Listen:  109.6

Let’s begin by reading Matthew 6:31-34, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 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.”

Matthew, chapters 5-7 contain what is normally called the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon of the Lord is not a Gospel sermon.  It is not intended for unsaved people as a way of salvation.  Let’s read Matthew 5:1-2, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them…”  We see from this that this sermon was addressed to the Lord’s disciples, or those who are already saved.  This discourse was intended to give instructions and life principles for those that believe.

In the portion before us, the Lord is showing us that we can completely depend upon Him for all our needs.  He wants to be the one we depend upon for our daily necessities.  To ensure we receive the benefits the Lord has for us, He instructs us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He will meet all our needs.  To ‘seek first’, literally means to ‘put first’.  When we make God’s interests the most important thing in our lives, the Lord will surely meet all our needs as we read in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

So, the instruction we have here is that instead of worrying about our material needs, we should set our attention and energy on serving and pleasing the Lord; and representing His interests while in the world.  How does this impact our daily lives?  Does this mean we are to quit work and just expect the Lord to give us what we need?  Absolutely not!  When we put the Lord first, we will learn and obey His Word.  We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”  As those redeemed from the power and penalty of sin, we are to live lives of peace, hard work, and honesty.  As Christians, we represent the Lord, so our actions should reflect the love and characteristics of Christ.  May we all be encouraged by the words of King David in Psalms 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”  (109.6)