THEO 101 Lecture 5.3b - True Deeds

Seeking the Kingdom of God

• The primary focus of seeking the kingdom goes beyond prayer; it emphasizes action, specifically how one uses external goods.

• External goods include money, food, property, etc.

Accumulation of Goods

• Jesus warns against storing treasures on earth due to potential loss (e.g., theft, decay).

• A better approach is to store treasures in heaven, which refers to charitable actions rather than accumulating material wealth.

• The saying "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" emphasizes that one’s priorities and concerns reflect how one uses their material possessions.

  • A person's heart and actions are connected to their financial choices.

Understanding 'Treasures in Heaven'

• Storing up treasures in heaven is not about earning favor with God; it relates to how one uses resources to help those in need.

• Charitable Giving:

  • Almsgiving is emphasized in Jewish tradition as a means of building true treasures in the spiritual sense.

Biblical Examples of Almsgiving

1. The Book of Tobit:

   • Tobit advises his son Tobias to give alms and share wealth in proportion to personal abundance.

   • Almsgiving protects against adversity and is seen as a worthy offering to God.

2. Wisdom Saying from Tobit:

   • "Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness."

   • It highlights moral righteousness over material gain.

3. Ben Sira's Teachings:

   • Advises one to share their treasure rather than hoard it and equates almsgiving with safety from evil.

Perception and Action

• Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye to describe perception: a good eye means proper vision, leading to actions reflecting the kingdom; a bad eye leads to darkness.

• The condition of one’s eye (or perception) influences the individual's actions regarding wealth and resources.

Serving Two Masters

• Jesus teaches that one cannot serve both God and mammon (material wealth).

• Mammon refers to external goods, suggesting that accumulation leads to serving possessions instead of God.

Anxiety and Trust in God

• Jesus instructs not to worry about material needs (food, drink, clothing).

• His argument connects anxiety about material goods with a misunderstanding of God’s provision.

  • Observations of nature (birds, flowers) illustrate that life consists of more than mere material possessions.

• The expectation is that community members would provide for each other’s needs.

The Kingdom's Priorities

• Jesus concludes with the directive to prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

• If individuals actively pursue kingdom values, their needs will be met through the community and God’s provision.

Conclusion

• True deeds involve sharing resources and community support.

• There is a strong link between one’s thoughts (perception of needs) and actions (how to seek the kingdom through sharing possessions).

• This teaching culminates in the broader context of community living in accordance with the principles of the Kingdom of God.