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“Kingdom Come”

Sermon on the Mount Series 

Class 12: Matthew 6.25-34

  • QUESTION: What impact is the series having on your faith so far?

‘Therefore’ 

  • Because material treasures unsatisfactory and temporary (Matthew 6:19-21) 
  • Because focus on wrong things (Matthew 6:22) 
  • Because must choose master (Matthew 6:24)
  • Because kingdom loyalty must be total (Matthew 6:19-24) 

1. Worry

  • QUESTION: When is worry helpful?
  • QUESTION: When is worry unhelpful?
  • Merimna, ‘over-concerned’
  • Paul: Phil 2.27-28.
  • The worriers: Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:6.
  • The lazy: 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:11. 
  • The burdened: Gal 6.2
  • QUESTION: How can we recognise when we are worrying in a way that breaks this command?

2. Solutions to worry

  • More, v25 – Jn 10.10, the ‘good life’ – the ‘more’ life needs air to breath.
  • What we ‘look at’
    • Birds and Flowers
      • “orni-theology”
        • 500 million
        • Survival
    • katamanthano
      • Splendour: Solomon – 1 Kings 10:5; 1 Kgs 4:32–33
      • How much happier we would be if we could give up trying to achieve something we cannot achieve by a method that will not produce what we hope for. 
  1. What we think of the Father
  • He knows and cares. Matt 6.6-8
  • Trusting God for daily needs cf. Phil 4:6–7; Heb 13:5; 1 Pet 5:7.

Conclusion: Seek first the kingdom

  • ‘But’: decisive action needed
    • The antidote to anxiety is not so much not being anxious as pursuing the right things – the kingdom and God’s righteousness.
  • seek: present imperative – ongoing
    • Not so much bringing the kingdom into being in an eschatological manner, but living under God’s rule, revealing the kingdom.
    • “make it your priority to find”
  • kingdom: 
    • Seek God’s kingship – “resolving to live under God’s direction and control”
  • righteousness
    • Emphasis: Matt 5:6, 10, 20, 
    • Discipleship “God’s righteousness is not a focus that brings condemnation, but rather a reminder that it is his righteousness that sees us to heaven and not our own.”
  • given to you
    • Solomon. Asked for wisdom and got everything else thrown in.
    • Trust the nature of the one making the promise.
  • tomorrow: v33 about today, v34 about the future.
    • A very pragmatic observation. We cannot predict tomorrow. 
    • Today’s bread – Matt 6.11.
  • QUESTION: What does this look like today? What is the right response to worry?
  • QUESTION for prayer and reflection: How will this passage affect the way you live this week?

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:34 MESSAGE)

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org.

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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

PS: You might also be interested in my book: “An elephant’s swimming pool”, a devotional look at the Gospel of John