Matthew 6:24 (ERV) “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money at the same time.”
Every person must answer this timeless question: Who still wins your heart?
In Matthew 6:24, Jesus speaks about love and hate, it’s the language of the heart. The immediate context is wealth, but the principle is universal – whatever captures our heart will direct our steps. What is in our heart will ultimately determine the direction and destiny of our lives.
1. Who Still Wins My Heart: Christ – The Supreme Love of Our Life
Matthew 6:24 “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money at the same time.”
Jesus’ words leave no room for divided loyalties: “You cannot serve two masters.” You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money at the same time. Our ultimate Master must be Christ, not Mammon, not self, not the world.
Augustine famously wrote: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Our hearts are restless because they chase many loves—career, possessions, reputation, even ministry. Yet the Christian must continually return to this: Who still wins your heart?
What captures our heart will inevitably direct our steps. What fills our heart will shape our destiny. The heart is not only the seat of our emotions—it is the compass of our lives. If Christ wins your heart, your path will be marked by life, truth, and freedom. If Mammon wins your heart, your life will be led toward emptiness and bondage.
in Matthew 6:24 Jesus doesn’t just speak about financial management; He speaks about the deepest loyalty of our hearts. Notice the language He uses: love and hate, loyalty and indifference. That’s heart-language. He is talking about the throne of your soul.
When Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve two masters,” He was pressing on the deepest question of loyalty: Who rules your heart? That’s why later, when a Pharisee came to test Him and asked, “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?” (Matt. 22:36), Jesus gave a crystal-clear answer: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and most important command.” (Matt. 22:37–38)
Do you see the connection? If the greatest command is to love God with all our heart, then it is impossible to love God and Mammon at the same time. Our love cannot be divided. The throne of our heart cannot hold two rulers.
And here’s the key: Mammon is not simply “money.” Mammon is personification of greed and the love of money, the spirit that says, “You don’t need God. Trust wealth. Worship wealth. Live for wealth.” Mammon is the rival god that competes for your devotion.
Now Jesus makes it clear: you cannot serve two masters. The Greek word for “master” is kurios, meaning lord, owner, absolute authority. In the first century, a slave could not serve two lords; total obedience belonged to one. So Jesus’ contrast is absolute—one will rise, the other will fall. One will be loved, the other hated. Neutrality is impossible. The heart was never designed to hold equal affection for two masters.
And this is where theology takes us deeper: Paul says in Colossians 1:16–18 that all things were created through Christ and for Christ. That means your very heart was designed for Him, not for Mammon. Christ doesn’t share the throne. Christianity is not Christ as one of many loves—it is Christ as life itself.
Now let’s make it personal. If Christ is not winning your heart daily, something else is. What master are you really serving today? Where does your time, your energy, your affection flow most freely? That often reveals who—or what—has captured your devotion. This is why Jesus calls us in Luke 9:23 to “Take up your cross daily and follow Me.” Daily surrender is required, because only a crucified self can enthrone Christ.
Think of it like this: just as the sun holds all the planets in orbit, Christ must govern all the other loves of our life. Without the sun, the solar system collapses into chaos. Without Christ, our hearts spiral into confusion. But when Christ is at the center, every other love finds its rightful orbit.
That’s why this message is not only a warning but an invitation. Because when Christ wins your heart, something powerful happens:
- If Christ wins your heart, you will love people as He loves.
- If Christ wins your heart, you will serve your family faithfully.
- If Christ wins your heart, you will treasure His Church.
- If Christ wins your heart, your calling will glorify Him—not Mammon.
This is the liberation of the Gospel: no longer mastered by fear, greed, or pride, but free to live fully for Christ—secure in His love, strengthened by His Spirit, satisfied in His presence.
So let me bring you back to the question: Who still wins your heart? Jesus or mammon?
2. Who Still Wins My Heart: People
Loving God means loving people.
1 John 4:20–21 “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
John makes it explicit: love for God that does not express itself in love for people is false. Genuine love for God always produces tangible love for others. To claim intimacy with God while harboring bitterness, hatred, or indifference toward others is to live in contradiction.
Two Commandments, One Heart: Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—and the second is like it: to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37–39). The two are inseparable. Loving God is not real if it does not overflow in loving people.
Mat.22:39 (ERV) And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.
Agapē Love: The love of Christ is not mere sentiment but sacrificial action. We love not because people deserve it, but because Christ first loved us (1 John 4:19).
If Christ is truly our Master, then His command to love our neighbor is not optional—it’s non-negotiable (Matt. 22:39). But here’s the problem: divided hearts cannot truly love others. If part of my heart is mastered by Christ and part of my heart is mastered by Mammon—or pride, or selfishness—then my love for people will always be partial, conditional, and self-serving.
