Gospel-Kingdom Living = Wholehearted Devotion

[0:00] Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 to 34. Again page 4 in that black Bible. Down very at the very bottom page 4 then it's page 5 of that black Bible.

[0:16] So I'm going to start reading in verse 19 of chapter 6 through verse 34. Chapter 6 verse 19 to 34. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break through and steal.

[0:36] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is there also will be your heart. The lamp of the eye, excuse me, the lamp of the body is the eye.

[0:51] Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body is light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body is darkness.

[1:02] Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, great is darkness. No one can serve two lords. For either you will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

[1:16] You cannot serve God and wealth. Verse 25. For this reason I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor for your body, what you shall wear.

[1:33] Is not life more than food and the body than clothing? Look at the birds of the air that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them.

[1:45] Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you being anxious can add a cubit to his life? And why are you anxious about clothing?

[1:57] Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin. Yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. Verse 30.

[2:08] But if God erased the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, not much more you, little faith one.

[2:21] Do not be anxious then, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or with what shall we clothe ourselves? All these things the Gentiles eagerly seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

[2:34] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself.

[2:49] A day has enough trouble of its own. The game is called Devotion. It's a computer, first person, horror game.

[3:06] Set in a derelict Taiwanese apartment complex in the 1980s. One gamer said, quote, The game is about a father's misplaced devotion towards his family, end quote.

[3:18] How does it scare players? One person says this, quote, Devotion gets its scares by enticing the player to wander through the Du family's, Du family's, haunted apartment for unspecified reasons, end quote.

[3:36] It uses paraphernalia to help convey the emotional weight of Du Feng Yu's, that's the name of the person that you are, Du Feng Yu's family tragedy. Playtime is about three hours.

[3:49] Which is kind of short for a game. If you ever watch these kids play Fortnite, they'll play hours upon hours of Fortnite. All of you that are 25 and under, you know what I'm talking about, Fortnite.

[4:01] All of you that are like 40 and over, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but that's okay. Just act like that you do. Devotion.

[4:12] You definitely have to be devoted to play a game like Devotion. Devotion. It's an ironic name to a game which entices gamers to want more.

[4:23] Especially if you're into that horror stuff. How devoted are you to knowing what happened as scary as it could be? Yet that's what we do.

[4:35] We devote ourselves to what's important to us, don't we? That's the reason why some, particularly these young people, they devote hours and hours to play games.

[4:48] They actually, this is for free, they're actually building arenas where people will watch other people play these games. And they get paid thousands of dollars to play the game.

[5:03] I said to myself, I'm in the wrong business. You know what I'm saying? And most of you are saying the same thing right now. I'm in the wrong business. Why am I in the game? Anyways, they have hours and hours to play these games because that's what they value.

[5:20] Because what we value, that's where our heart rests. What is important to you. What's vital to you.

[5:31] What's significant. That's where we spend our time, our energy, our resources, and we worry if it's not there. Right?

[5:43] We get anxious. Or, to use vernacular, we freak out. This is exactly what Jesus is trying to deal with.

[5:55] As we're trucking through the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew's overall theme is this, bow down and worship Jesus, the Messiah, King of Israel. That's Matthew's driving force of why he's writing his gospel.

[6:09] And today, as we come to this part in the Sermon on the Mount, we'll see this. Gospel kingdom living equals wholehearted devotion to Jesus. If you want to have gospel kingdom living, that starts all the way back in chapter five with the Beatitudes.

[6:25] That's gospel kingdom living. If you want to be a person that's gospel kingdom living, it means you have wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

[6:37] That's what it means. Gospel kingdom living equals wholehearted devotion, and you can put to Jesus there, or to the Messiah King, whatever you want to put that.

[6:49] I'll put a couple statements up there on the board for you, on our PowerPoint. Gospel kingdom living is wholehearted devotion to Jesus, our Messiah King, and to our Father.

[7:02] God demands to be first and foremost in our lives. No one and nothing should rival Him. He mandates our all. He wants everything from us.

