MATTHEW 6:25-34
(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? (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.
Jesus presented evidence that worry is irreverent, for it fails to believe that God is in control, that the God who gave us life is sustaining it. Worrying is irrelevant because it does not change things nor help us cope with problems. And worry is irresponsible; it burns up energy that should be used constructively to address the problem. Jesus used the birds of the air to illustrate freedom from anxiety, the lilies of the field to illustrate freedom from status-seeking, and the grass of the field to illustrate our need to assess priorities. He admonishes us in verse 27 saying that worry cannot add anything to our life; yet it may limit it!.
A reporter covering a COAL-MINE DISASTER wrote a story that began: “God looked at the grief today in this little West Virginia mining town, and He wept.” The city editor e-mailed back: “Forget the mine cave-in. Interview God.”
Obviously, getting to know God in a personal way should be our greatest priority in life. If we plan on spending eternity with Him then it seems like a good idea to get acquainted with Him now. After all the disasters recently, it may be later than we think. You may soon meet Him face to face.
Understanding how quickly life goes by and how long eternity is should teaches us to have the right priorities. We are, in a sense, here today and gone tomorrow (James 4:14 – Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.). We must have our priorities right in order to take full advantage of life.
What are your priorities in life?
What are your priorities for any given day?
What will your priorities be for this year?
The thrust of Jesus’ lesson is found in verse 33; “(33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Seek first reveals Jesus’ concern for the priorities of our life. He commands that our first priority be His kingdom and His righteousness. It is fairly easy to be a good Christian when in church. It is more difficult in places such as the home or in the work place where we earn our wages. God wants us to be Christians everywhere, and good Christians at that. It isn’t easy, but He gives us the help that we need if only we will accept what He teaches. Let’s walk through Jesus’ teaching in this passage by using a six-point outline.
I. OUR OCCUPATION (or focus).
This teaching defines three key issues in life: Shelter, Clothing & Food. These things loom large in importance. We spend at least half of our waking hours with involvement in these things. Probably more concern invested in these than in anything else.
Therefore, we are prone to focus on them, just like lost people do. Those who personally know God and understand His loving-kindness and faithfulness should not live with the same anxiety as lost people.
II. OUR OPTIONS (or choices).
Jesus indicates that there are two priority options or directions on which we can focus our life. We can go after and be occupied with things as our goal. Or we can seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God as our goal.
Generally, we live life our way. We give ourselves first priority in our life. As a result, we go after the material things that loom large in life.
We give small attention to the spiritual things of life. We expect that somehow spiritual things will take care of themselves.
III. OUR OBJECTIVES (or goals).
Like the lost world we can go after “these other things.” We can choose to place the priority for our energies and efforts into providing for ourselves. We can make our primary concern the physical necessities of life: such as housing, food, clothing. If we make these things the goals for our life, they will move it in the direction of the material and earthly.
Or we can go after God’s kingdom and righteousness. These are the Christian’s priority of priorities; a divine priority composed of two parts: God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.
Kingdom [basileia] is that which recognizes and promotes His rule and reign. To seek first His kingdom is to seek first His rule, His will, and His authority. Seeking God’s kingdom is losing ourselves in obedience to the Lord - to the extent that we can. To seek first God’s kingdom is to pour out our lives into the eternal work of our heavenly Father [Acts 20:24] – “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Second, we are to seek…His righteousness. Righteousness – that which is in accord with His character or Christlikeness. Instead of longing after the things of this world, we are to hunger and thirst for the things of the world to come, which are characterized above all else by personal righteousness or obedience to God [Colossians 3:2-3] – “(2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” It is to have Jesus’ own truth, love, and righteousness manifested in our lives, and to have “Peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). To seek righteousness is to seek to bring people into God’s kingdom, that God might be glorified.
Peter says, “(11) therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,…” (2 Pet. 3:11-12).
To summarize, seek first God instead of things, the spiritual as opposed to the material, the eternal instead of the earthly.
IV. OUR ORDER (or priorities).
Let me mention what the verse does not teach. It does not teach that having or pursing things is wrong. It is not wrong to go after other things. We do not need to spend all our time or energy in spiritual pursuits. There is a difference between concern and focus, obsession, or anxiety, between our first priority and our responsibility. Jesus says, “Seek first,” not let it be the one and only thing you seek or go after. God expects us to work and live, while centering our life on Him and His kingdom as we work and live.
What Jesus is teaching us here is to clearly establish priorities in your life. Let your first priority be following Christ. Jesus says, focus your attention and hopes on the things of the Lord. If you are going to be consumed with anything, be consumed with the kingdom.
V. OUR OBTAINING
Apparently, there are two ways of getting things. You can make them the object of life and struggle for them like the world does. Or you can have them added to you.
Our caring, protective, and good God will always add to our life what we need. The passage calls us to seek first the kingdom and leave the secondary matters to His providential care. If God’s priorities become our priorities, He will take care of our needs. This daily supply is a promise.
Notice that it is a conditional promise. First, we seek the kingdom, and then everything else will fall into place. Rather than being like the pagans who are concerned about physical needs, rather than seeking and worrying about food, shelter, and clothing like unbelievers do," Jesus says, "focus your attention and hopes on the things of the Lord and He will take care of all your needs. The Lord’s disciples should be concerned about the things of God, His kingdom, and His righteousness. Then all these needs will be supplied in God’s timing. This is the life of daily faith.
VI. OUR OPERATION (or our daily life).
This word is for the spiritually wise. We must not expect God’s specific blessings where He is not first in our life.
If the first priority in your daily life is not God’s kingdom and righteousness it may explain some unproductive living and giving. This concentration on doing God’s will is the positive answer to worry. Anxiety is resolved by a lifestyle of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first each day. Don’t expect Him to bless you spiritually or eternally if you are not going to put Him first.
It means that decisions in life must be weighed. What am I putting first? Your daily life and decisions must give priority to God’s kingdom and righteousness.
We must give God sovereignty over our daily lives. This is where the real issue lies. Will we walk or live by faith in Christ (Matthew 6:30) or will we walk by the sight and wisdom of natural man.
Do you want to follow Jesus as Lord, or do you only want comfort, protection, and fire-insurance?
CONCLUSION
Two simple rules should govern life. Set your eyes on the things that advance God’s kingdom and contribute to the establishment of His righteousness and go after them. Allow the heavenly Father to keep His promises concerning the rest of your life. Seek first the kingdom, and everything else will fall into place. That is His promise. How about you? What is the first priority of the day of your life? For this year would you consider seeking first the kingdom of Christ and His righteousness?