesus stood on this hillside, He addresses this very problem.  ¹ “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.  ² For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  ³ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?   ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?   ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.  (Matthew 7:1-5)

         
In our study of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has taught us many different ways we can develop a closer walk with God.  But how do words about judging and specks of dirt instruct us to walk more closely with God?  I know the conventional interpretation is for a Christian never to pass judgment.  It has been suggested that Jesus is teaching us to tolerate everyone and allow each person to live as they chose.  Even non-Christians will quote this text.  Those who are living a destructive lifestyle claim that they certainly have the freedom to live their life any way they want, and they don’t appreciate snobby Christians sticking their noses into other people’s business.  This fear of being hypocritical is why many Christians have taken this whole concept of judging and driven it underground.

          
It would seem then that it is wrong for us to judge or even comment on the destructive things we see in others.  Take the man in the parking lot, for example.  In light of these selected words of scripture, it will appear wrong for me to have passed any judgment on his life.  But see, this is where I constantly get stuck.  If the man in the parking lot had not been a Christian, my responsibility was to introduce him to Jesus.  However, if he were a Christian, it is clear that he needed to change a few things in his life in order to walk more closely with God.  And should I ignore them or gently point out the speck in his eye.

          
To fully understand what Jesus is teaching here, we need to know what Jesus means when He uses the word “judgment.”  We pass judgment when we measure our righteousness against that of others.  Typically, we will use people, such as the man in the parking lot, and compare our life to his.  We then draw the conclusion that we must be a better person in God’s eyes because we are so much more holy and religious and godly than they are.  That’s judging.  If, on the other hand, we were to measure our righteousness against Jesus, we would fall to our knees in humility.  So the first part of this lesson is that if we want a closer walk with God, Jesus needs to become the standard by which we are measured.  Doing so will keep us humble.  The second half of this lesson is just as important, and the two go hand in hand.  The second lesson here deals with compassion.

          
This scripture here in Matthew has often been used as a weapon of defense; so often that, for many of us, we miss what Jesus actually meant.  If you notice in these verses, Jesus mentions two people who shared a common problem; they both had something in their eye.  The instruction Jesus gives is for me to remove my log so that I will then be able to help the other with their similar problem.  Jesus doesn’t say I’m to take out my log and then ignore my brother or sister; there is still the responsibility to help one another.  This is a call to help someone in their spiritual journey, not ignore them and watch them struggle.  If I tolerate the destructive, sinful behavior in my Christian brother or sister, I am failing to love them.  For if I really loved them I would help them remove the speck that is keeping them from developing a closer walk with God.

          
What Jesus is mainly talking about in this section focuses on our motive; why we are pointing out the wayward path of others in the first place.  Do we see the speck in others so that we might feel good about our walk with God?  If so, that’s judgment.  Hypocritical self-righteousness has no place in the life of a Christian.  If, on the other hand, we see a speck in others that is keeping them from walking closely with God, and we help them deal with that speck, that’s compassion and love.  If we genuinely care about someone’s walk with God, we would come along side them and help lift them up; help strengthen them and help them walk more closely with God.

          
So, my friend, it is wrong to merely point out the sins of others.  It is wrong to sit by and criticize the faith of another Christian.  That’s hypocritical judgment.  And it affects your relationship with God.  But the loving, humble Christian who realizes they have dealt with far greater sins in their life (their “log”), honors the Lord by helping their fellow Christian deal with their sins (their “speck”).[1] 

          
Paul encourages us by saying, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. ² Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1).  By helping someone deal with the speck in their eye, you develop a closer walk with God, which is what God truly desires.  Rather than sitting back and passing judgment and claiming to be better than everyone else, you have chosen love and compassion.

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[1] This text from Matthew 7 is not an evangelism text.  This is not instruction from the Lord on how we should lead someone to Christ.  This is a lesson on mentoring and discipleship; on strenghtening a fellow believer.  A person will not become a Christian if they remove the speck from their eye.  I would not have helped the man in the parking lot become a Christian simply by pointing out his misplaced priorities.  If, however, I had helped this man meet Jesus, only then could I help him develop a closer walk with God.  I think it’s important that we realize this difference.

