1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:05,080 We are one church. We love God, love people, love 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,000 His mission, and love His church. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,560 Welcome to the One Church podcast. 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,080 So we're nearing the end of a brilliant series. 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,480 Jesus said we're looking at the life changing words of Jesus, 6 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,560 which I hope you'll agree are both very simple and very deep. 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,360 And each week there's been something that has really like 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,960 impacted my life personally. And today we're going to focus 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,080 on one verse. And I think we could say that it 10 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,480 sums up all the verses that have gone before really. 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,160 So Are you ready? Jesus said get your priorities 12 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:46,640 right and before you start rifling into Bibles and 13 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:47,880 thinking, well where is that verse? 14 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,280 I don't think that's in my Bible. 15 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:51,840 He did say this, but he used slightly different words. 16 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,560 This is what he says. But seek first his Kingdom and 17 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,960 His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as 18 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,520 well. So last week we heard how we're 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,160 to choose between treasure on earth and all treasure in 20 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,520 heaven, between material stuff or a personal living God. 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,400 Do you know material stuff doesn't care about you if you 22 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,440 put that first, but God does. A small life or the life that 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,680 Jesus calls them more than life because he says at the end of 24 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,040 the passage from last week, isn't life more than these? 25 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,920 Life is more than and life can be more than. 26 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,080 So if you're looking for a life today that is more than what 27 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,600 you've known so far, this is where you find it. 28 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,840 And here are a few verses Later in the same Sermon on the Mount, 29 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,040 Jesus continues and drives this point home. 30 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,400 So let's just read this passage, Matthew 631 to 34. 31 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,720 Jesus said, so do not worry, saying, what shall we eat, or 32 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,760 what shall we drink or what shall we wear? 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,240 For the pagans, run after these things, and your heavenly Father 34 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:56,600 knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and 35 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,760 his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as 36 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,480 well. Therefore do not worry about 37 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,040 tomorrow, for tomorrow we'll worry about itself. 38 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,560 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 39 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,560 So do I hear you say in your heart. 40 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,720 Oh thank goodness for that. I really, you know Susan, you 41 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,120 really read my mind. I really need a message today on 42 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,880 do not worry and don't be anxious about tomorrow. 43 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,440 Great. Well Jesus does have a worry 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,360 free life for us to live, but how do we access it? 45 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,000 He says get your priorities right. 46 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,880 We will not be anxious if we surrender control to the one who 47 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,160 holds us and who holds all things because then we're going 48 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,360 to live really free. And today's verse is sandwich 49 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,440 between if you like, it's like a big fat challenge, like the meat 50 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,200 in between two slices of bread that are the comfort. 51 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,720 If you like anybody here like bread. 52 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:54,960 Yeah. So we love the do not worry 53 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,840 about your life. We love the do not worry about 54 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,920 tomorrow. But in the middle is this Mety 55 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:02,880 verse that says, but seek first His Kingdom and His 56 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,680 righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as 57 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,280 well. If we obey this command, if we 58 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:11,560 get our priorities right, then if we put Jesus first in 59 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,800 everything, then we possess the key. 60 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,400 Actually, looking back over the whole of this series to all the 61 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,160 things that we've looked at, I was just thinking of some of 62 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:21,440 them. Do you remember some of these? 63 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,520 If we seek Him first, we can ask and receive, we can seek and we 64 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:26,960 can find. We can knock and the door will 65 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,040 be opened. If we seek Him first, we can 66 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,720 know His light shining on our lives and we can be the light in 67 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,080 the places where we are. If we seek Him first, we can 68 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,880 know peace not as the world gives. 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,160 Remember some of these weeks. If we seek Him first, we can 70 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,120 bear much fruit. If we seek Him first, we can 71 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,080 have life to the full, etcetera, etcetera. 72 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,440 So do you want to live a life under blessing? 73 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,520 Do you want to live a life that counts? 74 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,280 Do you want to live a life that's free from worry? 75 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,520 Well, it all follows because we get our priorities sorted first. 76 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,080 We seek Him first. So let's just repeat. 77 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:03,880 And I make no apology for repeating. 78 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,720 Jesus loved repetition. And it's a bit like when you 79 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:08,800 wash your hair, you know, lather, rinse, repeat. 