Bible Message/Preaching : Seek God's Kingdom First!
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Mt 6:33
What does it comes to our mind when we hear/read this verse? A problem in our life is that we partition our lives. When we hear about missions/ living for the Lord - "its for the pastor/ missionary!" Or the time is not yet for me - now I need to work / make money / build career & then later I will do it. But, when we think about it, Jesus called us to be His disciples - full-time! 17Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." 18They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Mk 1: 17- 18)
Mission is where God has planted you - not just in a 'church' building or in a far-away-land - and not limited to our free-time! We're to live the lifestyle of a disciple - being a witness. God is interested in our WHOLE life & not just a part of it. For e.g. just Sunday/ daily devotions. As a matter of fact, the reason why God gave the commandments and "the Law" is also due this fact. The Lord said "Be Holy for I am Holy" (1 Pet 1:16; Lev 11:44,45, 19:2, 20:7). This aspect of holiness is not just spiritual - we see that holiness manifest in the way we live our lives - as we read in Leviticus - in Godly relationships (ch 18); cleanliness & disease control (ch 12-16); honest dealings, truthfulness & feeding the poor hungry (ch 19). Not only in the Old Testament, coming to the New Testament we read in 26If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Jas 1:26-27)
Now let's come back to our passage for today: Its starts with - 19"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23"But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Pro 28:22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
Let's look at the parallel in Luke - 9"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the TRUE riches? 12"And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? 13"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Lk 16: 9-13)
6Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim 6: 6-12)
Further, we read that all thing were created by Jesus and for Him and the sacrificial death on the cross was to bring all things back to Him - whole of creation reconciled to the Creator! 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Col 1:16, 20). Jesus want us to have an abundant life ("The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. JN 10:10) We've to develop relationships by which people may meet Jesus through us. This will eventually lead to a social reformation - a society based on Biblical principles. Our life is a testimony - we can sing 'Look what the Lord has done!', so that other can see the difference in us - the Good News that Jesus is the answer to their problems! When we live the authentic life Jesus has promised, others will notice because that is what people long for!
Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
We read about being content in Proverbs - 1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you; 2And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite. 3Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food. 4Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! 5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven. (Pro 23: 1-5)
The reason to work and earn money should be to help others in need! Eph 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
But the attitude does matter: 1 Cor 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Agape/ unconditional love should be our motive!
Continuing our passage further - 25"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27"Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29"and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
little Faith - our earlier study on Faith. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Heb 11:6) We must trust God to put our faith in Him!
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 9Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. (Pro 3: 5-10)
6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." 10Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Cor 9: 6-15) -> God's investment plan!
Here is what Jesus promised - Lk 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
This is not comprehensible for common man. 6But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (Jas 4: 6-8) When we humble ourselves, God gives the understanding. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, (Prov 1:7, 9:10, Ps 111:10) From our previous study about Humility, we know "By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life." (Prov 22:4) God has a better plan for our life and it is the best buy for us!
24And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" 27But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." 28Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." 29So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, 30"who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time; houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mk 10:24-30)
31"Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat?' or What shall we drink?' or What shall we wear?' 32"For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Mt 6: 19-34)
Conclusion:
Our life must be lived with eternity in mind. Life on earth is temporal but we can invest our life to make things in this temporal life to useful for eternity! When we trust in God and put our faith in Him, we will be able to live this as it is not possible with our human understanding and strength. Everything that we've is given by Him! Seeking is about priority, first thing is in our finance, next our time. If we do God's will, He will take care of us! We should put others first when serving the Lord. Our attitude and motives matters - Agape should be the reason!Delivered 9 Jan 2011
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