The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twelve of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said, “no servant can serve two masters” where we read:
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other;
or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
The verse reads, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other;” Luke began with the words, “No servant” or “not one single man of servile condition, slave or bondman” “can serve two masters” which means “is capable of or has the ability to do service to, obey, submit to and yield obedience toward two lords or to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding”: “for either he will hate the one” or “because, since and on account that rather and except the person whether male or female will love less and detest the one master”, “and love the other” which means “and welcome, entertain, be fond of and love dearly and without condition the other master”. Luke shared how Jesus declared that no one is able to “obey and submit” to “two” different “lords” because they will live as though they “despise” one of the “masters” while “detesting” the other one.
The verse continues, “or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke added the words, “or else he will hold to the one” or “or rather and except the person whether male or female will cleave to, pay heed to and hold firmly on to one of the masters”, “and despise the other” which means “and contemn, disdain and think little of the other master”. “You cannot serve” or “those listening to Jesus are incapable and unable to do service to, obey, submit to and yield obedience toward” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “and mammon” or “and treasure, wealth and avarice”. Luke shared how Jesus gave the second reason the people listening to Him would be unable to “serve two masters” was because they would “cleave to” one of them and “disdain” the other. He concluded there is no way to “serve God” and “serve treasures” at the same time.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus reveals who a person's “master” is by their “love and commitment” to them. God desires people to have Him be their ultimate “passion”, and when they “serve” Him, He will extend many blessings to them that will never take His place. Time, energy, effort and money are often spent by people on their “masters”, and what or whom a person devotes these to determines who their “master” is. Jesus said, “seek you first, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (See Matthew 6:33), and those who are wise will “spend” their lives “serving” the Lord Jesus rather than any other “treasure” the world has to offer.
Next time Luke shares how, “the Pharisees, also, who were covetous, heard all these things” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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