(a) Highlight Jesus' sermon on the mount under the following headings: (i) treasures; (ii) the sound eye; (iii) Serving of two masters. (b) Give two reasons...

(a) Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:19-24)

(i) Treasures

• Jesus taught, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal."
• Instead they should lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and thieves cannot break in and steal.
• He gave the reason: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." A person's affections and priorities follow whatever he values most.

(ii) The sound eye

• Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body."
• If the eye is sound (single/healthy), the whole body is full of light.
• But if the eye is bad (evil), the whole body is full of darkness. And if the light in a person is actually darkness, how great is that darkness.
• This teaches that one's inner outlook and intentions determine whether the whole life is filled with light (goodness) or darkness (evil).

(iii) Serving of two masters

• Jesus declared, "No one can serve two masters."
• Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
• He concluded: "You cannot serve God and mammon (money/wealth)." Ultimate loyalty must be given to God, not to material wealth.

(b) Two reasons why misuse of earthly wealth can lead to serious consequences for a nation

1. It breeds corruption and injustice: When wealth is misused through embezzlement, bribery and greed, national resources are diverted from development, the poor are oppressed, and this leads to social unrest, poverty and the collapse of public trust.
2. It displaces God and true values: Making wealth the master turns a nation to materialism and idolatry of money, eroding moral and spiritual values; such a nation loses justice and the fear of God and invites divine judgement and eventual ruin.