Theologically, this takes us back to creation. Genesis 1:27 reminds us that every person bears the imago Dei—the image of God. To love people is to honor God’s image in them. And this is why Calvin once said, “We cannot love God without also loving His image in people.”
But here’s the reality: without Christ ruling the heart, love for others quickly becomes self-serving. We love those who benefit us, those who are easy to get along with, those who fit into our plans. But when Christ wins our heart, that love becomes agapē—self-giving, sacrificial, Christ-shaped love. It is love that forgives even when it hurts. It is love that serves even when it costs.
And practically? A Christ-centered heart begins to see people differently. They are no longer interruptions to our schedule, competitors to our success, or burdens to our comfort. They are opportunities for grace. They are the very ones through whom God gives us the chance to reflect His mercy. And that love cannot stay in words alone—it must move into action: acts of mercy, works of justice, tangible expressions of compassion.
3. Who Still Wins My Heart: Family
Family First Means Prioritising Family Above Wealth, Fame, and Busyness
What good is it to gain the whole world but lose your family. Success in business can never redeem failure at home. Applause from the world cannot replace affection at home. Accumulated wealth cannot make up for an absent father or mother. Recognition in the marketplace can never heal the wounds of neglected children. Family must come first after God, because family is the first place where love is tested, faith is modeled, and legacy is built.
What you value most will always determine what you prioritize. Your schedule, your decisions, and your sacrifices reveal what truly sits on the throne of your heart. Priorities are not shaped by words but by values. You can say you love God or family, but your calendar and choices will show whether that value is real. If family truly wins your heart, it will be seen not in what you say, but in the time you give, the sacrifices you make, and the love you consistently show.
Family First means prioritizing family over wealth. Money can buy comfort but never true connection. What good is it if I gain promotions, profits, or possessions, but lose the trust and love of my spouse and children? Wealth can provide a house, but only love can make it a home.
“Many people are winning on the work front but losing on the home front.“
Family First means prioritizing family over recognition. The applause of the world is temporary, but the affection of family is eternal. Trophies collect dust, but time invested in family bears fruit for generations. Public success can never redeem private neglect.
Family First means prioritizing family over busyness. Many hide behind schedules as though activity equals importance. But endless meetings and packed calendars cannot justify an empty table or a silent home. Family deserves not just leftovers of our time but the first place in our priorities.
Family First means prioritizing family over even ministry ambition. Ministry begins at home (1 Tim. 3:4–5). To preach with power but fail in parenting, or to lead a congregation but lose the trust of your spouse, is to live in contradiction. God never calls us to sacrifice family on the altar of ministry.
To put family first does not mean to idolize them above God, but to love them rightly under God. It means providing not only materially but spiritually—nurturing faith, correcting with patience, and modeling integrity. It means scheduling time for prayer at the dinner table, making space for conversations that heal, and showing forgiveness that mirrors Christ’s forgiveness toward us.
When Christ wins your heart, you begin to see family not as an obstacle to ministry or career, but as the first ministry entrusted to your care. Your home becomes the pulpit, your table the communion, your relationships the living sermon. And in the end, a faithful family is a greater legacy than any title, achievement, or fortune this world can offer.
That means I will not serve wealth at the expense of my family. Wealth is useful, but it is a terrible master. What good is it if I provide material abundance but my children grow up starved of love, attention, and guidance? What good is a beautiful house if it is filled with silence, bitterness, or distance? True provision is more than food on the table or money in the bank—it is a father’s embrace, a mother’s prayer, a child’s laughter, and a home where Christ is honored. The danger of Mammon is that it convinces us to trade what is eternal for what is temporary.
I will also not chase recognition while neglecting my spouse or children. The applause of the world can never replace affection at home. Achievements and titles will one day be forgotten, but the way I loved and served my family will echo into eternity. Family must have my priority in my schedule. My calendar should reveal not only my commitments to work and ministry, but also my devotion to the people God has entrusted to me most directly. To put family first is not to idolize them above God—it is to love them rightly under God, reflecting His covenant faithfulness in the closest relationships of my life.
Roles Shaped by Christ’s Love
- Husbands serve their wives by loving sacrificially, just as Christ loved the Church (Eph. 5:25). This is not domineering leadership, but servant leadership—laying down personal ambition for the flourishing of the wife.
- Wives serve their husbands with respect and devotion, reflecting the Church’s love for Christ (Eph. 5:22–23). This is not blind submission, but a partnership marked by honor and trust.
- Parents serve their children not only by providing materially but by nurturing their faith, correcting with patience, and modeling integrity (Eph. 6:4). The greatest inheritance we can leave them is not wealth, but wisdom and worship.
