Money

You Can’t Serve Two Masters

Message begins around 34:00

You Can’t Serve Two Masters

Dave Riddle - 8/28/22

Key Passage: Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters…”

  • Jesus in Matthew 6:24a

  • “No one” = oudeis (οὐδείς) - not even one

    • Romans 3:10

  • “Can” = dynamai (δύναμαι) - to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom

  • It is impossible!

  • “Serve” = douleuō (δουλεύω) - to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary):—be in bondage, (do) serve(-ice).

  • “Masters” = kyrios (κύριος) - supreme in authority

    • Romans 10:9, Luke 6:46

“…he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.”

  • Jesus in Matthew 6:24b

  • It’s impossible for us to love (agapaō: ἀγαπάω - perfect unconditional love) two supreme masters at once.

    • Compare to Jesus’ comments about the good “single” eye from last week, Matthew 6:22.

“…You cannot serve both God and money.”

  • Jesus in Matthew 6:24c

  • “Money” = mamōnas (μαμωνᾶς) - Mammon - everything we pursue in life. Riches, treasures, dreams, feelings, idols. Everything that isn’t God.

  • Joshua 24:15 - “…choose this day whom you will serve...”

We Can’t, but God Can

Message at 37:30

We Can’t, but God Can

Dave Riddle - 8/7/22

Key Passage: Mark 10:17-31

“Good teacher, what just I do to inherit eternal life?” 

  • Mark 10:17

Jesus’ curious response

  • Jesus tailors his answer for the question asker

  • Mark 10:18

    • Jesus starts by redefining “good”

  • Mark 10:19

    • You know the commandments…

      • He lists five of the six commandments that talk about our relationships with others.

        • He leaves out “do not covet”

    • Jesus knows this man’s heart and sets him up a little bit.

Really!? Wow.

  • Mark 10:20 - “I have kept all these commandments from my youth”

    • He saw himself as a good person.

Jesus being Jesus

  • Mark 10:21

    • Looking at him, Jesus loved him…

      • emblepō: to observe fixedly, or to discern clearly

      • agapaō: divine, unconditional, perfect love

    • “You lack one thing”

      • Sell all you have… and follow me!

        • Take up your cross and follow me.

        • Jesus knew what one thing stood between this man and his ability to surrender to Jesus.

    • Jesus see each of us clearly and sees OUR one thing that stands between us and our ability to surrender to Him.

A Poignant Moment

  • Mark 10:22

    • He was dismayed by this demand and he went away grieving because he had many possessions.

      • Jesus offered him a choice and he chose his own desires over following Jesus.

The Hard Truth

  • Mark 10:23

    • What stands between YOU and a full surrender to following Jesus?

  • Mark 10:24-25

    • The disciples were astonished.

    • It went against their cultural understanding of blessing and favor.

The original question revisited 

  • Jesus’ set up pays off

  • Mark 10:26

    • “Then who can be saved!?”

    • “With people it is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God”

  • Romans 8:3

    • What the law was powerless to do, God did.