Sunday March 10 AM Service
The Promise of a Miserable Existence:
Seek Second the Kingdom
Matthew 6:24 ff
This morning’s one objective for you Christian believer ---- for you to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your
life!
∙ For you to lay down your nets: (Matthew 4:19-20) ""Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you
fishers of men." {20} At once they left their nets and followed him."
∙ For you to count the cost: (Matthew 10:7-10; 21-22)As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of
heaven is near.' {8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give. {9} Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; {10}
take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. {21}
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and
have them put to death. {22} All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will
be saved."
∙ And for you to make Jesus and his kingdom the #1 priority of your life! (Mat 6:25-33) "Therefore I tell
you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is
not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? {26} Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not much more valuable than they? {27} Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?
{28} "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
{29} Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. {30} If that is
how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he
not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? {31} So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or
'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' {32} For the pagans run after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them. {33} But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well.
Transition: In the Gospel of Matthew we find that there are six things that will mark the life of a
Christian who has made Jesus the Lord of their life:
Lordship involves . . .
I. Leaving: they left their nets (Matthew 4:20)
(Luke 14:33) In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Leaving those things that tend to get in the way of God.
Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.
Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.
Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him e’er sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.
Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self-life or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved; there’s nothing between.
And in our day this is especially true of time. Nothing is more valuable to us today than our time.
There is no such things as tithing one’s time to God (although for most of us it would be an
improvement of our commitment now!)
Until God has your time,
you’re not in line,
with His will
The reason that many of us struggle so much with Lordship is because HE IS NOT!
(Phil 2:10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep,
but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk
or a snooze in the sunshine.
I don't want enough of him to make me
love my enemy or to help a stranger.
I want ecstasy,
not transformation;
I want the warmth of a womb,
not a new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
Just$3 of God, please!
When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die!
Lordship involves . . .
II. Telling: (As you go . . . preach! Matthew 10:7)
(Leave your nets and I will make you fishers of men! Matthew 4:19)
(John 4:35) Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look
at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
(Rom 1:14-17) I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. {15} That
is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. {16} I am not ashamed of the
gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then
for the Gentile. {17} For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by
faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
(Rom 10:1) Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
(Rom 9:1-3) I speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- {2} I
have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. {3} For I could wish that I myself were cursed and
cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
Lordship involves . . .
III. Believing: (Mat 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received, freely give.
(Mal 3:6) For I am the LORD, I change not;
(Heb 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Your God is Too Small!
This is a God who . . .
∙ Parts the waters: Exodus 14
∙ Guides you into your future: Exodus 3
∙ Protects you when persecuted for your witness: Daniel 3
∙ Heals us when we are sick: Luke 7:1 ff
∙ Provides for our needs: Exodus 16
∙ Gives direction through dark and trying times: Exodus 13 and 14
Fear not, precious flock, from the cross to the throne
From death into life He went for His own
All power in earth, all power above
Is given to Him for the flock of His love
Fear not, precious flock, He goeth ahead,
Your Shepherd selects the path you must tread;
The waters of Mara He'll sweeten for thee
He drank all the bitter in Gethsemane
Fear not, precious flock, whatever your lot;
He enters all rooms, the doors being shut.
He never forsakes, He never is gone
So count on His presence in darkness and dawn.
Chorus
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe;
Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible, only believe.
Lordship involves . . .
IV. Giving (Mat 10:8) Freely you have received, freely give.
Two Reasons we Give:
A. Stewardship:
(Exo 9:29) Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the
LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord's.
(Psa 24:1) Of David. A psalm. The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
(1 Cor 10:26) for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
B. Gratitude:
(1 Cor 4:7) What do you have that you did not receive?
(Mat 10:8) Freely you have received, freely give.
Lordship involves . . .
V. Trusting: (Mat 10:9-10) Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; {10} take no bag
for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
(Mat 6:25-33) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than
clothes? {26} Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? {27} Who of you by worrying
can add a single hour to his life ? {28} "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the
field grow. They do not labor or spin. {29} Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was
dressed like one of these. {30} If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? {31} So do not
worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' {32} For the
pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. {33} But seek first
his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Mat 6:24) "No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.
(Mark 10:21-23) Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything
you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." {22} At this
the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. {23} Jesus looked around and said
to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
Lordship involves . . .
VI: Standing: (Mat 10:22) All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be
saved.