- Children serve their parents by honoring and obeying them in the Lord (Eph. 6:1–3). This is the first command with a promise—that obedience in the home leads to blessing in life.
Practical Expressions of Family First
- In Your Time
- Make family time non-negotiable in your schedule. Eat meals together, create weekly rhythms (like family devotion nights or outings), and guard them as you would an important business meeting.
- Be present—not just physically but emotionally. Put away devices when you’re with your spouse or children.
- In Your Words
- Speak encouragement more than criticism. Your words shape identity in your children and security in your spouse.
- Apologize quickly when you are wrong. Humility builds trust.
- In Your Finances
- Provide responsibly, but don’t let work for provision rob you of presence.
- Model generosity together as a family—giving to church, missions, or those in need—so children learn values through practice.
- In Your Faith
- Pray together daily. Even short prayers before meals or bedtime create spiritual habits that last.
- Read Scripture as a family. Let children see parents opening the Bible at home, not just at church.
- Worship together—attend services as a family, and involve children in ministry appropriate to their age.
- In Your Priorities
- Show your family by action that they come before business recognition, ministry platforms, or social approval.
- Protect rest days for family, and don’t consistently sacrifice them for work.
Putting family first is not just an idea—it shows up in your calendar, budget, habits, and presence.When Christ wins your heart, your family feels it in your attention, your prayers, your time, and your love.
Family as the First Ministry
When Christ wins your heart, you stop seeing family as a distraction from your “real” ministry. You begin to see family as the first place where ministry truly begins. John Chrysostom called the Christian home “a little church.” In that sense, every living room can become a sanctuary, every meal a communion table, every act of love a sermon in action.
Family first does not mean family above Christ, but family aligned under Christ. And when family is rightly ordered under His lordship, the love of Christ in us becomes visible, tangible, and unforgettable to those who matter most.
Family First Checklist
Ask yourself these questions honestly:
Time
- Do I regularly schedule time with my family and protect it from work or other demands?
- Am I fully present with my spouse and children, or am I often distracted by my phone, work, or other concerns?
Words
- Do I speak words of encouragement and affirmation more than criticism?
- Do I apologize and seek forgiveness quickly when I am wrong?
Finances
- Am I working to provide for my family without sacrificing presence at home?
- Do I involve my family in practicing generosity, teaching them that giving is part of our faith?
Faith
- Do we pray together regularly as a family?
- Do I read or share God’s Word at home, not just leave it for church?
- Do we worship and serve God together as a family?
Priorities
- Does my calendar reflect that family is a higher priority than business, recognition, or personal ambition?
- Do I protect rest days, vacations, and family time, or do I consistently sacrifice them for other pursuits?
Reflection:
If you answer yes to most of these, you are living with family first. If not, ask the Lord to help you realign your heart and reorder your priorities.
4. Who Still Wins My Heart: Church – Loving What Christ Loves
Loving the Church Means Loving the Church as Jesus Loves It
To love Christ is to love what He loves. And Scripture is clear: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”(Eph. 5:25). If the Son of God poured out His blood for the Church, how can we treat the Church as anything less than essential?
Busyness, comfort, and personal ambition often push the Church to the margins of life. But if Christ truly wins our heart, then the Church will never be treated as an add-on or a convenience—it will be at the center of our devotion and mission. Just as family must come before wealth, the Church must come before convenience. Gathering with God’s people is not just a spiritual “extra”; it is essential for growth, accountability, and mission.
What It Means to Love the Church: Loving the Church means the Church is not optional.
That means I will not let busyness, comfort, or personal ambition push the Church to the margins of my life. Just as family must come before wealth, the Church must come before convenience. The Church is not an add-on to my week—it is the very center of God’s plan for the world.
- I will prioritize gathering with God’s people, because Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to give up meeting together.
- I will serve with my gifts, because God has placed each member in the body just as He desires (1 Cor. 12:18).
- I will contribute to her mission, because the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19–20) was entrusted to the Church.
Practical Expressions of Love for the Church: Loving the Church is more than showing up on Sunday. It means committing to real community. It means showing up faithfully, giving generously, carrying one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2), and using our talents for the building up of Christ’s body (Eph. 4:12).
It means refusing to say, “I love Jesus, but not the Church,” because such a statement betrays the heart of the gospel. The Church is Christ’s visible witness on earth. To distance myself from the Church is to distance myself from His mission.
From Obligation to Privilege: When Christ wins your heart, you begin to see the Church not as an obligation but as a privilege. You realize that the Church is a gift of grace: a family where we belong, a community where we grow, a mission we share.
To love the Church is to align your heart with the heart of Christ. And if He was willing to die for the Church, how can we ever treat her as optional?