[7:14] It's the heart of the gospel. This is what it means to really live out the kingdom, to live out the gospel kingdom in our lives.

[7:25] We say, you have all of me, oh God. It's wholehearted devotion to Jesus and to our Father. That's what God demands from us. No one should rival Him.

[7:36] Nothing should rival Him. Put something else up there for you. And, if He is first and foremost, we won't worry, fret, or be anxious about the things of this life, anything that has to do with this earthly life.

[7:51] We will trust our Heavenly Father to provide for us. And when we say this life, we mean everything. The needs.

[8:04] Materially, socially, psychologically, mentally, everything. It's not just so God just deals with the things that are referenced to spiritual things and then psychological things that's different.

[8:18] No. That's ridiculous. I mean, this is Jesus. Don't you think He knows about that stuff? Of course He does. It's like what Jesus does.

[8:34] It's like He kind of puts the sermon on a hiatus and He zeros in when He brings up in chapter 6 verse 11. Give us today our daily bread.

[8:47] What does that mean? He may even have in mind the need to endure persecution which intensifies our anxiety over material needs and provision.

[9:02] Don't worry. the Father knows our needs. He knows them even before we ask. Chapter 6 verse 8. And in this part of the sermon Jesus gives these prohibitions and exhortations and then motivations towards the exhortations.

[9:20] And He paints a picture to His hearers, readers, about life with the Father and life without the Father.

[9:30] What should life look like for a gospel kingdom living Jesus follower? Should we live our lives different from the unsaved?

[9:44] Remember this goes all the way back to chapter 5 verses 1 through 16 1 through 12 when Jesus marks out the Beatitudes. For someone who's repented at the arrival of the Messiah King they've trusted Christ what does their life look like?

[10:02] Blessed are poor in spirit pure in heart. This is what their life looks like. What does that look like? Jesus unfolds this for us in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus confronted the sin of anxiety and yet it's not just anxiety one writer put it like this it's the sin of covetous anxiety it comes down to our priorities.

[10:34] Do we put our Father and His kingdom first? When we do we can be confident He will provide for our worldly needs.

[10:46] This is going to be hard especially for us as Americans. Americans don't think this way. We're supposed to do things on our own. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps right?

[11:01] But our Father in heaven cares for us as His people as those who've trusted His Messiah King His Son. He cares for us more than He cares for birds and flowers.

[11:14] And if we seek Him first He will always provide. Always. We are called to put our heavenly Father first by prioritizing eternal issues versus material needs and by trusting Him to meet those material needs as He sees fit and when He sees fit.

[11:32] We'll talk more about that later on. He demands us to trust Him. He demands us to trust Him. And if you're a follower of His Son you will in theory.

[11:50] Another statement I think helps to unpack things. In this part of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus deals with our greed for this world and anxiety in this world.

[12:05] The temptation the greed that takes place for the things of this world and the anxiety that takes place as we are living in this world.

[12:16] That's how if you want to split up in two different parts you can. But I have done this in three different points for you. So gospel kingdom living is wholehearted devotion to Jesus.

[12:28] Wholehearted devotion to Jesus number one stores heavenly treasures. What does it mean to have wholehearted devotion to Jesus? It means you will store heavenly treasures because we set our hearts on what we treasure.

[12:44] And we'll zero in on verse 21 as Jesus says that for where your treasure is there also will be your heart. But notice how he begins in verse 19.

[12:56] Don't store up for yourselves treasures upon earth. Don't hoard earthly treasures in other words. I have that up there. Yes. Don't hoard earthly treasures. Notice he says they're prone to decay.

[13:10] Robbery. Moth and rust destroy thieves they break through and steal. We forget our limited finiteness. We forget that the things of this world break down.

[13:24] For example a couple weeks ago whatever 530 in the morning I go in the fridge to get an ice cube and I said why is the ice melting?

[13:38] Why is there water on the floor where the ice is not supposed to be? Our refrigerator went down so about 530 6 o'clock in the morning I had the big ice chest pulling stuff out.

