Author: drthomasclothier

²⁶ “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:26-27 ESV)

“At one level, worry is simply a human folly, roughly on the order of eating or drinking in excess, or staying up too late at night. Like over indulgence, worry is a self-destructive state we think we should be able to control,” explains commentator Daniel M Doriani.

In addressing the subject of worry, Jesus illustrated His previous admonition to not be anxious, found in Matthew 6:25, by commanding His listeners to look at the birds of the air.

Jesus pointed to an undeniable truth. Birds neither sow nor reap like a farmer. They neither gather grain into barns. They do not do anything that provides them food or shelter. Therefore, how do they survive?

Jesus’ answer is succinct. He said, “your heavenly Father feeds them.” How profound and how observably evident. Each time we see a bird plucking the ground or sitting in an abundant fruit tree, we should acknowledge God the Father’s providential care for them. At the same time, God is reminding each of us of His providential care on our behalf.

Jesus then posed this rhetorical question; to His audience then and now. He asked, “Are you not of more value than they?” The obvious answer is yes, we are. Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater. God will certainly care for us as He cares for the birds.

“The whole earth bears witness to God’s love, if we let faith guide our sight. Birds work hard at times, but they put forth no properly organized effort. They are not farmers.  They neither sow nor harvest not store food, yet they avoid starvation. Like birds, we enjoy God’s providence. Yet we are more valuable than birds. Confident of his providence, we should seek him and his kingdom,” adds Doriani.

Jesus then concluded this section with this caveat. He said, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” The answer is obvious; no one.

Take time today to list, mentally or otherwise, how faithfully God provides for your needs. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25 (ESV)

In the immediate aftermath of teaching His disciples, among others, about not treasuring earthly treasures, Jesus addressed the subject of anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Two of the most common objects of worry for people has always been health and wealth; or the lack thereof.

“Having told us not to store up earthly treasures (Matt. 6:19–24), in today’s passage Jesus anticipates an objection to His teaching. Sure, some may think, it is easy to tell us not to pursue earthly treasures, but we need money and other goods to meet our needs. Will we not worry if we do not go after such treasures? After all, how will we afford to eat, buy clothes, and so on without money,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Jesus invoked His own authority when He declared, “Therefore I tell you.” He then said, “Do not be anxious about your life.” The phrase do not be anxious (μεριμνάω; merimnao) is a present active imperative command from the Lord. Therefore, it is a command that we must obey. It means to not be concerned.

About what are believers in Christ to not be concerned? Jesus said to not be concerned about your life. Life (ψυχή; psyche) refers to the intellect, emotions and will of an individual. Jesus taught that we should not be worried in our thinking, feelings and decisions.

Jesus then spoke about what people normally think, feel and choose with anxiety. It involves what we will eat, drink, and what clothing we will wear. Things have not changed in 2,000 years.

Jesus taught that our thoughts, emotions and decision should not be driven by worry about what we will eat, drink and wear. He concluded that life should be more than the food we consume and the clothes we wear.

“Our Savior’s answer to this unstated problem is simple: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on” (v. 25a). In the examples that follow, Jesus shows us why we need not fret about such things. But before we get into these reasons, note that Christ is not here commending a lackadaisical approach to life in which we expect everything to fall into our laps. Nor does His teaching release us from the duty to feed our families. Scripture is clear that we should be industrious, just like the ants (Prov. 6:6–11), and that anyone who does not provide for his family is worse than the unbeliever who does (1 Tim. 5:8). Even so, toiling away out of fear for the future is not the same thing as God-glorifying labor,” concludes Dr. Sproul.  

Obedience to Jesus’ command will be followed by logical reasons for such obedience. I encourage you to read Matthew 6:26-34. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!   

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.” (Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

The gospel song Gotta Serve Somebody was written by Bob Dylan and appears on The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan tribute album. It was one of several compositions written by Dylan from 1979-1981. The song’s chorus is as follows.

But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re going to have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody.

Dylan lyrics echo Jesus Christ’s teaching in His Sermon On The Mount that is contained in today’s text. Jesus emphatically stated that “No one can serve two masters.”

