Connect Job 31:25 with Matthew 6:24 on serving God versus money. Setting the stage: two voices, one warning Job 31:25 — “if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,” Matthew 6:24 — “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.” From a suffering patriarch in the Old Testament to the Savior on a Galilean hillside, Scripture delivers the same sober truth: wealth is a wonderful tool but a terrible master. Job’s testimony: wealth without worship • Job had vast possessions (Job 1:3), yet he refused to make riches his joy or security (Job 31:24-28). • His self-examination hinges on the phrase “my hand had gained so much.” Job rejects the idea that human effort or accumulation deserves ultimate celebration. • By denying any delight in wealth as wealth, he keeps his heart free for God alone. Jesus’ teaching: the master you choose • “Serve” (douleuō) in Matthew 6:24 means to be owned by a master. No neutrality exists. • Money (mamōnas) personifies wealth as a rival deity. • Loving one master necessarily involves hating—or at least neglecting—the other. Divided loyalty is impossible. Common thread: allegiance of the heart • Both passages evaluate inner delight, not merely external actions. • The issue is not possession but preoccupation. • Joy, trust, and identity must rest in the Lord, never in net worth. Diagnostics: signs that money is becoming a master – Anxiety when finances fluctuate (Matthew 6:25-34) – Reluctance to give generously (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) – Pride in self-made success (Deuteronomy 8:17-18) – Envy of others’ prosperity (Psalm 73:3) Cultivating single-hearted service to God • Acknowledge God as Owner: “The earth is the LORD’s” (Psalm 24:1). • Honor Him first: “Honor the LORD with your wealth” (Proverbs 3:9-10). • Practice regular, cheerful giving (1 Timothy 6:17-19). • Store treasures in heaven, not earth (Matthew 6:19-21). • Celebrate God’s provision, not personal performance (James 1:17). Encouraging examples from Scripture • Abraham: rich in livestock yet eager to tithe (Genesis 13:2; 14:20). • Joseph of Arimathea: wealthy disciple who leveraged resources for Jesus (Matthew 27:57-60). • Early church: believers sold property to meet needs (Acts 4:32-35). Application steps this week 1. Review recent spending and giving; ask, “Which master does this reflect?” 2. Memorize Matthew 6:24 and Job 31:25; recite when tempted to trust money. 3. Identify one tangible act of generosity that stretches faith. 4. Share a testimony of God’s provision with a friend to shift praise from “my hand” to His hand. |
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