Matthew 6:22-24

DAYS 49
Dates: 4-27-25

Spiritual Vision

The Eye is the Lamp of the Body

* Everything with an asterisk and is italicized and purple is my own added words and thoughts and are not part of the actual verse or quote. 

Pray

Read scripture: Matthew 6:22-24
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “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.“ (NIV 1984)

Q: Do you see any connection between these verses today, and last week’s verses? Any “theme?”

A:  For a hint at part of the answer, our book says, on page 86, (Holman Commentary) “We have not departed from the theme of the person’s attitude toward material wealth.” But this is only part of the issue Jesus is dealing with in these verses, including the three verses before our verses today, and all the way to the end of the chapter. (So, we are talking about the main idea of Matthew 6:19-34.)

So – why do I say “part of the answer?” Because our attitude toward material things (wealth, money, possessions, etc.) is only one side of the proverbial coin. The other side of the coin is our attitude toward spiritual things, or, more specifically, our attitude toward God. This is the other side of the coin. Our attitude toward material things and spiritual things are two sides of the very same coin. 

Practical illustration. We often-times think that we can look (with our eyes) at both material things AND spiritual things at the same time, convincing ourselves that it is ok to be looking at both, that WE are ok looking at material things now and then, as long as we also spend some time looking at spiritual things now and then. I think we all do this at times. 

But, let’s go back to our proverbial coin. (Show them a coin.) Look at it. Now try to look at both sides at the same time. Can you do it? NO! You can’t. It is impossible, except by smoke and mirrors (which is a another way of saying, “by deception.”) Even the, with mirrors, I would submit that you can’t really look at both sides at the same time. You can have both sides in your field of vision at the same time. You can be looking toward both sides at the same time. But you really be “looking at” both sides at the same time. You can’t focus on both sides at the same time. You can only focus on one side of the other. You can switch back and forth. But you can really only “focus” on on or the other. 

The same is true if you have a sheet of paper with writing on both sides. You can really only focus on one side or the other. Even in a mirror, you can “see” both sides,” but you can’t focus on both sides. And you certainly, just to drive home the point, can’t read both sides at the same time. You can only read one side or the other. 

The Fox and the Rabbit

This is the same principle that we talked about a few weeks ago; if a fox goes after two rabbits, he won’t catch either one. He must choose one or the other. He must make a choice. 

This is the whole main point of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19-34. 

You must choose between material things and spiritual things.

But please note: We will never fully accomplish this in our lifetimes. We can choose. Then focus. And we can get better and better with practice and determination, as time goes on. The important thing is not that we are perfect right now, but that we are going in the right direction, that we are growing spiritually. This is called the process of sanctification. 

The Apostle Paul talks about this process in Philippians 3:12-14, saying “12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Q: Let’s look at another verse for a clue of what our verses today, as well as this whole section of Matthew 6:19-34 are about. This verse is only eleven words long, but it’s brevity belies it’s depth of commentary on Matthew 6:22-24, it’s fullness and richness of meaning, as well as it’s unparalleled beauty. Jesus is more brilliant than we will EVER be able to comprehend ! The verse is Matthew 5:8. Would someone like to read it?

Matthew 5:8 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (NIV 1984) 
The key word here is ‘PURE.”

How does this beatitude speak to today’s verses?

A: Matthew 5:8 speaks to undivided loyalty. Undistracted attention and devotion. Unfocused energies.
Complete allegiance, as opposed to partial allegiance. 
Choose a rabbit. 
Choose a master and focus. 

Jesus wants our heart. He wants all of it. And do you know what the really cool thing about Jesus is? Eventually, He IS going to get it.
He is not, ultimately, willing to settle for half our heart, or half our loyalties or devotion. He does NOT compromise, and expects the same from us.

Q: Describe partial alliance. What does is look like practically? What is wrong with partial allegiance? What is a double agent? What does a double agent do?

When you need to count on someone, can you count on a double agent?

James 1:5-8 says something very important, and, seemingly a bit harsh: 5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

And Jesus has something even more serious to say about this topic in Revelation 3:14-18. He says, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”

In this passage, Jesus is clearly contrasting material wealth with spiritual wealth. When we die, and go to face judgement, material wealth we be of ABSOLUTELY NO VALUE TO US WHATESOEVER. NONE. When we go to face judgement, the only thing we will have is Jesus, and whatever treasures we have stored up in Heaven. 

Q: The Life Application Bible Commentary New Testament says about these verses today, that Jesus is describing the “spiritual vision” his disciples should have.

What do you think “spiritual vision” is?

A: (Life Application Bible Commentary New Testament) Proper spiritual vision requires us to 
(1) see (focus on, look at intently) clearly what God wants us to do 
(2) and to see the world from His point of view.

Q: What does vs 22 say and mean?

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy (Greek = ‘generous’), your whole body will be full of light.”

A: ____________ (fill in the blank)

Q: What do you think Jesus means by healthy eyes?

A:  Good eyes focused on God

Q: What do you think Jesus means by “your whole body will be full of light.“?

A: ____________ (fill in the blank)

CHALLANGE QUESTION(s):

What are we letting in thru our eyes (and ears)?
Good things?
Godly things?
Things that re-enforce and bolster our faith! Things that encourage our walk?
Things that strengthen our hearts and our resolve to do what is right in the Lords eyes?
Or, are we letting in junk? Worldly propaganda? Lies from Satan, cleverly disguised as conventional wisdom or political correctness?

Q: What does vs 23 say and mean?

“But if your eyes are unhealthy (Greek = ‘stingy’), your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

A: (Life Application Bible Commentary New Testament) “Bad” eyes represent materialism, greed, and covetousness.”

Q: What does vs 24 say and mean?

“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.“

A: Jesus said earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the PURE in heart (vs 5:8)” This concept of being “Pure” in heart stands in stark contrast to a divided heart, or divided loyalties. 

Divided loyalty is not acceptable to either Jesus or the Father. Splitting your loyalty between two masters does not work, and can only end in failure.

You must choose one or the other. Pick a rabbit (see a lesson from about three weeks ago.)

You must choose your camp. God’s or Satan’s. There is no middle ground.

Going back to Revelation 3, Jesus is making it very clear divided loyalties are not acceptable to Him. Do you all remember a few months ago we talked about the TWO CAMPS. That there is only heaven or hell. Good or bad. Good or evil. There is no middle ground. You can’t be lukewarm. You can’t ride the fence. You need to pick a side and fully commit to that side. 

The following is copied from Lesson 25 on Matthew 5:8 – “The Pure in Heart.” (That whole lesson is up on our class website at 

https://adultsundayschool.org/matthew-58/ . I would strongly suggest going back and reading it!)

James says in 1:7 that a double-minded man is UNSTABLE in all he does, and that a double-minded person should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. That is serious! If we are double-minded, we will have split allegiances and split loyalties between good and evil, between right and wrong. Remember, there is no “middle ground. There are only Two Camps. God’s. And Satan’s. If we ride the fence between the Two Camps, we will have “impurities” in our thinking. We will have a foot on each side of the proverbial line drawn in the sand. We will not really be settled and firm in our conviction for God. We will not have made a definite stand for Jesus. We need to decide one way, or the other. We cannot be double-minded. And I think that what James says about being double-minded, or divided in our minds, also speaks to not being divided in our hearts, or not being, “double-hearted. 

Just as James is saying we need to be “single-minded, Jesus is saying we need to be “single-hearted.” Or “pure in heart.“

 Our hearts and our minds are very closely connected. 

Let me borrow language from James. If we are “double-hearted” we will be split. We will be pulled back and forth between the things of this world, and the things of God between. Our hearts will be divided between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of light. We need to make a decision in our hearts – are we in or out. We need to choose a camp. We cannot drift back and forth between the Two Camps. We have to pick one or the other and stake a stand. We need to decide once and for all where we are going to plant our flag. Settle it, and stick with it. (From Lesson 25)

Q: How do we apply this passage?

A: ____________ (fill in the blank)

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NEXT WEEK:

DO NOT WORRY!

Matthew 6:25-32

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Notes:

* Everything with an asterisk and is italicized and purple is my own added words and thoughts and are not part of the actual verse or quote.