Seek First the Kingdom
Anxiety over never the lack of food and clothing is a challenge people face in every epoch of time. The first century audience of Jesus certainly had their daily struggles. The possibility of having to put up one’s cloak as collateral for a pledge in hopes the lender was faithful to Yahweh’s covenant (Exod. 22:25-27), praying to the Father for enough pennies to have “daily bread” (Matt. 6:11; Luke 11:3), even fears about being robbed by bandits or extorted by corrupt Roman and Jewish powers were cause for worries. Yet, Christ’s message challenges listeners to move beyond those earthly worries to something else—God’s kingdom.
As a way of helping people forget worrying about food and clothing, and start seeking God’s kingdom, Christ poses the question: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v. 25). Here the Lord reasons if something is true for the lesser, how much more for the greater. Food and clothing are merely the things that support life, but the life force in all of God’s creatures is ultimately more valuable, and this is demonstrated in the Heavenly Fathers care over the creation.
Jesus goes on to teach that the Heavenly Father cares for the “lesser” non-sowing and reaping birds of the air, to the “greater” crowning jewels of the creation—humans (v. 26). Likewise, the wild flowers that grow here and there and everywhere, they have a beauty that far surpasses cloths fit for royalty, even Solomon the wisest and wealthiest of ancient Israel’s glorious past, and while they do not sow nor reap, and are burned in the fire after they wither, God still cares for them. If God cares for the “lesser” flowers, He too will cloth His people (28-30).
Remember in Genesis the Lord made the heavens and earth in six days. God brought forth the plants on the third day (Gen. 1:11-13), and made the birds to rule the sky on the fifth day (Gen. 1:30-23); yet He made man in His own image to rule over the “fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:27-28). God also made man tend the Garden of Eden, which included the cultivation of plants (Gen. 2:4-15). Plants and birds are precious things created by God; yet, the crowning jewels of the creation is man, who was created in the image of God—both male and female (Gen. 1:27). If, therefore, God cares for the plants, and the flying creatures, He too shall care for the crowning jewels of creation, the people created in the image of God.
Being anxious about food and clothing ultimately does not extend a person’s life (v. 27), if anything, the stress would cut it short. The Lord also points out that the Jewish peasantry that made up His audience would be no more better than the Gentiles, who also worried about basic necessities like food, drink, and clothing; yet, things need not be that way, since they should also know that God is completely aware that His people need these things too (v. 31-32). What would be most important for them would be to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. 33).
It is not that we are simply to be ascetics, living off of whatever was dropped into the alms bow. Christ’s teaching does not preclude tilling the ground, raising animals for food, finding sources of fresh water. Neither does it preclude developing technologies to produce more food, and even better drinking water, nor does it preclude entering into the market place to buy, sell, and trade their commodities. Yet, these things are not the ends to all things. Our life was meant to be in relationship with God. He is our God, and we are His people. So the ultimate quest in life is to seek and find the kingdom of God — to understand the reality of God’s overarching rule over all things. God does providentially rule over all things, He is fully aware of all the needs of the creation; therefore, we are to seek first the kingdom of God. We cannot improve our lives by worrying about the things we lack; instead, we can seek the God who knows our every need and can provide for what we lack.
As a way of helping people forget worrying about food and clothing, and start seeking God’s kingdom, Christ poses the question: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v. 25). Here the Lord reasons if something is true for the lesser, how much more for the greater. Food and clothing are merely the things that support life, but the life force in all of God’s creatures is ultimately more valuable, and this is demonstrated in the Heavenly Fathers care over the creation.
Jesus goes on to teach that the Heavenly Father cares for the “lesser” non-sowing and reaping birds of the air, to the “greater” crowning jewels of the creation—humans (v. 26). Likewise, the wild flowers that grow here and there and everywhere, they have a beauty that far surpasses cloths fit for royalty, even Solomon the wisest and wealthiest of ancient Israel’s glorious past, and while they do not sow nor reap, and are burned in the fire after they wither, God still cares for them. If God cares for the “lesser” flowers, He too will cloth His people (28-30).
Remember in Genesis the Lord made the heavens and earth in six days. God brought forth the plants on the third day (Gen. 1:11-13), and made the birds to rule the sky on the fifth day (Gen. 1:30-23); yet He made man in His own image to rule over the “fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:27-28). God also made man tend the Garden of Eden, which included the cultivation of plants (Gen. 2:4-15). Plants and birds are precious things created by God; yet, the crowning jewels of the creation is man, who was created in the image of God—both male and female (Gen. 1:27). If, therefore, God cares for the plants, and the flying creatures, He too shall care for the crowning jewels of creation, the people created in the image of God.
Being anxious about food and clothing ultimately does not extend a person’s life (v. 27), if anything, the stress would cut it short. The Lord also points out that the Jewish peasantry that made up His audience would be no more better than the Gentiles, who also worried about basic necessities like food, drink, and clothing; yet, things need not be that way, since they should also know that God is completely aware that His people need these things too (v. 31-32). What would be most important for them would be to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. 33).
It is not that we are simply to be ascetics, living off of whatever was dropped into the alms bow. Christ’s teaching does not preclude tilling the ground, raising animals for food, finding sources of fresh water. Neither does it preclude developing technologies to produce more food, and even better drinking water, nor does it preclude entering into the market place to buy, sell, and trade their commodities. Yet, these things are not the ends to all things. Our life was meant to be in relationship with God. He is our God, and we are His people. So the ultimate quest in life is to seek and find the kingdom of God — to understand the reality of God’s overarching rule over all things. God does providentially rule over all things, He is fully aware of all the needs of the creation; therefore, we are to seek first the kingdom of God. We cannot improve our lives by worrying about the things we lack; instead, we can seek the God who knows our every need and can provide for what we lack.
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