80 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,160 We're going to lather ourselves, rinse and repeat the word. 81 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,480 And we're going to unpack each part of this one verse and end 82 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,040 with a deep challenge to all of us. 83 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:24,480 But seek first his Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these 84 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,200 things will be given to you as well. 85 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,000 We're thinking today about the Kingdom search, the Kingdom 86 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:37,840 rule, the Kingdom life and the Kingdom consequences to reorder 87 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:41,440 and reaffirm our priorities. So firstly, the Kingdom search. 88 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:44,160 And Lord, we just open our hearts to hear what you're 89 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:49,800 saying to us this morning. But seek first, seek first. 90 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,480 Anybody here love hide and seek treasure hunts? 91 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,200 I did numerous treasure hunts for our children when they were 92 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,840 younger, played numerous games of hide and seek. 93 00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:01,080 Children never get fed up with it and it's always one of my 94 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,760 favourite games as a child. In the days where parents would 95 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,960 literally let their children wander everywhere in my 96 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,000 childhood, you know, I would go down to the beach on my own. 97 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,800 Then you know, we would make treasure hunts around our local 98 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:14,880 area and it would just last for hours. 99 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,200 But Jesus starts this life changing phrase with the idea of 100 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,000 seeking. Now here's a picture of a piece 101 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,320 of plankton. Now plankton are organisms that 102 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,800 drift in water or air, but are unable to actively propel 103 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,680 themselves anywhere against the currents or against wind. 104 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,360 Now you and I, men and women, we're created in God's image. 105 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,960 We're designed for more. It's not natural for people to 106 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:44,360 drift through life just without a purpose, without a point. 107 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,640 We need something to live for, we need to give ourselves for 108 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,600 something or someone. We need a reason to get up every 109 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,240 morning and live with a focus. This is to do with our goals, 110 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,880 our motivation and the ambition for our life, if you like. 111 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,280 And Jesus contrasts 2 motivations here. 112 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,760 He talks about running after all these things that other people 113 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,800 run after. Food, drink, clothing, being 114 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,920 focused on our own security or risking it all, taking up our 115 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,760 cross, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness. 116 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,560 And Jesus is saying, is this all your life is? 117 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,600 He's not saying that to look after our bodies or to prepare 118 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,280 for the future or to enjoy his good gifts or to plan wisely is 119 00:06:27,280 --> 00:06:29,280 wrong. These things are not wrong. 120 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:31,800 But he says don't seek for yourself first. 121 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,080 Get your priorities right because this just leads to a 122 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,760 smaller and smaller life. Seek Him and His Kingdom and His 123 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,760 righteousness, and this is what you were made for. 124 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,200 Proverbs 11 in the message paraphrase puts it like this. 125 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,600 The world of the generous gets larger and larger. 126 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,680 The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 127 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,680 A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump. 128 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,240 A God shaped life is a flourishing tree. 129 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,080 Don't you want to live a God shaped life? 130 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,480 Do you want to live an enlarging life, a flourishing life that 131 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,520 gets bigger and bigger? We're not plankton. 132 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,880 Maybe just say to your neighbour, I'm not plankton. 133 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,160 I'm not drifting through life. I'm going to seek. 134 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,560 I'm going to seek 1st. I'm going to seek his Kingdom. 135 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,680 We're made in God's image. We're made for more. 136 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,720 God made us to seek. So here's our first question 137 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,320 today after each little section, I'm just going to bring us a 138 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:28,720 question. Am I seeking? 139 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,200 Am I living with purpose or am I drifting? 140 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,880 So what does that actually mean? To seek first his Kingdom, 141 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,920 Kingdom rule, but seek first His Kingdom. 142 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,640 Every Kingdom has a king, His Kingdom. 143 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:48,640 Who is this king? Maybe you're in here today and 144 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,280 they think, well, who is this king that we've been singing 145 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,920 about? This isn't just any king, this 146 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:58,160 is Jesus. Now, Doctor SM Lockridge 147 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,000 Shadrach Meshach was his name. Believe it or not, SM. 148 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,360 He was a Pentecostal church leader from San Diego. 149 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,000 He was a compatriot of Martin Luther King. 150 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,960 And in 1976, he preached a famous message where he got 151 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,520 really carried away about Jesus being the king. 152 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,120 Here's a little excerpt in my voice. 153 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,160 The Bible says my king is the king of righteousness. 154 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,280 He's the king of the ages. He's the king of heaven. 155 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,360 He's the king of glory. He's the king of kings. 156 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,640 He's the Lord of Lords. Now that's my king. 157 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,040 I wonder if you know him. There's no means of measure can 158 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,800 define his limitless love. He's eternally steadfast, 159 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,480 immortally graceful, imperially powerful, impartially merciful. 160 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,640 That's my king. He supplies strength to the weak 161 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,159 sympathisers and he saves. He guards and he guides. 