Text: Matthew 6:19-24 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
We have gone from giving, praying, and fasting, to Jesus talking about the Kingdom and treasures. In this passage, Jesus challenges us with the question, “Where is your treasure?” He then helps us find the answer by giving four tests. Hang in there with me, don’t tune me out because of the topic – after all, it is Jesus who is speaking – not me.
The first test that Jesus gives us in Matthew 6: 19 -20 can be called the Durability Test. The second test that Jesus gives – the Heart Test is in Matthew 6:21 The third test, the one we are looking at today is in Matthew 6:22-23 – ““The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” We can call this the Mind Test.
The third test Jesus gives asks of us the question, “Where is your focus?” The eye has often been associated as a symbol for the mind.
Jesus is saying that there are only two possible ways to look at things. If our minds focus only on things down here, we’ll be full of darkness. If our mind is constantly concerned with the physical world, we will stop thinking about the eternal spiritual world that belongs to us. We focus on the darkness of this evil world and stop looking forward to the Heavenly rewards and joy set before us. The natural eye focuses on our physical existence but the spiritual eye locks into what really matters.
When money becomes our #1 obsession, it can put blinders on our eyes and ruin our spiritual life. However, if our thoughts are filled with how we can deposit treasures in heaven, our bodies will be full of light.
Are you seeing the light of God, or the
darkness of the world today? Where is your focus in life?
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