The phrase No one (οὐδείς; oudeis) is a universal negative statement. It refers to a particular class of people. In this case, everybody. No one can (δύναμαι; dynamai) means that no one is able, or has the ability, to do something. What is it that no one can do?

No one can serve two masters. The word master (κύριος; kyrios) refers to a lord, owner or ruler. It means an individual who owns an estate and the slaves who work the estate. There is no feasible way possible for a slave belonging to one owner to serve another owner. It cannot happen.

Jesus explained that in seeking to serve and please two masters that several results are bound to occur. First, the slave will either love the one or hate the other. Second, the slave will be devoted (ἀντέχω; antecho) or cling to one and despise (καταφρονέω; kataphroneo) or look down on and scorn the other.

Jesus then brought the doctrine to a particular application; given the historical context of His audience, which included the Pharisees. It is impossible to serve and be loyal to the Lord while at the same time seeking to serve and be loyal to someone, or something else. In this particular context, the other object of servitude was money.

“His (Jesus’) point is that we must serve the Father alone, Christ tells us we “cannot serve God and money” (v. 24). If we try to follow both, we can do justice to neither. In fact, if we try to serve both, we are not serving God at all,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.   

Are you conflicted in trying to serve two masters? How long have you tried? Resolve today, and in the days to come, to completely commit to serve the Lord preeminently. When doing so, everything else in life is in its proper place and priority.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!   

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, ²³ but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22–23 (ESV)

The metaphor Jesus used of the eye and the body builds upon the previous context of Matthew 6:19-21. Observantly, Jesus used several plays on words to convey a deep meaning and understanding concerning the subject of treasuring treasures.  

The eye provides an individual vision in which to see where to go and what objects to avoid. Therefore, the eye provides health and well-being for the entire physical body.

However, if an individual’s vision is bad, or there is blindness, it also affects the entire body. In the ancient world, blindness often resulted in begging as the only means of financial support or income if an individual had no family.  

“The Pharisees had this problem because their spiritual eyes were diseased (Matt. 6:22). With their eyes they were coveting money and wealth. Thus they were in spiritual darkness. They were slaves to the master of greed, and their desire for money was so great they were failing in their service to their true Master, God,” explains Dr. John Walvoord.

“Our Savior’s warning against the love of money brackets His teaching on good eyes and bad ones (Matt. 6:22–23). This shows us that an unhealthy eye, one full of darkness, is a metaphor for an attitude of greed and covetousness. In fact, in Jesus’ day, the rabbis described those who love money more than God as those with bad eyes. A healthy eye would then refer to one who is generous with his resources. Such persons reflect the Lord’s own generosity and have light. By the Holy Spirit they see rightly and follow the straight path of righteousness,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

How is your spiritual vision today? What issues of life threaten to blur or darken your vision of the Lord’s glory? Have your vision checked by the Word of God. Scripture provides a prescription for healthy and clear eyes.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21 ESV)

The context of today’s text not only challenges believers in Christ to not treasure treasures on earth but rather to treasure treasures in heaven. Jesus’ similar statement is also a present active command to His disciples. In contrast to earthly treasures, treasures in heaven are not susceptible to decay or thievery. In other words, treasures in heaven are secure for the believer in Christ.  

“Don’t miss this utterly radical point. It’s the way Jesus thinks and talks all the time. Being heavenly-minded makes a radically loving difference in this world. The people who are most powerfully persuaded that what matters is treasure in heaven, not big accumulations of money here, are the people who will constantly dream of ways to simplify and serve, simplify and serve, simplify and serve. They will give and give and give. And of course, they will work and work and work, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:28: “so that [they] may have something to share with anyone in need,” states Pastor John Piper.

“The connection with worship — in life and on Sundays — is this: Jesus commands us to accumulate treasure in heaven, that is, to maximize our joy in God. He says that the way to do this is to sell and simplify for the sake of others. So He motivates simplicity and service by our desire to maximize our joy in God, which means that all of our use of money becomes a manifestation of how much we delight in God above money and things. And that is worship.”