162 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:44,840 Do you know him well? My king is the key of knowledge. 163 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,800 He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. 164 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,720 He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of 165 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,880 righteousness. He's the governor of governors, 166 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,200 He's the Prince of Princess, He's the King of kings, and he's 167 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,480 the Lord of Lords. That's my King. 168 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,040 Well, I wish I could describe him to you, but he's 169 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,600 indescribable. He's incomprehensible. 170 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,520 He's invincible. He's irresistible. 171 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,520 You can't get him out your mind. You can't get him off your hand. 172 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,160 You can't outlive him. And you can't live without him. 173 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,560 Death couldn't handle him, and the grave couldn't hold him. 174 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:17,720 That's my king. There was nobody before him and 175 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,760 there'll be nobody after him, because his is the Kingdom and 176 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,400 the power and the glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. 177 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,480 How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and 178 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:28,760 ever. Amen. 179 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,680 So that's my king. Is he your king? 180 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,200 And if he's our king, then we ask for his Kingdom rule to come 181 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,160 first of all in me, because to seek first his Kingdom, the rule 182 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,000 of the King Jesus begins in our hearts when we turn away from 183 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,880 our old lives and choose to follow him. 184 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,680 My Lord and my Saviour. We say when we bring people to 185 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:55,920 give their lives to Jesus, we're not just saying, oh, he's going 186 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:57,680 to be my saviour. We're saying he's going to be my 187 00:09:57,680 --> 00:10:00,520 Lord, but he needs to be our saviour. 188 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,240 And then we get propelled outwards because now spreading 189 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,240 his Kingdom becomes the prime purpose of my life. 190 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,560 You say I have purpose now. I remember just waking up after 191 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:13,040 just becoming a Christian and thinking, wow, I feel like I 192 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,240 have purpose in my life. I know where my life is going, 193 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,040 my priority, what is it? And I'm speaking to myself here. 194 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:25,640 Do we sense the urgency of this? You know, war is all over the 195 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,560 World News, isn't it? At the moment, millions of 196 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,800 people living in fear of bombs and guns and what's going to 197 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,480 happen next. Do we feel as well like we're in 198 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,720 a war, fighting for the spreading of the good news of 199 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:43,200 Jesus, not with guns or bombs, but with words and deeds? 200 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:47,720 Or do we actually live like it's peacetime because the time is 201 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,520 short and the war is raging for people's souls? 202 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,400 Simon Gillibod in his book, A little book called Sacrifice, 203 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,200 tells of a day when he was preaching in a crowded meeting 204 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,480 in Burundi on the Congolese border. 205 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:02,760 And he preached a simple message from Jesus. 206 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,160 Story of the wise and the foolish virgins where five were 207 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,720 ready and five ran out of oil. And when they returned, the 208 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,920 wedding celebrations were going on and the door was firmly shut, 209 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,720 and they were too late. And his points were simple. 210 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,760 One, Jesus is coming. 2, Nobody knows when. 211 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,760 Three, Are you ready? And a number of people responded 212 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,600 to that message and gave their lives to Jesus, but many did 213 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,400 not. And he says this, he says maybe 214 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:31,520 they thought they'd respond in a week or a year. 215 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,680 But two days later, he was riding his motorbike near that 216 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:37,920 very village and was turned back because rebels were in there 217 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,960 attacking the people. Many people were killed. 218 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,160 And he says I was struck as never before. 219 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,800 Just how urgent a message we have been given. 220 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,360 We've been entrusted with this message. 221 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,280 And how many of those who died had accepted or declined the 222 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,760 invitation just 48 hours before their time had come to meet 223 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,600 Jesus? Were they ready now? 224 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,800 We don't actually live in a physical war zone here in 225 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,120 Leicester at the moment, so it's easy to fall for the lies that 226 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:09,240 the enemy will sow in our minds. Oh, don't tread on their toes, 227 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,680 don't risk getting rejected. Don't worry about it, Leave it 228 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:15,720 for now. There's always time. 229 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,800 Well, there is not always time. We're not all called to Burundi, 230 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,280 but we are all called and we don't always use that language 231 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,480 these days. But we are all called. 232 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:30,160 As Christians. We have a call on our lives, to 233 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,680 our neighbours, to our places of work, our gym, our college, our 234 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:37,360 school, our university. Are we prepared for the deeper 235 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:41,520 'cause as well, even for change? Maybe to even go to another one 236 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,480 church site to help with the mission there. 237 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,640 Maybe to help pioneer the next site when we planned again soon. 238 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,520 Maybe to sacrificially give more as real resources to reach more 239 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,480 people, to go to a different part of the world, To volunteer 240 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,240 in open hands, To be more bold in speaking out, offering 241 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,520 prayer, taking a new step outwards. 