Text: Matthew 6:1922

Topic: Why money has power over us—and how to break its power

How   money exercises power over us: by blinding us to greed.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses the illustration that the eye is the lamp of the body; good eyes fill a body with light, and bad eyes fill a body with darkness.

Illustration: In this brief illustration, Keller tells how he was preaching a series on the seven deadly sins, and his wife correctly predicted that the sermon on greed would be poorly attended

Materialism can blind you to an immoral workplace, a job you dislike, or a frivolous lifestyle.

Illustration: Keller tells the story of Robert Cain, whose church disciplined him for the sin of greed in 1635.

Why money exercises power over us: it gives us significance and security.

Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Illustration: Keller's professor told him the story of two women who became Christians in college, and wanted to be missionaries; but both women's parents wanted them to establish more security before doing something like this.

How we can break the power of money over us: by understanding the gospel.

Your treasure is the thing that you feel makes everything worth it; it was us that made Jesus' death on the cross worth it.

You have shaken money's power over you if you no longer resent wealthy people.

You have shaken money's power over you if you respect poor people and don't look down on them.

You have shaken money's power over you if you become generous.

Illustration: Keller quotes the ancient Letter from Diognetus that early Christians were stingy with their bodies but promiscuous with their money.