Let Go of Our Worries - March 8th, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Linda went to the grocery store. She noticed a woman sitting in her car with her eyes closed and with her hands clasped behind her head. She appeared to be sleeping. When Linda came out a while later, she again saw the woman, her hands still behind her head but with her eyes wide open. The woman looked very strange, so Linda tapped on the window and said, "Are you okay?" The woman answered, "I've been shot in the head, and I am holding my brain in." Linda did not know what to do, so she ran into the store, where store officials called the paramedics. When they arrived, they found that the woman had bread dough on the back of her head and in her hands. A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded, apparently from the heat in the car, making a loud explosion like that of a gunshot, and hit her in the head. When she reached back to find what it was, she felt the dough and thought it was her brain. She passed out from fright at first, and then attempted to hold her brains in. They took her to a local hospital, where they treated her, shampooed her hair, and released her.

Sometimes things aren't nearly as bad as they may seem at the time. Sometimes we worry about the strangest things, like what might happen if we are traveling and can’t find a bathroom and our bladder explodes. Sometimes our imagination makes things far worse than they really are. Sometimes we spend half of our life worrying about things that will never happen. We worry, constantly.

As Christians, I think we know that we should not worry, but we do. The media does not help. It bombards us daily with things to worry about. It’s almost sickening. Muslim terrorists, global warming, government control, rising taxes, falling salaries, gun control, GMO foods, the disappearance of the bumble bee, whether the dress is white and gold or blue and black. I know they think they are keeping us informed, but more often than not, it simply adds fuel to our worries.

As we strive to walk more closely with God, Jesus teaches a valuable lesson that at first may seem to be rather simplistic. He talks about birds and flowers and clothing – things that cannot possibly be compared to the problems facing the world today. Yet, if we look closely, there is a deep truth in what he says.

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:25-34).

The lesson beneath what Jesus is saying here can be found in a few simple words. Worry and Faith. Do you want to know why you worry about things? Do you want to know why the latest scare causes you to lose sleep? Do you want to know why you fret and fret over the same things day and night? It is not the “things” that cause you to worry. You worry because that’s who you are. Events do not cause you to worry. You worry about events because you are a worrier, not a person controlled by faith.

Did you notice what Jesus said in this section? He wondered why people worried about food and money and clothing. It made no sense to Him. Since God looks at us as people of value, and since we are His treasure, why would we worry that He has abandoned us or would let us fail? Do we really think God does not care about us and for us? This is why Jesus wonders why we have such little faith in God (verse 30).

Think about this for a moment. As Christians, we are God’s children. God has purchased us; He has ransomed us. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18-19). If God would make such a great sacrifice to ransom us, why would He then abandon us? If God felt we were worth the sacrifice of His Son, why do we worry that He would allow us to go naked and starve to death? Truthfully, when we worry about things we are telling God that we do not trust Him; that we don’t believe He cares for us or watches over us. Worry is an incredible insult to the Love of God.

The cure for anxiety and worry is not found in removing these things from our life. The cure is becoming a person of faith – a faith that understands our value in God’s eyes. However, this is a lesson that is learned the hard way. Letting go of worry is not an easy task. And I believe God provides us with opportunities to let go of worry and start believing in His love.

Perhaps you are facing one of those situations right now. You are facing some sort of crisis that has you worried. You simply do not know what to do. You are stressed. However, this is a tremendous opportunity to let go of your worry and place your faith in God; an opportunity for you to learn an incredible lesson about faith, and about the depth of the Father’s love for you. Let your heart be moved from worry to faith. Let go of your worry so you might see just how deep the Father’s love is for you.

Letting go is hard. I know. I’ve had to learn this lesson in my own life. Looking back, I wonder why I ever worried in the first place. I watched God orchestrate events that left me awestruck in wonder; wonder at the depth of His love, and wonder at my lack of faith. But I tell you the truth: once I was able to move from worry to faith, my walk with God has never been the same.

There is no greater lesson that we might learn than the lesson of God’s love for us. When we cannot do for ourselves – when the situation is beyond our control –to have God step in and provide is the greatest lesson we need to learn as we walk with God. It is not a miracle when God provides us with what we need. It is a demonstration of His love. When we know and believe and have faith in God’s love for us, worry and fear fade away.