This is particularly tough concept for many American Christians to consider; let alone practice. There is a strong emphasis for gain and accumulation by many church leaders. In other words, many stress having your best life now by accumulating all the things that money can buy. According to today’s text, we must do all we can to push back against the cultural and worldly norm of materialism.

The treasure you treasure will be conspicuous in your life. It is not sinful to have possessions such a house, car, or clothes. However, it is sinful when these possession possess you and become your purpose for living.

“The “worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word,” Jesus warned (Matt. 13:22). Didn’t Jesus say something about the futility of trying to serve God and mammon? Didn’t Jesus say something about the futility of laying up treasures on earth rather than in heaven? Didn’t Jesus say where our treasure was, there would our hearts be also (Matt. 6:19–24)? Some who “long for it,” for money, the apostle says, “have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10),” explains Pastor Terry Johnson. .

May each of us take to heart what Jesus taught. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19–20 ESV)

Do not lay up (θησαυρίζω; theaurizo) is a present active command from God. It means to store up or save up (Luke 12:21; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 12:14; James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:7). In other words, Jesus said “do not treasure.”

What is it that disciples of Jesus Christ are not to treasure? Jesus said “do not treasure treasures (θησαυρός; thesaurus). Jesus used both the verb and noun form of the word. The Greek word thesaurus is where we derive the English word Thesaurus; a reference book, or treasury, of English synonyms.  

The treasures Jesus had in mind belonged to our earthly existence. They are the treasures belonging exclusively to this life on earth. These would include, but not limited to the following: money, possessions, cars, clothes, houses, land and investments. Jesus did not say that possessions were wrong, but to treasure them and to live for them is; because it is a form of idolatry.

The reason to not treasure earthly treasures is two-fold. They decay and they can be stolen. Decay involves consuming insects that eat clothing (βρῶσις; brosis). They destroy (ἀφανίζω; aphanizo) meaning to rust, tarnish and corrode. Treasures can also be stolen by thieves who break into one’s home and take what does not belong to them. Smash and grab is not just a 21^st century social problem.

The primary reason to not treasure earthly treasures is because they detract from an exclusive worship of God. It can occur subtly over a period of time but what we possess can slowly begin to possess us and become a god. This violates the first commandment (Ex. 20:

“The inner essence of worship is treasuring Jesus as infinitely valuable above everything. The outer forms of worship are the acts that show how much we treasure God. Therefore, all of life is meant to be worship because God said whether you eat or drink or whatever you do — all of life — do it all to show how valuable the glory of God is to you (1 Cor. 10:31),” explains Pastor John Piper.

“Money and possessions are a big part of life, and therefore God intends them to be a big part of worship. So the way we worship with our money and our possessions is to get them and use them and lose them in a way that shows how much we treasure Jesus, not money.”

Have a blessed day in the Lord. May each of us as believers strive to love the Lord and people and use things rather than love things and use the Lord and people. It makes a difference.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19–20 ESV)

“The point is, ladies and gentlemen, greed is good. Greed works, greed is right. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all its forms, greed for life, money, love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind — and greed, mark my words — will save not only Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA…Thank you.” — Gordon Gekko (Wall Street, 1987)

“Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve.”

“What idol has displace you?” he rejoined.

“A golden one”

This is the even-handed dealing of the world,” he said. “There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with severity as the pursuit of wealth!”

“You fear the world too much,” she answered, gently. “All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain,    engrosses you. Have I not?”

“What then?” he retorted. “Even if I have grown so much wiser, what then? I am not changed toward you.”

She shook her head.

“Am I?”

“Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“This deadly plague reigns everywhere throughout the world. Men are grown mad with an insatiable desire of gain.” – John Calvin

⁶ “But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:6–10 ESV)

Much has been written and spoken concerning wealth; not only in secular, but also in sacred writings. What is the biblical perspective concerning the pursuit of material prosperity? For the next several days our study will concern Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 6 on wealth, and anxiety about the lack thereof.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁶ “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16–18 ESV)

“When the heart and mind are deeply exercised upon a serious subject, especially one of a solemn or sorrowful kind, there is a disinclination for the partaking of food. Abstinence therefrom is a natural expression of our unworthiness, of our sense of the comparative worthlessness of earthly things, and our desire to fix our attention upon things above. Fasting, whether total or partial, seems to have been connected with seasons of peculiarly solemn devotion in all ages.”  — A.W. Pink

“It is pleasing to God, only so far as it is directed to another object: to train us to abstinence, to subdue the lust of the flesh, to excite us to earnestness in prayer, and to testify our repentance when we are affected by the view of the tribunal of God.”  — John Calvin

“I have been in that old church in New England where Jonathan Edwards preached his great sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” He had a little manuscript which he held up so close to his face that they couldn’t see his countenance. He went on and on. The people in the crowded church were tremendously moved. One man sprang to his feet, rushed down the center aisle and cried, “Mr. Edwards, have mercy!” For three days Edwards had not eaten a mouthful of food; for three nights, he had not closed his eyes in sleep. Over and over again he had been saying to God, “Give me New England! Give me New England!” and when he arose from his knees and made his way into the pulpit, they say he looked as if he had been gazing straight into the face of God. They say that before he opened his lips to speak, conviction fell upon his audience.”  — J. Wilbur Chapman

“Scripture records how people fasted to seek God in an intense way, most often conjoined with prolonged prayer, and that fasting was, far from being a mark of empty outward practice, supposed to mark true mourning over loss, true repentance over sin, or true humility in seeking God (Ps. 69:9–12; Is. 58:1–14; Jer. 36:1–9; Jl. 1:13–16; Jl. 2:12–16).” – Harrison Perkins

Soli deo Gloria!  

¹⁶ “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16–18 ESV)

Jesus spoke in His Sermon on the Mount on three indispensable disciplines for His disciples. These include good works, prayer and thirdly, fasting. What exactly is fasting? What does it mean to fast?

To fast (νηστεύω; nesteuo) literally means to go without food (Matt. 4:2; 6:16, 17; 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; 18:12; Acts 10:30; 13:2). “Fasting is eating sparingly or abstaining from food altogether, either from necessity or desire. In medical terms, fasting is the detoxification of the body through the restriction of food,” The Tyndale Bible Dictionary explains.

Notice that Jesus said, “And when you fast.”  It was never a question of “if” a believer in Christ fasts. It is only a question of when, or how. While Jesus did not specify the “when” of fasting, He did speak about “how” to fast.

“Let me say something on fasting because many, for want of knowing its usefulness undervalue it necessity, and some reject it as altogether superfluous. While on the other hand, where the use of it is not well understood, it easily degenerates in superstition,” states John Calvin.

“Upon this matter the passing of the centuries has produces little or no improvement, for the very conditions which confronted this eminent reformer (John Calvin) prevail extensively today. If on the one side Romanists have perverted a means unto an end, and have exalted what is exceptional to a principle part of their religious worship, Protestants have gone to the opposite extreme; allowing what was practiced by primitive Christians to sink into general disuse,” explains commentator A. W. Pink.

Jesus said that His disciples should not hypocritically fast, but they should fast. We should not look gloomy or sad, and disfigure our faces. Fasting should not be done in order to be seen by other people. As with good works and prayer, we should secretly fast. No one, but the Lord and other limited exceptions, should know that we are fasting. Fasting concerns having a greater intimacy with the Lord and not for personal praise from other people.

Jesus said that when we fast we should do so in manner that other people do not realize that we are fasting. There should be no disfigurement of our faces and we should be freshly groomed. This way our fasting is not for the purpose of others seeing us fast, but only the heavenly Father. It is this type of disciplined fasting that honors God and that He will honor in response.  

Consider participating in a biblical fast. Involved in this period of time is Bible reading, study, worship and prayer. It is wise to find a secluded place of solitude for your fast. This removes potential, but otherwise appropriate, activities. Have a blessed day, and if applicable to you, a blessed fast.

Soli deo Gloria!