242 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,600 I wonder who we're going to invite to Easter? 243 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,480 Because it isn't just a nice invitation. 244 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,000 This is to do with life and death, isn't it? 245 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,280 And the purpose of all of this is for his glory. 246 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,920 So Jesus is seen to be king, so the Kingdom comes on the earth 247 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,840 until he returns, and every knee bows and every tongue will 248 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,640 acknowledge that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father, 249 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,720 whether they're ready or not. So here's the question with this 250 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,520 section. Is he my King? 251 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:33,760 And am I living to make him known? 252 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,840 So his Kingdom search, his Kingdom rule, and thirdly, his 253 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:43,360 Kingdom life, but seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness 254 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,360 and His righteousness. This takes it wider. 255 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,760 Jesus Lordship needs to spread and will it spread into every 256 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:54,280 part of my life. So I embrace His righteousness 257 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:58,440 firstly in my own life, which means I'll seek character more 258 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,520 than outward appearance. Mary and I were talking about 259 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,240 Proverbs 31, which is a passage on Friday. 260 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,600 We were talking about this in the office. 261 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,760 It was a passage that talks about this woman who is pretty 262 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,840 amazing. Let's face it, She does all 263 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:12,480 these things. You know, she makes bedspreads 264 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,080 for a family. She looks after her husband. 265 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,240 He praises her at the city gate. She's got, you know, she does 266 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:19,200 all these things for her children. 267 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,280 She has a business, she buys a field and all sorts of things. 268 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,640 And then in that passage, it says charm is deceptive and 269 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,920 beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be 270 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,800 praised. And what we were noticing was I 271 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,240 think we'd both listen to a little message somewhere that 272 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,280 nowhere did it mention what she looked like. 273 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,240 Nowhere does it mention what her age is or her clothes or 274 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,760 anything like that. Just all the wonderful things 275 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,040 she did for the Kingdom. Because the heart is God's 276 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,920 priority. He looks at our hearts. 277 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,400 So in our hearts, are they the right priorities? 278 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,360 That's what I'm saying. What does it mean to get my 279 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,920 priorities right as a young person here? 280 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,320 Are we asking Him first what He wants for our lives, or are we 281 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,200 chasing other things for this? As someone establishing a family 282 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,320 or a career, will I settle and get cosy and comfortable? 283 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,880 Or will I see myself as called to bring him and his rule into 284 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,840 my workplace, into my career, into my family, into my home in 285 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,160 midlife? Will I give each day to him, be 286 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,720 on the lookout for new adventures or will I just settle 287 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,440 in retirement when I'm no longer paid to do a job? 288 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,960 Will I drift or will I plan and live with purpose and zeal for 289 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:31,680 Jesus? And can I say if you're 290 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:36,160 approaching that time of life, be prepared for it, be thinking 291 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,160 about it. How am I going to order my week 292 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,640 in order to best serve God when I'm no longer paid to do a job 293 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:47,120 practically and as a senior St Are we saying as is day, so 294 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,400 shall my strength be and every day I'm going to listen for his 295 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,800 voice and obey even if I cannot physically do everything I used 296 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,480 to be able to do. I can still live a big life 297 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,440 whatever my stage in life. Have I got my priorities right? 298 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:04,800 Is prayer first is the word 1st is my money surrendered to him 299 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,640 first? You know, yesterday I received a 300 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,520 gift which I'd forgotten was coming to me and the first thing 301 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,040 on our priority is well, we'll give 10% of that to God. 302 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,320 And then on top of that an offering because that's just our 303 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,880 way of doing things. And it, you know, if all of us 304 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:25,600 merely obeyed Jesus and tithe even in the church here gave 10% 305 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,720 to God, the giving of our church would be massively increased and 306 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,760 the expansion of all we could do for the Kingdom in this city and 307 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,160 beyond would be massively expanded. 308 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,640 So do I put his way first? Do I put eternity first? 309 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,160 Garden people, if I live like this, I'll see His Kingdom rule 310 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,160 coming through my life as well. So both in my life and through 311 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,520 my life, what does it look like to live the King's life? 312 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,120 Well, it looks like being a pioneer and not a settler. 313 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,280 It looks like embracing sacrifice, not a comfortable 314 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:55,880 cross that we craft for ourselves. 315 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,560 It means embracing discomfort because it is always unsettling. 