The Sermon on the Mount: A 21-Day Guide to the Greatest Sermon Ever PreachedУзорак

Today and Tomorrow

Today, we’re concluding the third movement of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus has been teaching us how to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength—by putting Him first in our motives, our practices, our desires, and our trust. Today, Jesus will show us that trusting God deeply requires our full attention and best effort.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34 NIV

Do not worry. Much easier said than done. But Jesus says it because He understands that worrying about something never actually solves the problem. It’s simply wasted energy that prevents you from making progress. What do we do instead? We choose to trust that our Heavenly Father knows what we need and wants to take care of us. And, we choose to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness—because, when we do, God will provide for all of the things we’re worrying about.

Seeking is active. It’s intentional. Think about the game hide-and-seek. The hiders simply have to find a nice spot and post up. The seeker, on the other hand, has to go search every nook and cranny—which can be really hard work if the hiders are extra skilled. Thankfully, God isn’t hiding from us. In fact, He tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you …” (Jeremiah 29:13-14 NIV).

God isn’t asking you to be an “expert” seeker. He’s simply asking you to seek Him first—before anything else and above everything else. When you do, you’ll find Him, and He will give you what you need. This is a promise.

Pastor Ben Stuart says, “What you think about will be what you care about. What you care about you will chase.” And that’s a pretty great summary of what Jesus is teaching us here.

What is “worry” if not a consuming thought pattern that reveals what we care about? What do you worry about the most? Maybe it’s how you look, or how good your grades are. Maybe it’s the security of your relationships. Maybe you worry about your future. Whatever it is, consider this: What we worry about most often reveals where we trust God the least. Pay attention to what you worry about. You’ll soon discover what’s truly captured your mind’s attention and your heart's affection.

And what we care about, we chase. If we hold onto control and refuse to trust God with what matters most to us, we’ll spend our lives in an elusive, exhaustive chase of “enough.” And on our own terms, “enough” will never be enough. We’ll always be left wanting more.

But when we seek God first—in our thoughts, our words, and our actions—the script starts to flip. Instead of being consumed with worry about all the things we don’t have, our attention and affection is directed toward the One who knows what we need and who provides for us. And the more we see God provide for us, the more we trust in Him. And the more we trust in Him, the less we worry.

What did Jesus say?

If you want to live a life full and free from worry, choose to trust God by letting Him change how you think and what you chase.

What did Jesus do?

Before anything else and above everything else, Jesus chased after God. Before He launched His ministry, He followed the Spirit of God through the wilderness for 40 days without food or water—sustained by the power of the Father. During His ministry, He prioritized being alone with God in prayer. Before He was arrested and sentenced to death on a cross, He prayed for God’s will to be done.

Before anything else and above everything else—with all of His heart, soul, mind, and strength—Jesus was devoted to His Father.

How can I apply that to my life today?

Build rhythms and habits that help you seek God first. If you aren’t already, make seeking God a priority by choosing to worship at church every week, study God’s Word every day, and pray for wisdom before every big decision. And each day, as often as you can, direct your attention toward God.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

Focus your attention on these things—because what you think about is what you will care about. And what you care about you will chase.

Think about God. Care about His kingdom. And chase after His righteousness.