SOTM 31—Kingdom

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34).Seek—not Mammon, nor even life’s necessities—since we will be given these as we seek him.Kingdom Recommended: Jones and Brown’s 2010 volume The Kingdom of God. The kingdom is (1) a reign that is now and not yet; (2) an invasion that comes in waves; (3) a gift to be received; (4) a realm to be entered; (5) a kingdom totally unlike the kingdoms of this world; (6) a kingdom bonded to the church, but not the same as the church; (7) a life to be lived.—Tom A. Jones and Steve D. Brown, The Kingdom of God, Volume One: The Future Breaks InThe kingdom isn't the church. Going to church is only one small part of seeking the kingdom.It entails trusting Jesus as our Lord.The kingdom coming is God's will being done (6:10).Kingdom is realm (which in Jesus' case means the entire universe) and rule (even though there are many disobedient, unwilling subjects of the kingdom).Righteousness             This isn't so much about justification through the blood of Christ.Rather, it means desiring justice—including justice for others.We are to love and uphold and model God’s holy standard.Basics vs. luxuries"All these things" refers not to everything on my want-list, but rather items on my need-list.And even then, Jesus is speaking generally. Some disciples of Christ, like the very poor, the persecuted, and the imprisoned, may even struggle to make it day to day, lacking these necessities.Clement of Alexandria: “He says very eloquently, ‘And all these things the Gentiles seek after.’ The Gentiles are the self-indulgent and the foolish. And what are the things which He specifies? Luxury, indulgence, expensive cooking, dainty foods, and gluttony. These are the ‘things the Gentiles seek.’ However, when it comes to plain, necessary food—both dry and liquid—He says, ‘Your Father knows you need these.’” Pedagogue (ANF 2.264).John Chrysostom of Constantinople: “When God sees that we are not riveted to the things of this life, then He gives these needs to us. When He sees that we set a higher value on spiritual things, then He also bestows on us material things. But He does not provide the material things first, lest we break away from spiritual things.” Homilies on Hebrews, 20.9.There is no promise of luxuries. The "abundant life" (John 10:10) is not a middle-class lifestyle—let alone a life of riches, falsely promised by the prosperity preachers."Tomorrow" Jesus isn’t telling us we cannot plan (e.g. for a sermon, harvest, or credential). There is a big difference between the wisdom of anticipation, forethought, and wise planning and the foolishness of fretting about things that we cannot change or may not happen anyway.Rather, this is about faith.Next: Judge