VALUE SYSTEMS

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

Luke 16:13-15

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

How often does money drive and dictate what people do today?

I think it’s a fair question to look at it our present day society because the answer could present insight into one’s value system or, even more specifically, what one values the most in life.

If a person is driven by wealth and the accumulation of possessions it can bring, then that person’s value system would be dictated by their things of value.

Conversely, if a person did not allow money to define their life or dictate their sense of happiness then their value system would hinge on something else that was near and dear to heart.

Indeed, I don’t think anyone would argue that there are many competing value systems in play today.

Well, this matter of value systems is not something that is merely a present day phenomenon. For as we continue to look at the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus addressing this very subject as we continues to offer teaching and direction to those listening, those we know included His disciples and the Pharisees. Look again at His words here:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”  Luke 16:13-15

Note here that Jesus delineates clearly between two value systems, one based on money and the other God, His Father and ours. These two systems are separate and distinct from one another. There is no hybrid value system that would include a love of both God and money. Rather, one has to make a choice as to who they will serve, or in other words, who they will value more in their life, God or money.

This wasn’t the first time Jesus made this particular statement. It actually was a restating of a fundamental teaching He gave during His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:24), a teaching that was prefaced with the following verses:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Here we see another variation on the two value systems outlined earlier. A person has to make a choice as to whether they will value most, treasures on earth or treasures in heaven, a choice between earthly prosperity or heavenly affluence, a choice between money or God.

One can’t have it both ways.

So how would the Lord know which option we have selected? How will He know if we have decided to serve Him or money?

The answer is simple. He only needs to look at our hearts for it’s there that our true value system will be revealed.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This verse sheds understanding on the value system each of us embrace and how the Lord discovers it. As He looks into one’s heart, He’s going to know what that person treasures. If that person treasures God, then their heart will be fully in Him. If that person’s heart reveals any other treasure, then they have chosen to embrace the treasures of earth over the One who offers the treasures of heaven.

Going back to our scripture passage for today, this was the problem we find in the Pharisees.

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.

As in many other instances we have seen, they were unable to see the wrongs of their ways, and in this case, unwilling to see that their value system was misplaced. And so instead of embracing what Jesus was trying to teach them, they decided to reject Him, validating Jesus’ words:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The Pharisees, the ones who were supposed to be authorities on God, the ones who should have been living in a way that respected God the most, chose to love money more than their Maker. And subsequently, their riches became their master.

Friends, today our Lord Jesus is imparting important teaching on us, teaching that has eternal implications. He is asking us to self examine ourselves and honestly answer the following question:

“What is it that you treasure most in life?”

Your answer will tell you where your heart is invested, where your value system is grounded. It will disclose whether your heart is rooted in the things of the world or in God and the Son He sent to save you, the Son who offered you the greatest treasure anyone could ever receive, the treasure of everlasting life.

And there is nothing that could be of any greater value than that.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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