5. Who Still Wins My Heart: Our Calling.
Loving Your Calling Means Treasuring It as God’s Gift.
Jesus warned, “You cannot serve two masters… You cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matt. 6:24). Mammon is more than money; it is the personification of greed, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of self. When Mammon rules the heart, even our sense of “calling” can become corrupted, turning into little more than self-promotion dressed in spiritual language.
But when Christ wins your heart, your calling becomes worship. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God’s workmanship (poiēma), created in Christ Jesus for good works prepared in advance. That means your calling is not self-invented; it is God-designed.
Loving your calling means refusing to pursue career only for wealth or recognition. What good is it if you reach the top of the ladder, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall? Instead, it means seeing every arena of life—your workplace, your studies, your ministry—as an altar. Every task, no matter how small, becomes an offering to God when done in obedience and faith.
When Christ wins your heart, calling stops being about personal glory and becomes about His glory. It stops being about success as the world defines it and becomes about significance in God’s kingdom. And here’s the paradox: when you live this way, you are set free—free from comparison, free from greed, free from fear of failure—because your worth is anchored not in what you achieve, but in whom you serve.
That means I will not pursue a career just for wealth while neglecting God’s purpose. Wealth in itself is not evil, but when it becomes the reason I live and the master I serve, it becomes Mammon. My career, my business, my studies, my ministry—these are not ends in themselves, but means through which I glorify Christ.
It also means I will not chase achievements simply for recognition while ignoring obedience. The world applauds success measured by titles, promotions, and applause. But the Kingdom of God measures success by faithfulness, humility, and obedience. What good is it if I climb the ladder of success, only to discover that the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall? If Christ is my Master, obedience will always matter more than recognition.
Instead, I will see my work, my studies, my ministry as arenas of worship. Every desk can become an altar. Every classroom can become a pulpit. Every marketplace can become a mission field. Colossians 3:23 reminds us: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That means the question is no longer, “What do I want to achieve?” but “How can Christ be glorified here?”
My calling is not about my glory but Christ’s glory. It’s not about making my name known but making His name great. It’s not about building my empire but advancing His Kingdom. When Christ wins my heart, my calling becomes an offering. My labor, my sweat, my creativity, my energy—everything becomes a sacrifice of praise laid before Him.
Practically, this means asking hard questions: Does my calling draw me closer to Christ or farther away? Am I building my kingdom or His? It means seeing every workplace, classroom, or marketplace as an altar where God is glorified through my faithfulness.
When Christ wins your heart, your calling stops being a platform for pride and becomes a mission for His kingdom. You stop chasing success as the world defines it and start pursuing significance as God defines it. You live not for Mammon, but for the Master.
Conclusion & reflection
Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:24 echo through the centuries: “You cannot serve two masters… You cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time.”
Every person must answer this timeless question: Who still wins your heart?
If Christ wins your heart, then every other area of life finds its proper place:
- If Christ wins your heart, you will love people as He loves—without condition, without self-interest.
- If Christ wins your heart, you will put your family first—not serving wealth or recognition at their expense, but serving them faithfully in love.
- If Christ wins your heart, you will love the Church—not treating it as optional, but cherishing it as Christ’s body and bride.
- If Christ wins your heart, your calling will glorify Him—not Mammon. Your work, your studies, your ministry will become worship.
But if Mammon wins your heart—if greed, pride, and self-rule sit on the throne—then love grows cold, family is neglected, the Church becomes optional, and calling becomes ambition. And in the end, Mammon always over-promises and under-delivers. It promises freedom but enslaves. It promises satisfaction but leaves us empty.
So today the choice stands before us clearly: Who is the master of your heart? You cannot serve two. The throne cannot hold both Christ and Mammon. One will rise, and the other will fall.
This is the call to single devotion. To renounce divided loyalty. To enthrone Christ not as one of many loves, but as the supreme love of your life.
Reflection Questions
- Christ – The Supreme Love of My Life
- What currently occupies the throne of my heart?
- How do my daily choices reveal whether Christ or Mammon is my true Master?
- People – Loving Others as Christ Loves
- Do I see people as interruptions or as opportunities for grace?
- In what relationships is God calling me to practice forgiveness, mercy, or sacrificial love?
- Family – Family First
- Does my calendar reflect that my family truly has my priority after God?
- In what practical ways can I serve my spouse, children, or parents this week?
- Church – Loving What Christ Loves
- How do I view the Church—optional obligation or joyful privilege?
- Am I actively contributing my gifts, resources, and presence to build up the body of Christ?
- Calling – Glorifying Christ, Not Mammon
- Is my work or ministry driven more by recognition, wealth, or by obedience to Christ?
- How can I transform my workplace, studies, or calling into an arena of worship this week?
budi hidajat 