The Demands Of The King

Our Text: Matthew 6:19-34

Who do you trust? To be saved we have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have made that decision, why is it we then worry?

The Apostle Paul wrote by the Holy Ghost:

Php 4:6  [Be careful for nothing]; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In other words Don’t Worry.

My Pastor just preached on worry and he chose this very scripture in Matthew. There are many reasons we should not worry and I will list just a few that he mentioned.

1.) When we worry about what’s next in our lives, it simply will not help.

2.) When we worry, it will affect our health.

3.) When we worry it will keep us from focusing on God and the work God has for us to do.

4.) When we worry, we worry about things that most often do not even happen.

5.) When we worry, it will rob us of our joy.

6.) When we worry, it will grieve the Holy Ghost who lives within every believer.

7.) When we worry, it shows our lack of faith because worry is the opposite of faith.

If Jesus Christ is our Lord, and He is, He has the right to make demands about the way we live!

Jesus Christ Himself ask us all this very question:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and [do not the things which I say?]

How can we call ourselves Christians when we refuse to understand and do the things Christ Jesus ask us to do.

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The Jews thought that riches were a sign of God’s pleasure and blessing. We can see that this line of thinking still exist today in the world we live in. In fact there are many false preachers that preach this message, saying to give to God abundantly and God will bless abundantly.

To be honest I believe God expects ten percent of our income in tithe to the Church, an offering to help others when we have extra, but one hundred percent of ourselves for His work. To give less is to be disobedient to God. These are our minimum requirements. To give more is to build up treasures in Heaven that will be there when we get there.

The Bible says:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, [that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice], holy, acceptable unto God, [which is your reasonable service].
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You cannot give a living sacrifice after you are in the grave!

God would never ask us to do anything that was unreasonable!

Christ Jesus taught us that the material things of this earth may be lost to thieves, moths, or rust, that the things of this world are temporal and not permanent but on the other hand, we could store things in Heaven that are permanent and eternal.

The real danger in accumulating treasure on Earth is that too many fall in love with that accumulation and will be enslaved by those riches.

We are accustomed to dividing life into two different things:

1.) Material things of this Earth.

2.) Spiritual things in Heaven.

Christ Jesus did not make this distinction!

Jesus taught that we have to have the right attitude toward wealth:

Luk 12:13  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
Luk 12:14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, [Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth].

We can see that the Pharisees were covetous:

Luk 16:14  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

The scriptures point out that these so called religious leaders used their religion to make money for their personal use. False religion is full of these same Pharisees in “type” today in our world.

The wealth of the Church is in “saved souls”!

The wealth of the Church is not in bank accounts and carnal buildings and riches.

We must have the proper attitude toward material wealth while we are yet strangers here waiting, till Our Lord takes us home.

Jesus Christ never magnified poverty for His children and He did not legitimize the getting of wealth.

Remember the words of our Creator:

Gen 1:31  [And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good]. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

It is Satan, the Devil that has taken these good things that God made and used them to make them into carnal things.

God knows that we need certain things in order to live in His creation:

“for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things”

God gives us things to enjoy our time on Earth:

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, [who giveth us richly all things to enjoy];
1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

“It is not wrong to possess things but it is wrong if those things to possess you”

Christ jesus warned us against the sin of living for the things of this life and the consequences of doing so:

Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Psa 119:36  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Eph 5:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Most of all our worries come from our worry of how we will survive on this Earth but we must realize that materialism will enslave us:

1.) It will enslave our Heart:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”

2.) It will enslave our Mind:

“if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light”

“If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

3.) It will enslave our Will:

“Ye cannot serve God and mammon”

We are foolish to become enslaved with the things of this life when we have been liberated by the Holy Spirit of God!

What does it mean to lay up treasures in Heaven?

It means that after we are saved, we are to use everything we have for the Glory of God!

It means measuring this life in the flesh [by the true riches of eternal life with our God in Heaven] or where ever He takes us.

When we want to get rich by this world’s standards we will fall into the snares and traps of Satan:

1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9  [But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition].
1Ti 6:10  [For the love of money is the (root) of all evil]: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

God says of that root of evil:

Luk 3:9  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

We can easily see the Christ Jesus viewed the desire to accumulate wealth as a substitute for “faith”. In other words, one who possessed riches may not see the need to trust God for their needs today or tomorrow.

We can tell that these Pharisees thought it wise to accumulate wealth so their future was secure. When we place our faith in anything of this Earth we have not understood the message of God. It is by “faith” on Jesus Christ that we are saved. There is nothing of this world that can bring us eternal salvation.

Being covetous will cheapen our riches that we obtain here on earth and it will also cheapen the individual that places his faith in his riches. Material riches create more problems than it does solutions. Material wealth gives a false sense of security and most often ends in tragedy not only for that person but for many that have been watching that person. There is always someone that is observing your life, most often your own children.

God’s plants and animals do not worry but they possess more freedoms of God than any human but they also have no opportunity for salvation. All of nature depends on God for their existence on this planet we call Earth. We as humans are no different. We depend wholly on God to exist! It’s His air, His water, and His food. Everything belongs to God.

Mortal man depends on money and money always fails!

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will also feed and cloth His own children and even the more.

It is our faith that interferes with our relationship with God.

Mat 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, [believing], ye shall receive.

Joh 20:31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; [and that believing] ye might have life through his name.

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, [yet believing], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

You see without faith we cannot, [CANNOT!] please God!

Heb 11:6  [But without faith it is impossible to please his]: for he that cometh to God [must believe that he is], [and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him].

*****Our Text:

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

To be truly free from anxiety we must have complete “faith” in God. When we worry, we are acting on our lack of “faith”. To worry about material things is to live like the unbelievers. When we put God’s will and God’s righteousness first in our lives, He will take care of everything else.

There is no greater witness for a Christian than to put all hope in God and none in this world we live in.

We can find the formula to stop all worrying in the Book of Psalms:

Psa 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Psa 37:2  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Psa 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psa 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psa 37:6  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Psa 37:8  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

1.) Trust in the Lord (vs 3)

2.) Delight in the Lord (vs4)

3.) Commit thy way unto the Lord (vs 5)

4.) Rest in the Lord (vs 7)

5.) Cease from anger (vs 8)

Choosing anything that goes against the Word of God would be evil in the eyes of God!

It is a fruitless thing to concern our selves with the future of this planet when we will have no future on this planet and nor will anyone else. We simply have no promise of a future here on this Earth.

The Bible says:

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

If we die on this Earth let us die in our faith like those that have gone on to Heaven before us!

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Worrying about tomorrow does not help tomorrow or today, but it will rob us of our effectiveness today.

The Bible approves for us to plan for the future and even to save for our future:

2Co 12:14  Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

1Ti 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

This becomes sin when we worry about that future and allow it to rob us of the blessings of today!

We find three main words here:

1.) Faith (vs 30)

Faith Trusting God to meet our needs.

2.) Father (vs 32)

Knowing our Father cares for His children.

3.) First (vs 33)

We must put God first in our lives.

When we make material things our master and spend our time worrying about them we are acting like unbelievers!

Lost people value their possessions above all other things and they spend all their lives trying to accumulate more and more. Not only is this sin, it in most cases takes valuable time from the family which will soon fail and time in worshipping the Lord which is completely necessary.

Luk 10:38  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luk 10:39  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Luk 10:40  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

If we truly put God first in our lives, ALL other things will fall into their proper position. We will have what we need and we will be satisfied with ALL that we have.

Let’s Pray!