One Foot in the Kingdom
Text—Matt. 6: 24
Introduction: Sunday Suit
A. People see religion as a set of clothes.
1. Put on their religion Sunday morning
2. Leave it on all day
3. Take it off Sunday evening.
4. Put on the World, Monday-Friday
5. No one out side the church building knows.
B. What does the bible say?
1. Matt. 6: 24
2. Rev. 2: 10
A. Giving of Alms—vs. 2-4
1. Definition of Alms
2. Pharisees—vs. 2-3
a. Announcement of Pharisee’s arrival
b. Trumpeter, Herald, Purse holder
c. Gives alms, to be seen of men
3. Rich Young Ruler—Matt. 19: 16-22
a. Did all that was commanded
b. Felt incomplete—vs. 20-21 (Alms)
c. Sorrowful—vs. 22
4. Giving to Charity
a. Telethon
b. Company donates amount
c. Large check with total written
d. To be seen of Men
5. The Christian—vs. 4
a. Give anonymously
b. Give of yourself first—2 Cor. 8: 5
B. Prayer—vs. 5-15
1. The Pharisees—vs. 5, 7
a. The Pharisee and the Publican—Lk. 18: 10-14
i. His prayer—vs. 11-12
ii. Arrogance, to be seen of men
iii. Publican, ashamed—vs. 13
2. The Model Prayer—vs. 9-13
a. Not to actually pray this, but like this—vs. 9a
b. Kingdom is already here—vs. 10
c. Daily Bread—vs. 11
i. Some say you can’t pray for physical needs
ii. “Daily bread” same as scripture
iii. Jesus is the Bread of Life—Jn. 6: 35
iv. Pray for physical as well as spiritual.
v. Wants vs. Needs
d. Debts, Sins, Trespasses = same thing
i. Ask for forgiveness of yours and others
ii. God is there, vs. 14-15
e. Away from temptation and the devil
i. We repent, help us to stay away.
ii. Jas. 4: 7
3. The Christian—vs. 6
a. In private
b. Restaurant w/friends
i. Don’t draw attention
ii. Short and simple
C. Fasting—vs. 16-17
1. The Pharisees—vs. 16
a. “He’s suffering for the Lord.”
b. Admiration of fasting
c. To be seen of men
2. The Christian—vs. 17
a. Appear as you always have.
b. Fasting not practiced today.
c. Putting Spiritual needs ahead of Fleshly
i. Paul & Thorn—2 Cor. 12: 7-10
ii. Disciples in Garden—Matt. 26: 40-41
iii. Jesus put God’s needs first—Matt. 26: 42
A. Televangelists and treasure
1.
Joel Osteen
God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.
It's God's will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. It's God's will for you to pay your bills and not be in debt.
2. Benny Hinn
"When you don't give money, it shows that you have the devil's nature."--Benny Hinn (Praise-a-thon TBN April 21, 1991)
"Years ago they used to preach, 'O we are going to walk on streets of gold.' I would say, 'I don't need the gold up there. I've got to have it down here."–Benny Hinn (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, 2nd April 1991 )
3. Rod Parsley
"I just love to talk about your money. Let me be very clear -- I want your money. I deserve it. This church deserves it." Rod Parsley (An Empire of Souls, pg. 35)
4. Fredrick Price
(the) "apostles were businessmen they were rich men had plenty of money, I'm going to show you that Jesus was a wealthy man had plenty of money and see all of that completely foreign to us from a traditional point of view." "Jesus and the disciples were rich, only rich people could take off for 3.5 years." Fredrick K.C. Price (Ever Increasing Faith, TBN November 23, 1990)
B. What does the bible say?
1. Paul to Timothy—1 Tim. 6: 10
2. Be content—
a. Heb. 13: 5, “Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.”
b. Matt. 16: 26, “For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?”
C. Treasure in Heaven—Matt. 6: 20-21
1. Doing God’s Will—Matt. 7: 21
2. Becoming a child of God
a. Hear and obey—Rom. 10: 17
b. Believe—Mk. 16:16
c. Confess—Rom. 10: 9-10
d. Repent—Acts 2: 38
e. Baptism—Acts 2: 38; Mk. 16:16
f. Live faithfully—Rev. 2: 10c
3. Edify the brethren—1 Thess. 5: 10-12
4. Teach the lost—Matt. 28: 18
5. Care for widows and orphans—Jas. 1: 27
6. Crown in Heaven—2 Tim. 4: 8
III. Singular Mind—Matt. 6: 22-23
A. Set your mind—Col. 3: 1-2
B. Not the World—1 Jn. 2: 15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
C. Speak as Oracles—1 Pet. 4: 11
D. A Warning—Jas. 3: 9-12
Conclusion
Haggai 2: 11-14
Which Master do you serve? Matt. 6: 24