Boldness A-Z
Boldly seeking the Kingdom
Matthew 6: 25-34
We are still considering the a-z of Boldness. Last week we looked at how we should be Bold about Jesus. We talked about being bold about His Identity, who he is... We discussed who the world may say He is. We looked at what the written word said about Who he is. We saw The Living Word testify to who He is. The written word and the Living Word, Jesus agree about who Jesus is. But the world wants to know the same thing Jesus wants to know...Who do you say that He is?
This week we are going to look at Boldly seeking the Kingdom. What do I mean by seeking the kingdom? Lets consider that this morning. Please open your Bibles to Matthew 6 verses 25-34. You will notice the first word of verse 25 is "therefore" and whenever we read something that starts with "therefore" we must see what it is there for. So lets back up for a second or two and see why Jesus says Therefore. Jesus has just finished talking about greed, storing up treasures on earth and has stated that no man can serve two masters. He can not serve both God and mammon or money because he will love one and hate the other. Therefore.....
"25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. "
Are you Boldly seeking the Kingdom of God or are you seeking self or wealth ?
This attitude is described for us as a worldy attitude in 1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Do you see it?
1. The Lust of the Flesh
Take no thought for what ye shall eat or drink.
We need food and drink to survive. More so drink than food. Man can survive several days even weeks without food but not nearly as long without water. When we read "Take no thought" sometimes we go to the extreme of interpreting that as don't even think about eating or drinking. But what Jesus is telling us is don't seek after it. Don't plan your day around your meal.
We have a fat out of shape society because we seek to feed the lust of the flesh without control. If one 1/4lb burger is good two must be better. Yeah I know I'm preaching to myself!
Buffet's
Dinner plans before Church!
Want a full church? Feed em full!
2. The Lust of the Eyes
Nor yet for your body what ye shall put on
Is clothing a necessity? Oh yeah! Again Jesus is not saying don't worry about getting dressed. He saying there are, sorry ladies, more important things than clothes!
Does any body remember the S.N.L. skit that Billy Crystal used to do Fernandos hide away. "You look Mahhhhvelous! It's not how you feel it's how you look! Although that skit was 20 years ago it still applies to our society today.
3. The Pride of Life
For after all these things do the gentiles seek (wish for or crave after)
There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking or wearing clothes. Jesus is warning us against the pursuit of these things. they are necessities that God can and will provide.
So these are the things we aren't to seek after, How do we seek after The Kingdom of God and His righteousness?
1. First make God First
That means put everything in it's proper place, after God.
2.The Kingdom of God. How do we gain entrance into the Kingdom of God?
His Son. Are you right with Him?
Matt 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. "
3. To get in we must must do the will of the Father.
Romans 12:1,2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Live a life acceptable to God, HOLY !! Transformed and renewed that ye may prove or know what is good, and acceptable, and perfect....
4. Wow !! That's where we seek His righteousness..
a. In Christ Only by His shed blood are we made righteouss 2 Cor 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. "
b. and by living a Holy life His righteousness is displayed in us for His Glory!!!! Romans 6:13 "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. "
God knows what we need. Is it ok to ask anyway? Of course We do not need to worry about tomorrow we will have sufficient troubles today!
