Matthew 6:16-21, Luke 12:33-34 (On Fasting) (On Treasures)

Rachel Workman:

Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
(On Fasting) 16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (On Treasures) 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Verse 21 stands out to me. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be. The things of this earth are temporary but I sure am collecting things like I'll have them forever. I have a lot of treasures and it looks like I need to reevaluate my desires and my heart.	(On Treasures) 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

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Mike Grimm: 

Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
(On Fasting) 16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. Jesus commended acts of self-sacrifice done quietly and sincerely. He wanted people to adopt spiritual disciplines for the right reasons, not from a selfish desire for praise. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Jesus was saying “Go about your normal daily routine when you fast. Don’t make a show of it.” 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (On Treasures) 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Storing up treasures in heaven is not limited to tithing but is accomplished by all acts of obedience to God. Our intention should be to seek the fulfillment of God’s purposes in all we do, not merely what we do with our money.  21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.	(On Treasures) 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God’s purposes, not how much we can accumulate for ourselves. If our financial goals and possessions hinder us from giving generously, loving others, or serving God, we may want to sell what we need to in order to bring our life into perspective. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. If you concentrate your money in your business, your thoughts will center on making the business profitable. If you direct it toward other people, you will become concerned with their welfare. We need to think about how we can change the way we use our resources in order to reflect kingdom values more accurately.