2006-01-29 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church

Matthew 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon is treasure, or riches, and there are only two kinds of riches: righteous and unrighteous. In the verses before this, Jesus explained that our hearts are with our treasures.  Our hearts follow our riches, and He commanded us to lay up for ourselves righteous mammon, treasures in heaven.  He commanded us, but ultimately, He gives us the final choice.

1 Timothy 6:9-10

But they that will be rich (Those who desire to be wealthy, those whose heart is seeking after the unrighteous mammon) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Unrighteous mammon (money) is not the root of all evil, but the love of it is.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate (share their treasure); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Luke 16:13 is the other place where Jesus says, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  In that chapter, He teaches that whether we know it or not, we’re only stewards of what the Lord has made, and if we can’t be faithful with what He puts us in charge of, why should we expect Him to give us anything of our own?  If our hearts are in the wrong place (toward the unrighteous, worldly mammon), then we shouldn’t expect to receive the true mammon.  Jesus drew a line that can only be crossed; it can’t be straddled.  There’s no ‘middle ground’ in this matter.  We are either covetous toward worldly things, or we’re not.  The Proverb asks us why….?

Proverbs 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

No matter what unrighteous mammon we’ve built up, or whatever our bank accounts say, it could all fly away today, never to be seen again.  In Colossians 3:5, we’re told that covetousness is idolatry.  Can more money make me happy?  Sure it can, and that’s why I want it, right?  We all want happiness. Hasn’t our Creator endowed us with certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

Psalm 62:5-12

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.  Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.  Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.  God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.  Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Thanks be to God that we can choose to pursue happiness, the fleeting things we covet for and chase after, but always fail to maintain happiness in the long run.  Small is the reward in the pursuit of unrighteous mammon.  Great is the trust, the joy, and the hope found in the Rock that never moves; The Rock that we find, and need not pursue, because He will never run from us.  The Rock that is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.