316 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,320 It's always unsettling when we step out. 317 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:04,760 But this is how His righteousness, his rule 318 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,480 increases in US and we never achieve anything or get to any 319 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,640 enlargement or increase in our life without us feeling a little 320 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,000 bit. Oh, you know that feeling that 321 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,520 we get in our summit? Oh, do I really want to do this? 322 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,240 Well, yes, God's calling us like he called Peter. 323 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,200 He said step out of the boat. Come and step out the boat. 324 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,920 You can walk on the water. It's always uncomfortable when 325 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:28,640 we get to another level of surrender. 326 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,560 So here's the question for us here. 327 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:36,000 Am I seeing change for good and for God in myself and in others? 328 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,200 Is he first? Am I putting him first? 329 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,800 And fourthly, Kingdom consequences, and all these 330 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,240 things will be given to you as well. 331 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:51,000 If this is how we live. There are consequences and the 332 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,840 consequences are good. I slightly objected to a song 333 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,560 that I've been listening to recently. 334 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,040 I think it's called For His Glory and My good, something 335 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:01,560 like that. And I was thinking, well, surely 336 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,160 it's just all for His glory. I don't think about it being for 337 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:08,080 my good, but actually God is so good that when our lives are 338 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,520 dedicated to Him and given over to Him and ordered around his 339 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,600 priorities, He can't help but bless us. 340 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,920 So if this is how we prioritise, Jesus has an amazing promise for 341 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:23,240 us and all these things will be given to you as well. 342 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,200 So we don't seek after the all these things first, we seek 343 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,600 after His Kingdom 1st. And as we do that, this is the 344 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,920 result and it's a wonderful result. 345 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,440 If you look at people, you think why are they so blessed? 346 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,840 Well, just think about this, think back to the context of 347 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,000 this verse again. What are the things that Jesus 348 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,960 is talking about? Freedom from worry. 349 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,520 So do not worry. He says freedom from running 350 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,400 around after stuff, for the pagans run around after those 351 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,240 things, freedom in their Father's arms of love, and your 352 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,120 heavenly Father knows that you need them. 353 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:58,720 Freedom from worry about tomorrow. 354 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:00,520 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. 355 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:05,160 Each day has enough trouble of its own and a big life as well. 356 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,480 That matters for eternity, because this is the amazing 357 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,120 benefit of seeking first His Kingdom. 358 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,440 Who are the happiest people in the world? 359 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:15,920 Or who should be the happiest people in the world? 360 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,680 Or those who have laid their lives down for Jesus? 361 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:23,520 If our lives are in His hands, then we are safe and He will be 362 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,240 with us, as He said, to the end of the age. 363 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,080 As a famous missionary once said, God's giants have been 364 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,160 weak people who did great things for God because they reckoned on 365 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:37,240 His being with them. If we seek first His Kingdom and 366 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,800 His righteousness, not only do we receive all these things as 367 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,680 well, but we get a gift of a wonderful life, a big life that 368 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,280 matters for eternity, and an eternal reward. 369 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:52,000 The world of the generous, remember, gets bigger and bigger 370 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,480 and bigger. So here's the question here Am I 371 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:59,200 living this life of Kingdom, blessing and purpose? 372 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:02,320 Let's all say this together, shall we? 373 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,800 This verse? But seek first his Kingdom and 374 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:11,320 his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as 375 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:12,720 well. Maybe make it personal. 376 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,600 I will seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all 377 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,640 these things will be given to me as well. 378 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,840 That's my king. That's my king. 379 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,360 We do it for the King Jesus, King Jesus, the King of Kings, 380 00:20:27,360 --> 00:20:29,360 the Lord of Lords. Would you not want to give your 381 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:34,000 life to serve Him? He is worthy. 382 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,200 Have you got your priorities straight? 383 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:41,120 Is there something needs adjusting now? 384 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:43,000 God is going to be speaking to each of us. 385 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,720 The Holy Spirit's going to be highlighting different areas for 386 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:50,280 each one of us, areas maybe where we haven't fully 387 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,040 surrendered. It might be our pockets. 388 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:57,960 It might be we're just scared of what it might mean if we step 389 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,480 out into what we think he's calling us to do. 390 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:06,080 You will know it might be for some of us, it's simply he's 391 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,920 challenging us to keep going in a place that's really difficult 392 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,480 and we'd rather actually step out into something else. 393 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:16,400 But he's saying stay there. But either way, we're going to 394 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,400 respond to say I'm serious about seeking first your Kingdom. 395 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:22,200 I want my life to get bigger and bigger. 396 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,040 The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine 397 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:34,280 upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards 398 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:35,960 you and give you peace.