5. Matthew 6:24: Jesus on money teaches us that we all have a master and so need to choose the right one.

This is the fifth post that I will be undertaking over the next 2 weeks in which we will be looking at everything (pretty much!) Jesus said about money in the gospels. In order to do this I will be putting up two posts each day. This is coinciding with a 2-week preaching series that we going through at Community Church Putney- Jesus On Giving.

If you were a slave it was impossible to have two masters. A slave’s time and strength belonged to someone else; it would be absurd to think of obeying two masters!

Every human being is created to serve God alone. For the Christian this is especially true, having been ‘bought’ by God,

'For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’ (1 Peter 1:18)

We were slaves but have been ‘ redeemed’- bought from slavery! This redemption does not mean independent freedom; we have been redeemed to be Jesus’ slave, He is our loving master and we are His willing servants. 

Jesus on money taught,

“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." (Matthew 6:24)

Our master gives us lots of freedom. He wants us to serve Him entirely but willingly; He wants us to serve Him not only with our hands, but with our heart and head; He wants us to employ our gifts, skills and wealth to advance His glory and Kingdom.

However, there is the danger that our hearts are turned to a different master, to money!  The money we make, we speculate, could be used for my… and my… and my… Money becomes master and Jesus becomes something else. And, as Jesus has told us, any master who is not treated as your only lord is despised!

Take a moment to ask God to search you: is Jesus your only lord? Do you seek to serve, obey and love Him entirely? Specifically, Is your money subservient to Him?