[13:52] My wife comes out of the bedroom her eyes are like this big. It was like 6 foot 530 so I was like what you doing honey? Well guess what?

[14:03] It was lots of fun right? This is what happens. Refrigerators break down. We got it fixed by the way. Thank you to Michael Matthews for the extra refrigerator. Things break down.

[14:14] They don't last. Why are you storing up things upon this earth that don't last? Notice what he says in verse 20. But lay up for yourselves store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust don't destroy where thieves don't break in and steal accumulate heavenly treasures.

[14:32] What does that look like? The beatitudes. Pure in heart integrity. You're a person of grace. You're a person of anger. You're giving generously.

[14:44] Your worship is pure. You're not getting for the approval of people. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. It's what he just talked about. In chapter five verses one through chapter six verse 18.

[14:58] Look and then he says this. Verse 21 for where your treasure is there also will be your heart. Our hearts will be devoted to what we treasure. We are committed to that which we think is most valuable.

[15:12] and it's heavenly treasure alone that we should prize because it's eternal. What does he mean by heart? It's the inner intellect's volition, your will.

[15:29] That's the source of our deeds of why we do the things that we do. It can be difficult to focus our hearts on God and not on stuff because we have the tendency to elevate stuff over our father.

[15:47] I mean think about this. Jesus is saying this to people living in the first century. How much greater is it for us living in the 21st century and in plush America 21st century?

[16:00] You have everything at your disposal. Ba-bam, ba-bam, ba-bam, ba-bam. He is first, not the prosperity, power, and possessions that this world offers to us.

[16:17] But if we long for his kingdom and his will to rule on earth as it does already in heaven, chapter 6 verse 10, then we will make sure that we value our father and make first what's important to him.

[16:31] What's important to God? That's what you should make important. To you. What shows our deep down values are the choices we make on what we store, on what we prize.

[16:47] I mean, think about it. Upon what do you set your heart? Upon whom is your heart? Is God our Lord Jesus most important to us? The one whom we most prize?

[17:03] It shows on how you spend your money. It shows on how you spend your money. And look what Jesus says here.

[17:17] He continues on verse 22. The lamp of the body is the eye, therefore if your eye is healthy, that's a better way to translate that word, your whole body is light. Verse 23, but if your eye is bad, your whole body is darkness, therefore if the light is in you, darkness, great is darkness.

[17:36] What in the world is he talking about? It's almost like you read verse 19 to 21, you're like, okay, I get that. Read verse 24, you read verse 22 and 23, you're like, what in the world does that have to do with anything?

[17:51] It's an odd, difficult proverb by Jesus, but we can think of it this way. One writer puts it like this, quote, good eyesight illumines one's whole life, whereas poor eyesight is a great hindrance, end quote.

[18:05] The eye provides light, that is, metaphorically speaking, one's proper values, what we value. The eye is the source of light to the whole body, as one writer put it.

[18:18] The eye is used to show its value to the rest of the body, how vital it is. I mean, think about it, when you're able to see, it shows the trajectory that you're going in, the direction you're going.

[18:29] that's why Jesus uses the eye as light as a metaphor for us. And within this context, this seems to point to this, to having a proper view of possessions.

[18:46] In other words, an evil eye hoards earthly possessions. A healthy eye does not look with envy, but sees kingdom values and stores up heavenly treasures.

[18:57] And then Jesus calls us to examine ourselves. Look at what he does in verse 23. The last part of verse 23, therefore, if the light that's in you is darkness, great is darkness.

[19:15] He's calling us to examine our hearts. Do self-examination. How can we focus on God if we have no clear vision?

[19:27] If there's no healthy vision, then our focus will be on possessions, the things of this world. We can't be divided in our service, which leads to the second point.

[19:42] Wholehearted devotion to Jesus serves only God because loyalty cannot be divided. Look at what Jesus says, verse 24, no one can serve to kurios.

