In this message we come to the fifth section of the King’s decree, 6:19-34, which concerns the dealing of the kingdom people with riches.
In verses 19 and 20 the King decrees that the kingdom people should not lay up for themselves treasures on earth, but treasures in heaven. To lay up treasures in heaven is to give material things to the poor (19:21) and to care for the needy saints (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35; 11:29; Rom. 15:26) and for the Lord’s servants (Phil. 4:16-17).
Verse 21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The kingdom people must send their treasure to heaven so that their heart can also be in heaven. Before they go there, their treasure and their heart must go there first.
Verse 22 says, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is single, your whole body will be illuminated.” Our eyes can focus on only one thing at a time. If we endeavor to see two things at once, our sight will be blurred. If we focus our eyes on one thing, our sight will be single, and our whole body will be illuminated. If we lay up our treasure both in heaven and on earth, our sight will be blurred. If we would have single sight, we must lay up our treasure in one place.
Verse 24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The word mammon is an Aramaic word signifying wealth, riches. Here mammon, standing in opposition to God, indicates that wealth or riches is the opponent of God, robbing God’s people of their service to Him.
Verse 25 says, “Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious about your life, what you should eat and what you should drink; nor for your body, what you should put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than clothing?” In this verse the Lord tells us not to be anxious about our life. The Greek word translated “life” here is soul, in which is the desire, the appetite, for food and clothing (Isa. 29:8). Our life is more than food, and our body is more than clothing. Both our life and our body came into existence by God, not by our anxiety. Since God has created us with a life and a body, surely He will care for their needs. The kingdom people do not need to be anxious about these things.