Text: Matthew 6:31-33
Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo on Humanism which he calls the New Civic Religion writes,
“The common experience of human beings is to desire happiness but to be unhappy. They feel a keen sense of loss and desolation. They seek but find nothing in this world that meets their deepest longings. They suffer and die.”
Why does everyone long to be happy and so many are not. The suggestion is that we may be missing something. For the way to be happy is not to pursue happiness but rather to pursue God.
The life of the average Greek or Roman citizen revolved around food, drink and raiment. The Jews, however, disdained such concerns and contemplated only God’s reign over the world.
In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus tells his disciples, “So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
A pagan is someone outside of Christ. Do we live like pagans or do we live like children of the Kingdom?
We live in a world where many people are practical atheists. An atheist is someone who believes that God does not exist. A practical atheist lives as though God does not exist. People live daily with no reference to God. Their focus is on material things – what they shall eat, drink or wear. Why do we work? Not for money but for what money procures – what we eat, drink or wear. These are the things that the pagan run after.
The Focus of the Believer
What should the believer run after? Vs. 33a gives us the answer.” But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” To seek means to make a deliberate or concerted effort to find something valuable that is lost. What are we to seek? The Kingdom of God, that is, the sphere over which God rules. How must we seek? We must seek first. We are to pursue the Kingdom of God and do this as our number one/first priority. Not only are we to seek His Kingdom but also His righteousness and that involves doing what God requires us to do.
Vs. 33b “and all these things will be given to you as well.” To add means to place something at our disposal, to give, provide or grant. Jesus says don’t be like the pagans, don’t be a practical atheist but to extend our efforts for the Kingdom of God and all that the pagan is trying to get will be added to us.
Practical Ways To Put God First
1. First Every Day
Mark 1:35 “You are the first and last thing on my mind each and every day.”
2. First Every Week
Start the week by honouring “The Lord’s Day”. Attend church, fellowship with other believers.
3. First Every Pay Day
Who do we pay first? We must give Him our first fruits. Lev. 23:10, Prov. 3:9-10, 2Chron.31:5, Mal. 3:10
4. First In Every Decision
What informs our decisions? Are we guided by Kingdom principles and priorities?
5. First In Every Need
Sometimes, we are like the pagans. We function like people who do not know Christ. We call everyone except the One who can truly help us. Prov.3:5-6, Ps. 146:5, Job13:15
6. First In Every Aspect Of Life
Who has first demand on our time, energy and resources? Most churches have the same problem where 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Many believers do not participate in their church’s ministries. Why? We are too busy; we have no time; our secular jobs are too demanding etc.
Conclusion
As we celebrate communion, remember that communion is about what Jesus did for us, about our relation to Him. As we return to school and work, what will be our focus? What will be the most important things to us? Will we please God only on Sunday and live like the pagan for the rest of the week? Then we will be no different from those described by Jesus in the text.
Don’t be like the pagans who only pursue that which is material but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything that the pagan is pursuing, God will place at our disposal.
We never lose with God. In fact, we gain everything.