[19:59] Where do you get the word Lord? Two lords. People who hate the one, love the other, be devoted to one, and despise the other. This is talking about slavery.

[20:11] Slavery was common in the ancient world, especially during the Roman Empire. More often than not, slaves were better off than someone who was free because it guaranteed you get something to eat and you actually get paid.

[20:24] But the point of Jesus trying to make is this. You can't wholeheartedly serve two. You can't do that.

[20:36] It's like, I thought of this last night. This is a really good illustration. This might help you. It's like trying to mix chocolate and strawberries. It just doesn't work. Oh, that was from my wife, too.

[20:51] You don't mix your sweets with your fruit. Don't do that. That's evil. I'm being facetious. Some of you are looking at me like, oh my goodness, is this guy for real? No, no, no.

[21:02] I'm being facetious. But please don't serve me chocolate with strawberries. I won't like you. Anyway, no, no, no, seriously. But Jesus says you can't have things, you can't be divided with things.

[21:14] You wholeheartedly serve one or the other. Is the gospel and gospel kingdom living truly valuable to me? Does my father in heaven have first allegiance in my life?

[21:28] He demands our total devotion. One writer put it like this, Jesus is no quote, part time affair, end quote.

[21:43] It's the gospel and gospel kingdom living, is that truly valuable to me? does my father in heaven have first allegiance in my life?

[21:58] As disciples of Jesus, submitted to God's rule and reign and his Messiah king, our loyalties cannot be divided between earthly values and heavenly values. Notice the hyperbole that Jesus uses, love, hate, devoted, despise.

[22:17] it's impossible to be divided in your devotion to your father versus your loyalty. Notice Jesus says you cannot serve God and the actual word is wealth.

[22:35] Either be a slave of God or wealth. In other words, God demands exclusive loyalty to him. It's not the first time we read this, remember chapter 4 verse 10?

[22:51] The devil says just bow down and worship me and Jesus says you shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only. This is what it means to be a true disciple.

[23:05] The lordship of Christ in your life, this is what it means to be a Christian. We talked about this a few moments ago at the beginning of our service. We were talking about the gospel.

[23:16] If you're here and you're not a Christian, you need to respond. You need to repent. You need to put your trust in Jesus. You need to submit yourself to the lordship of Jesus in your life.

[23:28] Where you say, Father, you are the one I want to serve. You are the one I want to be devoted to. No one else. It's you. I should die. I should be condemned, but I repent.

[23:41] I turn from my sins. I put my trust in you, Lord Jesus, because you died from my sins and resurrected from the dead. Repent and put your trust in Jesus. This is the gospel. This is what it means to have wholehearted devotion.

[23:56] Wholehearted devotion to Jesus. You store up heavenly treasures. Wholehearted devotion to Jesus serves only God. Here's the third one. And this takes a long section, verses 25 to 34.

[24:08] Wholehearted devotion to Jesus seeks firstly the Father and his righteousness. And then I have four reasons underneath this. I'm not going to split this up into different verses. I'm just going to give them to you.

[24:20] Okay? For four reasons. First, because our Father cares for us. Second, because anxiety is futile. Third, because our Father knows our needs.

[24:31] And fourth, because we live in the present, not in the future. Our Father cares for us. Anxiety is futile.

[24:43] Our Father knows our needs, and we live, you can't even say, in the now. Not in the future. And we'll unpack more what these things mean as we go through verses 25 to 34.

[24:59] So, Jesus talks about focusing on the Father. Well, if I focus on the Father, what will I do about the daily needs of my life then? Do I just do this? How do I know if I'm going to make it?

[25:13] Jesus says, don't worry about it. Just keep making the Father first and foremost in your life. And Jesus, he fills this whole section with rhetorical questions that show the absurdity of not keeping the Father first and foremost in your life.

[25:31] And not trusting that he will provide for you. Notice how it begins. He begins like this. For this reason, it looks back verse 19 to 24.

