How Valuable Are You? S31e86 Matt6:25

We know the value of something by what is exchanged in place of it. Note to self: God gave something of the highest value for me.

Meantime, should I be focusing my attention on the little stuff or the big stuff? Watch for 6 minutes to find out how valuable you really are and what would be best to be majoring on in our own little acres of life. 

https://youtu.be/0UjiUV9Tv68

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

My brothers and sisters, how valuable are you? Now we're gonna know that answer by what's exchanged for you. And our passage today in Matthew chapter 6 is gonna answer a question by comparing and saying, Are you more valuable than birds? Are you more valuable than grass, than clothing? Listen in here. The title of this is Don't Be Anxious in my Bible. 625, Matthew, 625. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, or your body, what you put on. Is not life more than food, the body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them. And here's the big question Are you not more valuable than they? And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O little faith? O you of little faith. Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Verse 34. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow. Tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. All right, so God is feeding birds, the very birds. So what does God think about here? Now, apparently we're reminded, and he's telling us, I've got the birds and grass and clothing on his mind to illustrate that he's also got us on his mind, that his mind is full of us. And he doesn't want us to be anxious, at least having God dishonoring anxiety, which is, I gotta be in control, I think. He wants our trust. So what can I trust God about? Well, the basics clothing, food, drink, there's provision available for all the necessities of life. But we are supposed to leave room for this important thing, the God's provision, so that we can make room for seeking first his kingdom. So don't disregard his kingdom while you're regarding clothing. Don't disregard his provisions uh for his kingdom and righteousness while we're seeking after something more mundane. All right, so let's just ask, what is his kingdom? I like to think of it geographically. It's his rule and his reign here, like a blob. Sorry, God. And his kingdom is the envelopment of my acre, and then the next acre, and then the next acre into this kingdom here. And what is his righteousness? Now, righteousness, we're all shooting for heaven. He's placed eternity in our hearts, and we're all on the same page of desire that we'd rather have heaven than hell. Now, that's the bad news now is that nobody is righteous, not one. Um so we have to be seeking righteousness correctly. And Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life in John 14. So nobody, here's the bad news is nobody is right with God without a big assist from Jesus. So this is where the value comes in. We started with how valuable am I? Well, the answer is we know we're valued because he associates and saves and rescues us. And we should be seeking his righteousness, which is pure and simple. That's Jesus. So how do we do that? How do we seek his righteousness? Same way as thousands of people before us, study his word, interact with his people, be in service, be in fellowship, be generous, uh, and even, you know, seek his seek his creation. So, what kind of things must I be reassured about? Well, let's talk about the length of life for just a second. He asked the question and answers it really. Who can add a single hour to the span of his life? The answer is nobody. So, God, the point is, God is still in charge of the big picture. And the span of our days is not for us to decide or control. And so we're out of control in this area. Not because of our lack of value, but because of other big, big factors: creation, our fall, our savior coming, and the rescue. So is life more than what you put in your mouth and put on your body? Yes, we might be in charge of food and clothing and our mind, but God is in charge of life and the length of life, and let's let him do his job. And let's not think that his job is our job. So, does anxiety or increased attention to this lifespan increase the lifespan? The answer is no. So, what is the real question we're trying to answer here? How valuable am I? And then who is the person that uh, as we come before and even ask the question? So he frames this question as how valuable am I? by saying, Hey, look at the birds, look at the flowers, look at the grass, and God will clothe you, and don't be anxious about things that God is is uh that are that are on God's plate. So what does God know? He knows what you need, and where should the bulk of my attention be directed? So he's asking for spiritual clarity on our part and spiritual nearsightedness. So don't be anxious about tomorrow. There's sufficient concerns that are enough for today. So this little lamp that guides our feet is enough for today. So the big question today is how valuable are you? Well, you were very valuable. And he's saying seek the important stuff, his kingdom, his righteousness, and use the provision mechanisms that he has established to take care of the deep the details. But let God be the God of righteousness and of kingdom. He's made a way for us to spend an instant with him as well as an eternity with him. And both are miracles. So how do I know that I am valuable? Back to our original question, because of the value that he exchanges for me. He gave his life, he gave his treasure, he gave his suffering, he gave his sacrifice, so that I could get his righteousness and his kingdom. So two things that are completely out of my purview. That's how I know that I am valuable. Thanks for listening.