January 9, 2012
Central Truth
As citizens of the kingdom living on earth, we must not lose sight of what lies ahead. Remain faithful and obedient today, confident that God promises a reward so much greater than the fleeting treasures of this world.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)
1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
1
6:9
Or Let your name be kept holy, or Let your name be treated with reverence
10
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
2
6:10
Or Let your kingdom come, let your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11
Give us this day our daily bread,
3
6:11
Or our bread for tomorrow
12
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
4
6:13
Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust 5 6:19 Or worm; also verse 20 destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 6 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 7 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
I find that songs say what I can't, and these words say it best:
"The cry of my heart is to bring you praise
From the inside out, Lord, my soul cries out."
God desires His followers to worship "From the Inside Out," the song's title. Jesus sees straight through the Pharisees' law-abiding actions to their self-absorbed, world-loving hearts. He is warning followers against falling in love with the world, abandoning relationship and dependence on Him. At times, I'm guilty of going through the motions, outwardly proclaiming Christ, but inwardly loving myself and this world.
God doesn't need my worship, but if I'm not fully worshiping Him, then I'm worshiping something that will eventually destroy me. My Father wants to give me so much more than the substitutes that my heart pursues. Substitutes such as affluence, possessions, status, praise, even marriage, children, and church. I have been blessed with much of this, but when I let it replace God and make it my treasure, it ends in heartbreak and emptiness. Thankfully, the heartbreak draws me back into relationship and reminds me that He alone is enough.
So, how can I live for the kingdom that is coming and not this earth, which is temporary? Magnify the King and minimize me. Seeking God first means going to His Word every morning and eating the daily bread He provides. There I find wisdom, understanding, strength, and comfort to sustain me that day. Like corrective lenses, this simple habit has changed my vision and helped me see the things my Father cares about -- mainly people.
1. Are you seeking God's pleasure or your pleasure? Do you use your money to get the Lord's work done or to build a life of luxury?
2. Where or in whom is God calling you to invest your time and gifts for the kingdom? Are you willing to do it without notice, waiting for the reward?
3. What worldly significance or substitutes do you pursue instead of allowing God to satisfy your soul? Are you growing anxious and weary in that pursuit?
4. Are the people that matter most to God on your radar? Widows, orphans, the poor and oppressed?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MATTHEW 6-10 (JANUARY 9-13)
Read Matthew 6:25-34.
What is worry? What do you worry about?
What does God say about worry in these verses?
What things in nature does God tell us He takes care of?
How does He take care of them?
How does God take care of you?
Activity: Make tissue paper flowers. Go to this link and watch the video for directions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNeVq2RxFU&feature=related
(Note: use a pipe cleaner instead of string to make a stem.)
Once you have completed your flowers. Cut out green leaves and write verse 34 on each leaf. Put these flowers where they will remind you that God will take care of you just like He takes care of the flowers.
Additional Resources
To learn more about the Lord's Prayer, listen to Watermark Community Church's sermon on the Lord's Prayer