[25:42] For this reason, first and foremost, the Father, first and foremost in your life, I say to you, don't be anxious.

[25:54] The first prohibition, or excuse me, second prohibition, don't be worrying about material things if we cannot serve both God and wealth. Notice how he splits it up. Food, drink, clothes, what you're going to eat, what you're going to drink, what you're going to wear, life's basic necessities.

[26:12] Don't worry about them. Now, mind you, this is going to be hard for someone in the first century. There weren't a lot of refrigerators in that day. But Jesus is saying this is pointless.

[26:26] Trust or rely on God. In our worry, we doubt the Father's loving care for us. Us, disciples of his Messiah, King, Son.

[26:38] We doubt this. And look at the rhetorical questions he gives. The end of verse 25, is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

[26:52] It's more than this. Think about it. If God gives life, can't he supply the means to sustain your life? Of course he can.

[27:03] It's ridiculous. It's ludicrous to think otherwise. the wealthy are discouraged from concentrating on their success and the poor are discouraged from concentrating on their misery because the Father takes care of them both.

[27:23] Look at what he says here in verse 26. Look at the birds of the air. They don't sow, they don't reap, they don't gather to barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them.

[27:35] These birds, they don't sow, they don't reap, they don't save anything. Notice the lesser to the greater argument. The end of verse 26, are you not worth much more than they?

[27:48] Aren't humans more valuable to your Father than animals? If he feeds them, he'll feed you.

[27:58] Now, this doesn't mean the birds are idle. I mean, if you look at birds, they look for their food. They search guilty for the food. So it doesn't mean that we don't work or we do this with our hands.

[28:12] I'm waiting for you to drop food out of the sky. Why come we're not doing that? I mean, duh, you don't do that. Notice what Jesus says next.

[28:23] Verse 27, and which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his life? A single hour to your life, he's not talking about your stature, although some of you might want that. This is the idea.

[28:36] If I can just get one more hour in the day, then I'll be okay. I know you people have never said something like that before. Right? If I could only have one more hour today, if I had more hours in the day, I can get so much more done.

[28:55] Our Father gives us all the exact amount of time we need. Adding won't help. Why don't we just trust our Father in this way that he'll provide?

[29:09] I mean, notice how Jesus used motivations to get us to see that worry and anxiety is pointless and futile. Trust the Father to give, and when he's first and foremost wholehearted, it becomes easier in theory.

[29:26] look at verse 28. And why are you anxious about clothing? Notice the fourth rhetorical question. Now it's about clothing. Disciples of their Father and his Messiah King, they must learn from the flowers, God's providential care for them.

[29:41] Look at what he says. Observe the lilies of the field. They don't toil, they don't spin, verse 29, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

[29:51] you've seen, if you're going from Old Town Cottonwood coming into town on Main Street, kind of look over to the right, there's an empty field, you see the beautiful purple flowers there, you've seen them blooming like that?

[30:06] You've seen that? You've seen them actually all over the place, we're driving back from Phoenix, we're down to Phoenix, you see the purple flowers, just wild flowers just like that. Just on their own. That's exactly what Jesus is talking about.

[30:19] Not even Solomon in all his glory was more beautiful than these flowers. And look at what Jesus says, look at verse 30, if God erased the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, in other words, the short lifespan of grass and flowers, doesn't God care more for the disciples of his beloved son?

[30:47] won't he care more for you? Won't he look after clothing his own children, Messiah King followers?

[31:03] And look at what Jesus says at the end of verse 30, little faith one. Because we're anxious about these things, we have little faith.

[31:17] faith. Our commitment to kingdom values is there, it's true, it's real, and yet it can be insufficient, can't it? It can be weak. Strengthen our resolve.

[31:30] Strengthen our trust in our Father. Jesus is imploring us to do this. Look at what he says in verse 31, kind of summarizing things.

[31:44] Do not be anxious, saying, what shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we clothe ourselves? Verse 32, for all these things that Gentiles eagerly seek. Gentiles, Greek, Roman mythology, they believed in gods who were notoriously capricious.

