Do Not Worry: Seek First…. Part II (Matt 6:25-29)
Verse 30 This is a continuation of Jesus’ command not to worry about what to wear.
- Not so much what outfit to wear, but that we would have something to wear.
- Jesus continues His analogy but switches from, “wild flowers” to “grass of the field.”
- His reference here is to grass, or even crop stubble, that was gathered for fuel. Straw!
- The grass wasn’t just an afterthought, God took care in creating it.
- If God cares and gives attention to even straw that will be burned up, how much more will he care for you.
- Jesus isn’t saying that we don’t have to work for our basic needs.
- Jesus is saying that we shouldn’t worry about our basic needs.
- This is a statement about faith!
Verse 31 Jesus gives summary to what He has been saying
- This verb “saying” can mean “to affirm,” or “to teach”
- The verb structure also has an ongoing sense to it.
- So it could be seen as “don’t worry by repeatedly affirming it“
Verse 32 Jesus doesn’t just say we shouldn’t worry about these things, but that if we do, we are no better than the pagans.
- Jesus is setting a clear distinction between the followers of the kingdom and those who don’t know God.
- The NIV says, “run after all these things” The word there is really, “striving” after.
- “Do not be striving after these things.”
- Then Jesus finishes this statement with an incredible statement, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
- God knows what we need even before we know we need it.
Verse 33 We miss it in the English but there is a word play in the Greek between the, “run after or striving” of the last verse and the seek first of this verse.
- The word in this verse does mean seek but can also be striving.
- Don’t strive after the things of the world, but do strive after the things of the Kingdom.
- Homophone in the Greek.
- But the main point in this whole passage is that the Kingdom is something we are to seek or strive for.
- In the Greek it is in present tense, ongoing, so it has the sense of “keep seeking His Kingdom.”
- So this is not a onetime thing but a way of life seeking the Kingdom.
- Jesus also put this statement into the form of a command.
- What is that and what does that look like?
- Romans 14:17 give us a clue.
- The kingdom of God is not the things of this world, even necessary things like eating and drinking, but rather the Kingdom is God’s righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- If there is a Kingdom, then there must be A King. The king of course is Jesus.
- So if I am to seek the kingdom, then I must by default also be seeking it’s King, Jesus.
- This verse also says that we are to seek His righteousness and much as we seek His Kingdom.
- Remember, righteousness is not something we do on our own.
- We don’t somehow muster up the strength to be righteous.
- Rather Jesus imparts His righteousness to us.
- As we seek the king of the Kingdom, Jesus, we get His righteousness thrown in.
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- As we are faithful to confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us and cleans us from all unrighteousness.
- All the things that Jesus told us not to worry about, get added to us, when we seek first the Kingdom and righteousness.
Verse 34 Jesus now adds the idea that tomorrow will have enough worry of its own.
- The circumstances of today that we are worried about could easily change by tomorrow.
- Not to mention tomorrow will undoubtedly bring a whole new set of circumstances that could be worried about.
- This is a call to live fully in the present trusting God for our needs and circumstances.