THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS: THE PRINCIPLE TO LIFE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Weightier Matters
Matthew 23:23
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Luke 11:42
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
a) These verses are centered around something that Jesus said to the religious leaders of his community.
2. The Principle To Life
a) We ought to be able to apply this principle to life, because we already use it in our everyday affairs.
b) For example, suppose you are going downtown and your list of things to do includes paying an overdue electricity bill, collecting a prescription for a sick child, returning a library book, and buying chocolate ice cream for your teenage son because you've run out and he won't eat the strawberry you've got in the fridge.
c) Each item is important, but some items are weightier matters. Having bought the ice cream and returned the library book, you wouldn't think that you've done the main things and that's good enough. You wouldn't just go home and neglect the medicine and the overdue bill. There are a few people who don't have the capacity to weigh up and prioritize matters. But most people do it as a matter of course.
i) Application to life at large
@1. Well we just have to do the same thing in the bigger picture of life, and run our whole lives before God in much the same way we would run our errands downtown. The only difference is that we measure the weight of each matter as God weighs it, not as we see it ourselves.
@2. This will determine how we spend our time and money, where we go, what activities we engage in, who we associate with, how we treat people, and many other aspects of our lives.
@3. It will make us diligent about our jobs (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Colossians 3:23) yet not neglectful of family care (Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5). Nor, as a general rule, will we let these things, as important as they are, outweigh our attendance at the assemblies for worship and our personal devotion to God's word (Hebrews 10:23-27, Acts 2:42, 46).
ii) Weighing up, not weighed down
@1. We are not talking about cramming lots of stuff into our days and loading ourselves up with more and more burdens. We are talking about giving the right weight in our hearts to various matters according to God's word. This will balance our lives, not over burden them.
@2. We are not talking here about time management or money management, but about heart management. Weighing life's priorities by God's word ensures that you, in your unique circumstances, will give the right priority and direction to every matter that you have to deal with in your life.
@3. Let the Bible teach you where each matter fits into the scheme of things, and what is its due order. Align your own heart to this order, instead of listening to the voices of the world. You will find that your life gradually changes into the kind of life you are supposed to live. You will no longer have a "weight problem".
The End ...
1. The Weightier MattersMatthew 23:23
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Luke 11:42
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
a) These verses are centered around something that Jesus said to the religious leaders of his community.
2. The Principle To Life
a) We ought to be able to apply this principle to life, because we already use it in our everyday affairs.
b) For example, suppose you are going downtown and your list of things to do includes paying an overdue electricity bill, collecting a prescription for a sick child, returning a library book, and buying chocolate ice cream for your teenage son because you've run out and he won't eat the strawberry you've got in the fridge.
c) Each item is important, but some items are weightier matters. Having bought the ice cream and returned the library book, you wouldn't think that you've done the main things and that's good enough. You wouldn't just go home and neglect the medicine and the overdue bill. There are a few people who don't have the capacity to weigh up and prioritize matters. But most people do it as a matter of course.
i) Application to life at large
@1. Well we just have to do the same thing in the bigger picture of life, and run our whole lives before God in much the same way we would run our errands downtown. The only difference is that we measure the weight of each matter as God weighs it, not as we see it ourselves.
@2. This will determine how we spend our time and money, where we go, what activities we engage in, who we associate with, how we treat people, and many other aspects of our lives.
@3. It will make us diligent about our jobs (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Colossians 3:23) yet not neglectful of family care (Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5). Nor, as a general rule, will we let these things, as important as they are, outweigh our attendance at the assemblies for worship and our personal devotion to God's word (Hebrews 10:23-27, Acts 2:42, 46).
ii) Weighing up, not weighed down
@1. We are not talking about cramming lots of stuff into our days and loading ourselves up with more and more burdens. We are talking about giving the right weight in our hearts to various matters according to God's word. This will balance our lives, not over burden them.
@2. We are not talking here about time management or money management, but about heart management. Weighing life's priorities by God's word ensures that you, in your unique circumstances, will give the right priority and direction to every matter that you have to deal with in your life.
@3. Let the Bible teach you where each matter fits into the scheme of things, and what is its due order. Align your own heart to this order, instead of listening to the voices of the world. You will find that your life gradually changes into the kind of life you are supposed to live. You will no longer have a "weight problem".
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