11.02.2025. Sunday Sermon by Rev. Jeungbok Lee
Scripture: Matthew 6:22–23
Title: What Kind of Eyes Do You Have?
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22–23)
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1.
The Lord God gave manna from heaven to the Israelites who had come out of Egypt. Every morning the people gathered the manna and made bread or boiled it to eat. No one in the world had ever eaten food that came down from heaven. Only the Israelites who had left Egypt did.
Some saw the manna that fell like dew in the morning and praised God, experiencing His wondrous grace and provision. Yet others looked at the same manna and complained, weeping because they missed Egypt and wanted meat to eat (Numbers 11:4–6).
Why did some people respond with gratitude while others responded with complaint? Their reactions depended on the kind of eyes they had.
Those with healthy eyes saw the manna as God’s gracious provision and responded with thanksgiving. But those with bad eyes failed to see God’s grace and instead longed for what they did not have—meat, fruits, and vegetables. Remember this: a bad eye desires what is lacking instead of recognizing abundant grace.
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2.
Here, we see that “the eye” does not refer to our physical eyes but rather symbolizes the inner state of a person—their heart and motives. The eye represents the inner lamp of a person’s life.
Because a person’s purpose and motivation in life come from within, those who have healthy eyes (hearts and motives aligned with God’s will) live as if their entire life journey is guided by a bright lamp.
Every person has a choice—to have healthy eyes or bad eyes. Yet, because our hearts are stained by sin, it is easier for us to have bad eyes than healthy ones. Therefore, we must always examine our hearts and keep our eyes healthy.
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2.1
A person with healthy eyes has motives grounded in God’s Word and love for Him. Therefore, their life journey follows the will of their Master, God. For God’s Word is a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (Psalm 119:105).
On the other hand, a person with bad eyes is full of selfish desire. As a result, their life becomes dark—especially their soul, which becomes dry and lifeless.
Those with bad eyes are like the Israelites who ate manna but wept for lack of meat. Though they received God’s provision, they complained—and in the end, their souls became empty.
> Psalm 106:11–15
“The waters covered their enemies; not one of them survived. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise. But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.”
—Their souls became weak and empty.
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2.2
Now let us look at some practical examples of how people—even those zealous for God’s will—can end up having bad eyes.
First, those with eyes of envy and comparison have bad eyes.
Suppose two church members are in similar situations, but one is prospering in business. The other sees this and thinks, “I pray and serve faithfully, so why is that person the only one being blessed?” Envy fills their heart, and darkness follows. The longer envy remains, the darker the eyes become.
But a believer who desires healthy eyes rejoices when others prosper, as if it were their own joy. Such a person’s eyes become healthy, and their whole life becomes bright.
Second, greed also makes one’s eyes bad.
Those who fix their attention on material things become blind to the values of heaven. In the church, some even boast of their wealth as a sign of God’s blessing, measuring spiritual worth by material possession. Their prayers and plans focus on worldly gain. Yet, as Jesus says in Luke 12:20, “You fool! This very night your soul will be demanded from you.” Such people may never realize their eyes are bad until it is too late. How miserable that is!
Third, pride and judgment of others reveal bad eyes.
These people see the speck in another’s eye but ignore the plank in their own. You know well that people who constantly criticize others do not live well. No one respects those who judge others while being guilty themselves.
Those with critical eyes lose fellowship with other believers. Yet it is through fellowship that we are comforted, strengthened through intercession, and corrected in our ways. A believer cut off from fellowship has no one to help them examine their heart or lift them when they fall. This is what it means when Jesus says that the whole body becomes dark.
Fourth, wrong understanding of the Word can also lead to bad eyes.
In the 18th and 19th centuries in America, pastors and priests misinterpreted Genesis 9—Noah’s curse on Ham—to justify racial discrimination. They claimed that black people were descendants of cursed Ham and thus could rightfully be enslaved.
They also misused Romans 13:1—“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities…”—to justify the social order of slavery and racism, saying slaves must obey their masters as an act of obedience to God.
One notorious group was the Ku Klux Klan. By the 1920s, they even linked their ideology with traditional evangelical values—biblical authority, morality, family, and prayer. Many white Christians, even pastors, joined.
They held rallies under burning crosses—symbols they claimed represented the light of Christ—and sang hymns, insisting that their Christianity was only for white people. They burned black churches and planted bombs during worship. They claimed to “drive out evil with the light of Christ” while committing violence and murder.
This tragic history shows how distorted interpretation of Scripture can darken one’s eyes and life.
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3.
Finally, if today’s message makes you realize that your eyes have been bad, how can you restore them to be healthy again?
First, begin by repenting of your wrong heart.
Whenever you sense envy, complaint, or judgment toward others, stop and ask for God’s forgiveness. The blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse the heart that repents.
Second, regularly read and meditate on God’s Word so that your standard of judgment is constantly aligned with His will. If you stop even for a short while, your values will quickly return to the world’s standards, and your eyes will again grow dim.
Third, give thanks to God in all things.
A pastor friend of mine once resolved to always give thanks. One day, while riding his bicycle, he slipped on sand spilled by a truck and fell. Instead of cursing the driver, he stood up and shouted, “Hallelujah!”—thanking God aloud.
Finally, examine whether your actions are advancing God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Look beyond yourself and your church—are your efforts glorifying God and serving His kingdom? Seeing more broadly and farther helps keep your eyes healthy. Focusing on God’s kingdom and glory, not just your own gain, purifies your vision.
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By practicing these things, may every one of you have healthy eyes,
so that your life journey may be filled with bright light.
I bless you in the name of our Lord.
Let us pray. (End)