Matthew 6: The Sermon on the Mount (35)
Pray Psalm 15.1, 2.
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart…
Sing Psalm 15.1, 2.
Arlington: This Is the Day the Lord Has Made
LORD, who may dwell within Your tent, or on Your holy hill?
All those who keep Your covenant and walk within Your will.
All they who with integrity work peace and righteousness,
forever in God’s house shall be forgiven, kept, and blessed.
Read Matthew 6.16-34; meditate on verse 33.
What activities does “seek” imply?
Prepare.
1. We must discipline ourselves for righteousness. How is that seen in these verses?
2. How does Jesus show us in this passage that true righteousness begins within?
Meditate.
We do not become righteous citizens of the Kingdom of God by the mere passage of time. If the seed of the Kingdom has taken root in our heart, it will bear the fruit of the Kingdom, which is righteousness. But this doesn’t just happen.
Our tendency in life is, like flowing water, to follow paths of least resistance. But that will not bring forth the righteousness latent in the Kingdom seed which Christ has sown into the soil of our soul. Disciplines like prayer, fasting, and submitting to God’s Word are essential. Those disciplines will come more easily to us if we treasure Christ and His Kingdom more than the things that typically occupy our minds. We lay up treasures in heaven by focusing on Jesus and, within the framework of His Kingdom and righteousness, taking up the disciplines essential for the Lord to bring forth the fruit of righteousness in us.
Let our eyes focus on Christ and on the life to which He calls us, and let us not allow them to become clouded by lesser things. Thus, what we focus on will be what bears fruit in our soul.
So we should stop worrying and fretting about material things, and seek the Kingdom and righteousness of Christ first, always, and in everything we do. We need material things—food, clothing, work, and so forth—but we don’t need to worry about them, because our Father in heaven knows we need such things. If we discipline ourselves, and invest time and energy in seeking the Kingdom, Jesus will clothe us increasingly with His righteousness, and our Father will supply everything we need to keep us on the Jesus path.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
If “we do not become righteous citizens of the Kingdom of God by the mere passage of time…and it doesn’t just happen”; then how does it happen?
“Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise, which,
having no captain, overseer or ruler,
provides her supplies in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest.
How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
and your need like an armed man” (Prov. 6.6-11).
Solomon spoke hard words to those who would not take up the work of righteousness.
If we too, refuse to work hard, to seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness,
then we too will be the recipients of his scolding.
“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘that I will send a famine on the land,
not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8.11).
Jesus tells us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God.
Seek first God’s righteousness” (Matt. 6.33).
We must daily gather our refreshment and nourishment from the Word of God.
Much like God’s children were instructed to gather the manna (Ex. 16.13-31).
If we are planning to gather up a week’s worth of it on Sunday morning at church, we can count on the fact that it will spoil and get wormy by the next week. It must be gathered and consumed daily. Lest there be a “famine [in your own life] of hearing the words of the LORD.”
God promises that He “knows the days of the upright…
and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied” (Ps. 37.18, 19).
We must never be satisfied with anything other than Jesus, His Kingdom, and His righteousness.
We must always work diligently to be wise, and daily gather our sustenance from His Word.
Because our righteousness won’t “just happen”.
All else, besides Him, will never satiate; but whoever drinks of the water that Jesus gives will never thirst for anything or anyone other (Jn. 4.14). “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You” (Ps. 73.25).
Fill my cup, Lord; I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.
(Richard Blanchard, 1959)
The Focus and Framework for Righteousness.
Reflect.
1. Is your vision of Christ, exalted in glory, improving? Getting clearer, more expansive and consistent? Explain.
2. What could you do to help a fellow believer begin feeding daily on the Word of God?
3. How can seeing Jesus and feeding on His Word help us to keep from having idols in our lives?
With a single heart, therefore, and exclusively for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, we ought to do good to all. And in this well-doing we ought not to think about temporal rewards, either exclusively or conjointly with the kingdom of God. Augustine (354-430), Sermon on the Mount 2.17.56
Pray Psalm 15.2-5.
For the day ahead, what can you do to bring more of the disciplines of the Kingdom to bear on your activities? Bring this to the Lord in prayer, and follow as He leads.
Sing Psalm 15.2-5.
Arlington: This Is the Day the Lord Has Made
Let truth from every heart proceed, and slander disappear:
Thus shall we know God’s grace indeed and feel His Presence near.
No evil to your neighbor speak, nor turn against your friend:
Thus shall you know the hope you seek, God’s Presence without end.
Let every sinner be despised; but those who fear the LORD
shall honor have before our eyes, according to God’s Word.
All they who keep their word in faith, though suffering may ensue,
shall know the favor of God’s grace, His Presence ever true.
No greed and no injustice shall they do who seek the LORD;
but on His mercy ever call and stand upon His Word.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column looks at people in ministry. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