Decide Who Is Your Master - March 1st, 2015 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

When Walter started working for the biggest corporation in the world, the personnel director said he would have to start at the bottom and work his way up. So Walter found himself in the basement working in the mailroom.  Walter liked his job, but often daydreamed about what it would be like to be a junior executive, vice-president, president, or even chairman of the board. One day, as Walter was busy collecting the mail, he heard footsteps in the corner.  It was a small cockroach.  Just as he was about to step on it, he heard a small voice scream, "Don't kill me!  Please, don't kill me!  I'm Milton the cockroach.  And if you spare my life, I promise to grant all of your wishes."  That sounded like a pretty good deal to Walter.  So he spared Milton the cockroach's life.

 Walter's first wish was to get out of the mailroom and be a junior executive.  Milton granted that wish.  A couple of months later, Walter wanted to become one of the vice-presidents of the corporation.  That wish was granted too.  In fact, Milton the cockroach kept granting every one of Walter's wishes until years later Walter was Chairman of the Board to the largest corporation in the world.

Walter was very happy.  Every so often, he would say to himself, "I am Walter.  Everyone respects me.  No one is bigger or better or more important than me."  However, one day Walter met a little boy down in the lobby.  He was kneeling in prayer.  "Are you praying to become like me,” Walter asked?  "Of course not," said the little boy.  "I'm praying to become someone important.  I want to be like Jesus!"  Walter was quite disturbed by this turn of events, so the next day he told Milton the cockroach, "I want to be like Jesus".  So Milton the cockroach granted Walter's wish and Walter went back to the mailroom in the basement.

Walter suffered from a terrible disease.  It is one of the more debilitating diseases in all of humanity.  It affects where we live, where we go, and what we do.  It affects personal relationships.  It affects both physical and mental health.  It may seem to be an incurable disease, but in reality, the cure is quite simple.  A person need only choose to be cured.  Sadly, many will not.  Many will continue to be infected by greed.

Perhaps you are familiar with the Bible passage that says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).  The second half of that verse says, “And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows”. This is the disease part.  This is what loving money (or wealth) will do to a person of God.  Like a trap, we become ensnared as it chokes us to death.  We become enslaved.  It cuts us off from God.  This is why Jesus warns His followers to make a choice.  They must choose which master they will serve.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth”[1] (Matthew 6:19-24).

Nowhere does Jesus tell us it is better to be poor than it is to be wealthy.  It is not wrong to possess things.  However, it is wrong for things to possess us.  Allow materialism to work its way into our lives and we become slaves.  It entraps our heart, our mind, and our will.  However, if we want to understand what Jesus was saying here, then we need think beyond the idea of money, which is what comes to mind when we hear the word “wealth”.

Some Bible translations actually use the word mammon at the end of verse 24, which is probably the best word to use.  Mammon literally means, “Where we put our trust”.  It could be anything that becomes a rival for our loyalty to God. [2]  To those listening that day they may have thought cattle, land, or even money.  Today our rival might be prestige, position, power, health, family, or even wealth.  And although the Lord may give these thing to a person – even to the Christian - they become our master when they are what our eyes focus upon.  Our eyes are drawn away from God and toward the things of this world that moth and rust will eventually destroy.  We are driven to accumulate these things.  We work day and night to keep what we have or even gain more.  We are motivated by greed – a disease that saps away our joy, our love, and our peace (Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.[3] – Proverbs 23:4).

This same rivalry can affect a church as well.  Even a church can lose its focus.  Even a church can become more motivated by the things moth and rust will destroy.  The building, the pews, the pulpit, the hymnbooks, the stained glass windows, and the bank account will one day return to dust.  This is why a church must make a choice as well.  A church must choose to labor for that which endures – the eternal soul of men and women and children.

Jesus says that at some point in our life, we will need to make a choice.  We must choose either to become like Walter or to become like Him.  If we choose to become like Walter, we will find ourselves longing for the material things of this world.  We will not deny ourselves anything, especially those things that make us happy.  We will find ourselves living like a person of this world while claiming to be a Christian; in other words, trying to stand in two places at once.

The words Christ spoke here should cause us pause.  They catch us up short with the bold suggestion that in our relationship with God, wealth may be the single biggest competitor in our lives.  People who call themselves Christians need to read verse 24 again and again and ask themselves who they really are serving.

We must make a choice.  We must choose to make Jesus our master.  If we truly desire a closer walk with God then we must stop trying to stand with one foot on the earth and the other in Heaven.  It simply cannot be done.

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[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 6:19–24). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[2] Tyndale Bible Dictionary

[3] Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Pr 23:4). Biblical Studies Press.