Seeking First the Kingdom

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Beware of Covetousness

Jesus warns of covetousness—literally “all covetousness”.

Covetousness is the longing for things beyond our basic needs and the drive to obtain them, even at the expense of others.

Covetousness corrupts the heart.

Covetousness is an expression of idolatry.

Colossians 3:

Colossians 3:5 NKJV

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Idolatry is placing our faith, security, and desire in something other than God.

The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)

Covetousness disrupts healthy relationships, distorts the true meaning of life, distracts from God's purpose, divides our affection, deflects our trust away from God, and deceives us into believing a lie.

Covetousness is often disguised by a sense of entitlement that leads to distorted and unreasonable expectations of what is “fair”.

The Parable of the Rich Fool (vs. 16-21)

The foolishness of hording what we cannot keep.

This man’s wealth turned his focus inward on himself. He failed to consider the Lord's purpose for his life and for giving him an excess harvest. He used the big “I” six times in verses 17-19:

The Big “I” (used six times).

What shall I do?

I have no room for my crops

I will do this

I will pull down my barns and build greater

I will store my crops and my goods

I will say of my soul...

Jesus calls him a “fool” (v. 20)

This man’s soul would be required of him that night. His plan would be ended, and he would lose everything. Who would gain them now?

Luke 9:25 NKJV

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Jim Elliot (missionary martyr in Ecuador on January 8, 1956): “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”[1]

Life is not about things we possess on earth

Life (psyche) is more than food and clothing for the body. The well-being and satisfaction of the human soul involves so much more than natural things.

True and lasting treasures are eternal. They are those things that moth cannot eat, rust cannot corrupt, and thieves cannot steal.

True and lasting joy is not found in seeking things, but in seeking the kingdom of God.

Do not fear

The fear of tomorrow can paralyze our faith in doing His will today.

Today’s worry is powerless to change tomorrow.

If yesterday’s worry was powerless to change today, then today’s worry is powerless to change tomorrow.

If God took care of today what we worried about yesterday, then why can’t we trust Him to take care of tomorrow what we worry about today?

Matthew 6:34 NKJV

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

God already knows what we need

Luke 12:29–30 NKJV

“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

God feeds the ravens, and he clothes the lilies. We are of more value than they!

Song: His Eye is on the Sparrow (Lyricist Civilia D. Martin/ composer Charles H. Grabiel, 1905)

“Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely, and long for Heav’n and home, when Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

Seek first the kingdom of God

Instead of worrying about tomorrow, we are to seek the kingdom of God today!

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

If we seek first the kingdom of God, then “all these things” that we worry about will be added to us by the God of the kingdom.

Jesus assures us that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

Response to the Word

We must be born again to “see” the kingdom of God (John 3:3)

We must be born again to “enter” the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

We must stop worrying about tomorrow. We must seek first the kingdom of God today.

What worries is God asking us to release?

What steps of seeking first His kingdom is He asking us to take?

Remember: We must seek first the kingdom to experience the kingdom of God.

[1]Journal excerpt from Shadow of the Almighty (1989) by Elisabeth Elliot, 1949.

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