This Sunday, we will be exploring how we can begin to seek God first in every area of our lives based on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19-34. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us that we are to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, that we are to serve God alone, and not worry because God provides for us. Jesus is pretty comprehensive here when it comes to where we are putting our trust—not in our treasure, not in another god or person, and not in our own power as we seek to provide for ourselves.

What’s interesting to me is what Jesus says in verse 32—that it’s pagans who run after these things. In other words, it’s those who are outside of the family of God that concern themselves with stacking cash, chasing after other gods and other masters, and are consumed with worry.

Those are tough words—especially when we look critically at our lives and our faith. We know that there are times when we’re all overly worried about putting money in the bank, moments when we’ve traded our allegiance to God for our work, our children, our addictions, and any number of other things. Not only that, but our lack of allegiance to God has caused us to be consumed by worry…all while we proclaim to have faith in Jesus Christ.

We must hear Jesus’ call to put God first—before our treasure, before any other God or master, before our worry—because our God cares for us and knows our needs. We’ve been asking, “What if…?” throughout this series, so let’s do it again and ask, “What if we seek God first?” What might our lives, our church, our community, and our world look like if we, as God’s people, truly put God first? How might our lives, and our life together, be rearranged and expanded as we seek after God and God’s will before all else?

So, I invite you today to take stock of your life, of your faith, and begin to ask yourself where you are storing your treasures, who you are serving, and whether you are consumed by worry, not to convict you, but to offer you freedom that comes only when God is first in our lives.

God bless and see you on Sunday!
Jonathan
For Jesus. For People. For Community.