SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM 

Matthew 6:19-34

Key Verse: 6:33 

 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 

 Matthew used to be a selfish, ignorant, and ungrateful man before meeting Jesus in person. He was notorious for his pursuit of happiness exclusively by means of accumulating money. But he was deprived of his human dignity. He was hopeless, powerless, and helpless. But Jesus was willing to be a personal shepherd for him and called him to be a saint Matthew who divulged the kingdom of God. Either “King” or “Kingdom” appears up to 74 times throughout the book of Matthew. Matthew was once lost when he sought first his own material kingdom. But he found himself thanks to Jesus' shepherd love and disciple training. The meaning and purpose of his life became crystal clear. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” It became his life key verse. He introduced “Sermon on the mount” from chapter 5 to 7 that is so called “the Constitution of the kingdom of heaven.” Especially today's passage is kind of his specialty. 

Today's passage can be divided as follows;

Part 1, Treasures of heaven(Verses 19-24)

Part 2, Do not worry(Verses 25-32)

Part 3. Remedy(Verses 33-34)

”Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”

Read verses 19-20. Why shouldn't we store up treasures on earth? Rather why should we store up treasures in heaven? How do we store them up? 

* Basically treasure may be the same. But what really counts is where to store up. 

*We shouldn't store up treasures on earth for moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal.

*We should in heaven for moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.

*The difference is how long does it last(Durability)? 

*Short term investment vs long term investment

* “For yourselves” in verse 19 indicates selfish motive. 

* “For yourselves” in verse 20 is the outcome(result).

*Matthew 6:1-18 are good examples such as giving to the needy, prayer, or fasting. 

*God remembers and rewards these acts of righteousness.(Matthew 25:35-40) “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” 

*There are so many practical examples in regards to how we store them up daily. 

Read verse 21. How is your treasure related to your heart?  Read verses 22-23. What does it mean that the eye is the lamp of the body? How should we see the world? Who are the two masters (24)? Why can’t we serve two masters?

* “Heart” is the name of the game. Jesus' sermon focus on one's heart (5:8). 

*Notice the order in verse 21. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Treasure first, and then heart follows. When we give our treasures such as time and money and even career by faith for the purpose of kingdom purpose, we do not know the full value of this in the beginning. But gradually we come to know how valuable and how glorious it's to live for Him.

* the opposite is true. When we put our money and time on stock market or real estate or 401K or children, our hearts prone to be something else continually. Jesus wants us to give our heart to him.  

*Jesus is also trying to say here is how working for the treasure on earth is able to steal our heart away easily from God and turn it towards this transient world. Jesus also shows us how working for treasure in heaven keeps our heart with God. For if we are living to store up treasure in heaven we have a heart that is turned towards God. 

      *The eye is the lamp of the body

*Lamp is a device to generate “light” and something to illumines mind and soul(Dictionary)

* There are only two possible ways to look at things. If our minds focus only on things down here, we'll be full of darkness.

*Our natural eyes focus on our physical existence. So we must develop spiritual eyes to lock into what really matters. Jesus uses the eye as a metaphor to express the spiritual focus of our hearts. 

*Ephesians 1:18, Paul writes, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints....” 

*The good eye sees God and his ways as the great Treasure in life like Apostle Paul

*In other words, a "good eye" is a valuing eye, a discerning eye, a treasuring eye. 

* God and Mammon

*Notice  “can” or “can't”

*He does not say that we must not or we should not, but we cannot serve God and Mammon(Luke 16:13-15)

*The word “serve” indicates that it requires personal choice and decision and action

Read verses 25-32. Why should we not worry about the things in our lives? How does God show his faithfulness to provide for our daily needs? Is there any benefit by worrying? Why then do people worry (30b)? 

*When we want to serve God only, we must learn the spiritual secret of living in this world. We have inevitable material needs which are real and cannot be ignored. Jesus teaches us not to worry, but to seek God and to trust in God for everything. Our great enemy is worry.

 *Worry : defined as "a troubled state of mind, anxiety, uneasiness distress," 

 *Worry is “incessant(never stopping) fear”

*the word “worry” or “worrying” appeared five times in verses 25 to 34. Worry can grow like a cancer to consume all of our time and energy. Worry makes us waste our precious lives.

*Jesus' teaching in 6:25-34 is a kind of antidote to worry. The more we meditate these Jesus' teaching, the more we are free and truly independent from all worries. 

*In verse 25, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” We must remember that our lives came from God as a gift. The great Creator God who made us continue to care for us as our loving Father. God provides for all of his creatures. Jesus gave an example from nature.

*In verse 26. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” The birds of the air, among all of God’s creatures, symbolize freedom, like the American eagle. Birds fly through the sky all over God’s creation without worry. And God never fails to feed them. Since God feeds birds, creatures of instinct, how much more will he feed his children, who are made in his own image. By faith in God, we can be free from all worry, as free as the birds.
*No benefit at all, In verse 27. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” We will live in this world as long as God allows us to(Ephesians 2:10).

* 'What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’- Notice “we”

Without faith, a couple ended up discussing these kind of things endlessly. In a house church, 

we are supposed to talk about how to seek first His kingdom and pray together.
* Due to their lack of “little” faith(Diagnosis)

Read verse 33. What must Christians do? How can we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness? Why shouldn't we worry about tomorrow (34)? 

 * Jesus' remedy is different. He is like the coach of Spain soccer team. Offense is the best defense!

 

 * Notice “but” We Christians face with the same challenges and worry. However Christianity is characterized by one word, “but”. We are not supposed to give in and blindly follow them. 

* “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” We must not immitate those lacking faith in terms of running after the things of this world. We must not worry. We must remember that our heavenly Father loves us. We must overcome the doubt by absolutely trusting in His loving provision. 

*“Seek.” It is to pay attention to what God really desires us to do. Seeking his will and purpose is ongoing endeavor instead of overnight transaction. It is based on our constant commitment and a persistent prayer topic in our hearts. Single mind of focus! Otherwise our hearts are apt to be filled with others. 

*“First?” First is first, not even second. It has to do with absolute order. We must seek his       kingdom first now. Everything else must give way before its demands. 

  

 *Practically speaking to seek first Jesus’ kingdom and righteousness is to accept Jesus as our King  and to obey him in daily life. A king is different than a president. A king is a sovereign ruler. 

  *Compare with “Luke 12:31” that missed the two “first” and “His righteousness”

         

  * True righteousness extends to the heart, which cannot be seen by men, but for God's glory

  *When we seek God day by day, we need not worry about tomorrow(34). God holds all our            tomorrows in his hand. All we have to do is to take up our daily cross to follow Him.

  The end. 

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