[32:06] They had to do crazy things to appease these whimsical, impulsive, false, deities. do all these things. They seek these necessities, and then some, by their own efforts, Jesus says.

[32:22] They look to their own resources, Jesus says. Of course they act like this. But why are you acting like this?

[32:33] Notice the next part Jesus says there in verse 32, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Amen. not so the one and only true God.

[32:46] His love and care are trustworthy, unchanging, and faithful. He knows what you need, even before you ask that.

[32:59] Chapter 6, verse 8. One writer put it like this. Worry, quote sorry, worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.

[33:14] End quote. Trust your Father to meet your needs. Our Father will meet our needs, and He doesn't mean our wants, the things we'd like to have, or what we think we may need.

[33:30] Hmm. Nor does it mean we won't have trouble or suffering in this world. We must trust God knows what He's doing.

[33:44] We must trust our Father. Easier said than done, right? And then look at here is this culmination that He gives us here in verse 33.

[33:55] But seek first His kingdom, that's the kingdom of the Father, and His righteousness, that's the righteousness of our Father, and all these things shall be added to you. the right priority, the right focus.

[34:09] Remember we had to pray that? Last week, looked at chapter 6. Our Father who art in heaven, let your name be hallowed, let your kingdom come, let your will be done. That's having the right priority when you first come to prayer.

[34:22] Jesus says it again here. Seek His, the Father's, kingdom, and His righteousness. What righteousness is He talking about? Remember chapter 5 verse 20?

[34:34] Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. In other words, He's saying it's about upright living, not the fact that you're going to work for heaven.

[34:44] That's ridiculous. You've already trusted in Christ. It's upright living that's enabled by the Holy Spirit. Let our focus be our Father and gospel kingdom living.

[34:57] And look at the great paradox. The great paradox is if we put the interest of our Father and His kingdom as first, He will give us food, drink, and clothing.

[35:08] He will provide for the basic necessities of life. Which means what? If a so-called Christian is lacking in these things, then what's the first question they should ask?

[35:27] Am I seeking God alone? is the Father first and foremost in my life? To seek His kingdom is to seek Him as our King.

[35:43] And it's clear that Jesus is our Messiah King. He is the one to whom we give our complete allegiance and whom we should totally seek. It's Him. And if we pray this, chapter 6, verse 10, we should live it out.

[36:00] And it doesn't mean we don't plan. It doesn't mean we don't work. It doesn't mean we stand like this, idle. We can only do what He calls us to do.

[36:13] You know, the song says Don't Worry, Be Happy. A better place to put it. Don't worry, seek God's will, God's kingdom, God's rule, and God's reign in your life.

[36:24] Seek that. One writer put it like this, quote, when God's disciples put first things first, God will meet their needs for sustenance and clothing, end quote.

[36:37] We must have single-minded devotion to our Father and to our Messiah King.

[36:48] He knows our needs and cares about those needs. He rules. He reigns. And then look at what Jesus says here in verse 34. Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow.

[37:03] For tomorrow worries itself. A day has enough trouble of its own. The last prohibition here. About anxiety and worry about tomorrow. We address today's concerns, not the future.

[37:19] In other words, put it like this, living in the what-ifs of life. Oh, that's the phrase, isn't it? What if, what if, what if, what if, what if, what if, oh my goodness, you're going to drive yourself crazy.

[37:32] You're going to drive someone else next to you crazy. But what if, and what if, that's what that is. You're a person who worries about the what-ifs.

[37:45] That's tomorrow. Tomorrow, the things of tomorrow are in our Father's hands. Don't let ourselves be motivated towards anxiety.

[37:55] Keep seeking God and His gospel kingdom. We take one day at a time, not freak out over what is going to happen tomorrow. We have firm faith in our Heavenly Father.

[38:08] There's enough things to consider for today. Why are you talking about the what-ifs when you don't even know what's going to happen? Again, it doesn't mean we don't plan or prepare for work, but the future is in God's hands.

[38:27] What is our priority? I mean, that's the driving force of Matthew's gospel. We bow down and worship Jesus, our Messiah King, which means we prioritize our allegiance to Him, His rule and reign in our lives.

[38:40] He will provide because as the song goes, He's a good, good Father. And He knows what we need even before we say a word.

[38:56] William Barclay said this about worry. I think I have it, yeah. There may be greater sins than worry, but very certainly there's no more disabling sin that disables us because you think you have to do that.

[39:18] That doesn't mean we have all the wisdom that we need with our finances. It doesn't mean we don't plan. It doesn't mean there's no investment happening. It definitely doesn't mean it guarantees us an easy life filled with luxuries.

[39:31] God is sovereign. Some of us, he wants to be poor. Some of us, others, he wants to have wealth. And please, understand this.

[39:42] This is very obvious from God's word. Just because some Christians are wealthy doesn't mean they're greedy. Just because some Christians are poor doesn't mean they don't suffer from anxiety or worry about possessions.

[39:57] You may be poor, but you worry more than a person who has wealth. Maybe the poor Christian distrusts her or his father more than a wealthy Christian.

[40:11] Look, what it comes down to is God our priority, first and foremost. Look, this is for me. It's for all of us. How does this song go?

[40:25] Resting on his goodness, I lose my doubts and fears. Though by the path he leadeth, but one step I may see. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.

[40:43] And one day, friends, when the kingdom comes in all its fullness, God will dwell with us, his people, and you won't have any needs.

[40:56] He'll supply everything immediately. And your pleasures, too. Because the more you know about God, the more pleasure you will have in such ecstasy that we have never experienced before.

[41:11] Never. God knows. We have everything in our Father. If we can just think this way.

[41:26] If we can just get ourselves to mentally think this way. Gospel kingdom living is wholehearted devotion to Jesus, our Messiah, King, and to our Father.

[41:42] God demands to be first and foremost in our lives. No one and nothing should rival him. He mandates our all. And if he's first and foremost, we won't worry or fret or be anxious about the things of this life, anything that has to do with this earthly life.

[41:59] We will trust our Heavenly Father to provide for us. And again, we seek. We seek things. We plan. We prepare. We do those things. Yes, I know. Yes.

[42:10] But take the passage for what it's worth, what Jesus is saying to us today. This is what he's had. This is what he's given to us from his word. He's spoken to us from his word.

[42:23] What are you going to do with it now? Father, you are good. You're a good, good Father. And we rest in the truth that because we are united to your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Messiah, King, the Eternal Son, we're in union with Him.

[42:51] You love us. You are pleased with us. And yet there are times when we worry and fret and we're anxious about the things of this life and God, that does not please you.

[43:17] What do we truly value? What is so important to us? We pray. We pray together as we've gone through this text that bring out Spirit of God.

[43:36] Bring out Spirit of God the times, the areas in our lives where we don't make you a priority, where we are worrying about these things or that, where we value stuff over you.

[43:56] We value people over you. Relationships over you. Help us, we pray.

[44:08] And thank you that you enable us by your Spirit to have upright living. And we once again, we acknowledge our sin, we repent, and we put all our hope in you, Lord Jesus, because that's why you had to die.

[44:26] I want to encourage you at this time to let your mind think on these things.

[44:43] We'll take a few moments for you, moments of silence for you to ponder and to think about what we've looked at in God's Word this morning. And after a few moments, you know, we'll do the things we do for our service.

[45:00] We'll do our time of giving. We'll sing a couple songs. We'll have a closing prayer. But we do this on purpose. We have a purpose to stopping here towards the end of our service between you and the Lord.

[45:18] You can let your mind think on Scripture maybe read back through your notes. Maybe take this time to pray one of these verses in your own heart.

[45:30] Whatever. But let this time be between you and the Lord where you're allowing your mind to think on these things. a place and then to think to be a happyлюч of hopes for you guys to be on earth.