Lenten Series
Week 2 | Sunday, February 25th
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “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 than food, and the body more 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 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—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. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers 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—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. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 Jesus describes life in His coming kingdom juxtaposed against life in this present world. Jesus gives us practical application for how to put His word into our lives. He encourages us to get our lives cleaned up and whole heartedly live in a way that pleases God in everything we do. In short He urges us to live for the age to come.
Take some time to read the Sermon on the Mount through this week. It includes the pithy beatitudes plus teachings on a wide range of subjects including reconciliation, divorce, making vows, praying and living without hypocrisy. Jesus talks about the importance of forgiveness, fasting and giving. As you read it ask the Lord to show you a specific area of your life where He is working. Perhaps, for me, the most applicable passage is about not being anxious.
In this sermon Jesus contrasts His way with the way of the religious leaders of His day. Those leaders were arrogant and loved the acclaim of others, “practicing their righteousness to be noticed.” They were hypocritical, their obedience was superficial. Jesus encourages us to be transparent and consistent, authentic, living our life from the inside out. He inspires us to walk in humility and to care more than anything else about the approval of God. When we live like this, we will not be anxious and can withstand persecution because our reward in heaven will be great. We will let our light shine and bring glory to the Father. The Lord desires authentic obedience from our hearts.
As Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount He tells the story of two men. One man builds his house on the rock, the other on sand. When the storms come the house on the rock stands and the house on the sand is swept away. Jesus goes on the say the man who built on the rock is the one who listened to His word and obeyed it. This Lenten season reading the Word of God is not enough, let’s put it into action in our lives.
Take some time to read the Sermon on the Mount through this week. It includes the pithy beatitudes plus teachings on a wide range of subjects including reconciliation, divorce, making vows, praying and living without hypocrisy. Jesus talks about the importance of forgiveness, fasting and giving. As you read it ask the Lord to show you a specific area of your life where He is working. Perhaps, for me, the most applicable passage is about not being anxious.
In this sermon Jesus contrasts His way with the way of the religious leaders of His day. Those leaders were arrogant and loved the acclaim of others, “practicing their righteousness to be noticed.” They were hypocritical, their obedience was superficial. Jesus encourages us to be transparent and consistent, authentic, living our life from the inside out. He inspires us to walk in humility and to care more than anything else about the approval of God. When we live like this, we will not be anxious and can withstand persecution because our reward in heaven will be great. We will let our light shine and bring glory to the Father. The Lord desires authentic obedience from our hearts.
As Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount He tells the story of two men. One man builds his house on the rock, the other on sand. When the storms come the house on the rock stands and the house on the sand is swept away. Jesus goes on the say the man who built on the rock is the one who listened to His word and obeyed it. This Lenten season reading the Word of God is not enough, let’s put it into action in our lives.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your clear instruction to us in the Sermon on the Mount. Help us to have a single eye focused upon living for your coming kingdom. Help us to live consistently and not hypocritically. Help us to always practice forgiveness and be reconciled where possible. Help us to let our light shine so that others see You and You receive the glory. Show us how to give and to live in a way that pleases You. May we not be anxious for tomorrow. In this world that is being shaken may we build our lives on the Rock who is Jesus so that we cannot be shaken.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Thank you for your clear instruction to us in the Sermon on the Mount. Help us to have a single eye focused upon living for your coming kingdom. Help us to live consistently and not hypocritically. Help us to always practice forgiveness and be reconciled where possible. Help us to let our light shine so that others see You and You receive the glory. Show us how to give and to live in a way that pleases You. May we not be anxious for tomorrow. In this world that is being shaken may we build our lives on the Rock who is Jesus so that we cannot be shaken.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen