Luke 12:29-31

The Gospel of Luke chapter 12, verses 29 through 31. And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. Neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after. And your father knoweth that you have need of these things. but rather seek ye the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. May God bless to us is sacred and holy word this morning. One of the early Greek manuscripts of the first century was there was a record of a man attached to it, whose name was Titios Amarimnos. Now the first part of this name, Titios, is a proper name, sort of like John. But the second part, Amarimnos, is made up of the Greek word for worry plus not or never. Just like you have Frederick. the Great, James the Just, William the Conqueror. We have Titios, the man who never worries. We should all have that attached to our name if that would be true of us. Christ in our text has been speaking about worry. We’ve studied this the last few weeks. And you’ll notice that he has talked about increasing your faith. And the problem we have is that we don’t have much faith. Verse 28, O ye of little faith. Where we had more faith than we wouldn’t worry is the implication here of this text of Scripture. It’s the lack of faith that leads us to worry. You worry and fret because you don’t believe what God. has promised in his word. So if you wish to avoid worrying, be one who never worries, then your faith needs to increase. That’s where we run into trouble. Now to increase your faith, you have to stop behaving like an unbeliever. You’ll notice verse is 29 and 30. What he says here, seek ye what you shall drink, neither, neither be of doubt for all these things, neither be of doubtful mind for all these things do the nations of the world seek after. Consider what constitutes an unbelie for a moment. An unbeliever is a stranger. to God. He belongs to what we call the nations here. And the word nations literally is the idea of Gentiles. It’s used by Christ refer to the heathen. The Jews considered anyone outside of Israel to be part of the nations, or the Gentile, or the heathen, if you would. These were the ignorant nations who had no truth, no knowledge, were not given the gospel of Christ. And so they had no revelation from God. And therefore, no real knowledge of the true in living God of this universe. Because he showed his word unto Jacob, or Israel, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel, he had not so dealt with any nation. and as for his judgments they have not known them. Psalm 147, 19, and 20. And so the nations don’t have the knowledge of God. Therefore, they don’t have faith. And therefore they live completely differently. Then you and I should live as the people of God. What do the nations know about the Scriptures? They know nothing. at all. They were a people who sat in darkness. They have no spiritual light. Paul says the Gentiles were without God in the world, Ephesians 212. They know nothing about God. They know nothing about God’s ways or his will or his works. They have no knowledge of Jesus Christ then as Lord and Savior who could save their, you know, who saves his people from their sins. Christ was in the world. The world was made by him, but the world knew him not. The Gentiles have no clue about Jesus Christ. So a he then has no understanding of God’s way of salvation. He that hath the son hath life, they can’t have life because they have no knowledge of the Son, no knowledge of the true God. So anyone who does not trust in Christ does not believe in the Scriptures, is in the same position today as the nations, the Gentiles, that they are strangers to God. If you don’t know what the Word of God teaches, you are in the dark. So an unbeliever is a stranger to God. Now, an unbeliever is a stranger to God. Now, an unbeliever has a pagan view of life. They look at life completely different than someone who is called a disciple. Remember, these words are addressed to disciples of Christ about worry. But the ungodly person doesn’t believe in God’s providence governing all aspects of life. The he then believes everything is governed by chance or fate or something of this nature. You don’t see God’s hand. at work, if you’re an unbeliever. So you don’t see his provision for all the animals and humans. You don’t see that at all. There’s no divine purpose that governs the world. And so you look at it as a random thing. Whatever will be, will be is the way a lot of people look at it. sort of the New Age Eastern religion viewpoint. It’s your destiny. That just that’s the way it is. That fate alone determines whether you’re fed or clothed and so forth. Now the Christian view of life is much different than this. It has to be different. Your Heavenly Father is watching over you as his child, as we mentioned last week. He speaks here about the Father in this passage of Scripture. He will provide for your needs. We can depend upon this truth so that we must not worry about these things. You’re assured that in Scripture that everything is governed in this life by God’s all-encompassing plan and purpose. That whatever happens in your life is not by fate or chance, but God is working all things for your good and for His glory. So an unbeliever has a pagan view of life. You as a Christian must have a different view of life. An unbeliever lives for this world alone. You notice at verse 30. All these things are the things that the nations are concerned about. You give way. away what you believe by how you live. The heathen inevitably lives for this world alone. They’re not thinking about anything but, you know, what am I going to eat? What am I going to drink? What am I going to wear? Those are the key factors. The Gentiles had a very vague and gloomy idea of future. And so those who were… unbelievers, those who are heathen, are only really concerned about this life. That’s all they focus upon, this life. Consequently, this world meant everything to them. It occupied all their thinking. The majority of people around you think like this. For after all these things do the nations of the world seek, we read in verse. 30. This is what they’re looking at. This is what they’re focused upon. And the word seek is a very strong word here. It means to diligently seek, to seek, to seek earnestly with all your strength. So what constitutes an unbeliever? They’re a stranger to God. They have no knowledge really of God or Christ. They have a pagan view of life that’s governed by chance or fate. They live for this world alone. It consumes all their attention. Now your faith, will never grow if you live just like that. If you live like an unbeliever, how can you you possibly be trusting in what God is saying here through Christ? Is your life controlled by your Christian faith? That’s the key factor. Christ says if earthly concerns monopolize your life and think then you’re no better than the heathen. Many people can be described as, let’s call them religious worldlings. They go to church, they attend the services, they profess perhaps to believe in Christ, but they live just like the pagans, just like the worldling. Do the things of this life completely dominate all your things. thinking. Are you worried merely about your food, your drink, your clothing, your wealth, your possessions, your status? Is this what takes up all your energy, all your interest? Christ is telling us here, we must live by faith. We must be spiritually minded. Are you different then? From the unbelievering who lives around you? Is it obvious to you and everybody who knows you that you’re thinking and your whole approach to life is distinct from the non-believer? Jesus once asked, what do ye more than others in Matthew 547? How are you different from an unbeliever? What do you more than they do? Are you different than they are? As a Christian, you have to be. So, are you different from the unbeliever who lives around you? Do you view things from a Christian perspective? Do you place all that happens to you in the context, then, of your Christian faith? Suppose you were laid off from work. Suppose Congress passes some new law that cuts out your social security if you’re older. Now, as an unbeliever who doesn’t know God or God’s grace, they have an automatic and almost instinctive response to what has taken place. They get angry. They lose their temper. They attempt to retaliate. I remember one man went to the company that laid him off and broke every window in the building that evening. One man went in and took a gun and began shooting up those who are in power or in authority at the company. People become hurt. They become resentful. They get depressed. They even commit suicide. They don’t look beyond the fact that they’ve been mistreated. That’s all they see. I’ve been mistreated. Now, you as a Christian have to stop and think so that you don’t react in the same fashion. You have to reflect here with spiritual insight on the situation. You don’t let your emotions drive your response. Ask yourself, how should I view my job loss in light of what I know about God and about his ways? Perhaps you look at the book of Hebrews, and you realize that whom the Lord loveth, he chastenedeth. And this is part of God’s chastening process in my life to make me a better person. Maybe you read the book of Romans and chapter 8 and verse 28 that all things are working for your good. So you’re looking at life differently than the unbeliever. And because of what you believe, believe you’re able to accept, perhaps even be content, hopefully, all this is happening to you. Now, it’s only the Christian that can do that. It’s only the person who knows God’s ways and believes scripture that can do this. The unbeliever is incapable of it. So to increase your faith, you have to stop believing or behaving like the unbeliever. Does your conduct show you are a Christian? Are you able to rise above the things of this world which the nations seek? Remember what you are and live accordingly. Rise to the level of the faith you possess. Don’t live below it. So let your faith be what directs and controls your life. seems to be an important aspect here. Now secondly, to increase your faith, place your confidence in God. Notice the latter part of verse 30 where he says here, and your father knoweth that ye have need of these things. Your heavenly father knows you need the necessity. of life. Now, God is the father of his people in addition to being their creator and their sustainer in this world. He preserves life. Now, as a father pitieth his children, the Bible says, so the Lord pities them that fear him in Psalm 10313. He pities us. He has mercy upon us. God has a tender compassion towards you. And he carefully looks after your interest and mind because we’re here. It’s children. The father, your father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask of him, Matthew 6, 8. Now, if God keeps track of, the very hairs on your head, as we studied in Luke 12, then surely he knows exactly what you need as you go through this life. God never becomes so preoccupied with other things that he forgets about you and I. How could that ever happen? So your Heavenly Father knows you have need of the necessities of life, and you shouldn’t worry about the necessities of life therefore. Now most of us can quote, Psalm 23. We know it well. If you can say, the Lord is my shepherd, and you ought to be able to say also, I shall not want. Correct? If the Lord’s your shepherd, he’s going to take care of you. God’s very knowledge of your needs makes it certain that he will provide for each and every one of us. Now, he may not provide the way you would like him to provide, but he will provide for you. God is always watching over his little children, just like a father would take care of the little ones that he has under his authority. God’s watching us. This is a great worry killer then and a faith increaseer. You have God’s promise. I will never leave you. never forsake you. I’m not going to desert you. When things get rough and difficult, hardships come up, I’m not going to leave you. I’ll be with you. I’ll carry you through. And we can rely on this fact. We can rest quietly and confidently in God’s glorious assurance of his awareness, then, of our needs. Remember what Paul said. He said, my God shall provide all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus in Philippians 419. So to increase your faith, put your confidence in God. And thirdly, to increase your faith, concentrate your faith, concentrate on perfecting your relationship with God. Now you’ll notice in verse 31, he says this. But rather seek ye, don’t be like the Gentiles, but rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. You must first seek God’s interest. Now, unlike the people of the world whose focus is solely upon them, they have their own self-interest that they’re concerned about. They’re worried about what they’re going to eat, what they’re going to drink, and so forth. you and I have to give God’s interest on this earth top priority. Seek ye first indicates to us that we are to be absorbed, totally occupied with God’s kingdom here. This should be the very first thing we think about. If you are anxiously concerned about the thing things of this life, then what happens is that that controls you and you’re not thinking about, well, how can I advance God’s kingdom? You know, sheep sometimes get lost, and they get lost because they’re just, they have their head down, and they’re nibbling away at the grass and they’re moving around, and the next thing you know, they’re away from the flock. They just get lost by their eating. They’re focused on what they’re eating. They never look up. And so he dribbling. away from the rest of the flock without even realizing. If you focus your main attention on what is immediately before you and all you’re concerned about is earthly things, then you will fail to keep your mind on God’s interest. Did not Christ warn you about how the cares of this world will choke out the word? And that affects your faith. Earthly concerns have given the priority of their life will crowd things out that have to do with the kingdom of God. So your heart has to be filled with your Heavenly Father’s business. Otherwise, it’ll be like weeds, you know, the thing of this earth will be like weeds choking out. That garden. Remember the order of the petitions in Christ model prayer, thy kingdom come or advance precedes give us this day our daily bread. So here we have the idea of the seeking first. You must seek God’s interest first. Now, you should desire to know God more intimately. Seek ye the kingdom of God. There’s a sense in which the kingdom of God, represents God’s rule or his kingship over the life of his people. The kingdom of God is within you, Jesus said in Luke 2021. So you are exhorted here to acknowledge God as the king of your heart and your life, and therefore we should do all that is in our power to promote his reign. We should endeavor and desire to develop a better and closer relationship with our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We should draw near to him in fellowship. He that cometh the God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6. Many of us miss blessings because we don’t seek God diligently. It’s not that we don’t seek God at all, but we don’t eagerly cultivate a warm and glowing relationship with Jesus Christ as we want. So we need to have a desire like Paul’s that he mentioned in Philippians 310. Oh, that I might know Him, that he might know the Lord, to pursue a close fellowship with Christ. Now you must seek a life of righteousness. Matthew adds here, not only should we seek the kingdom of God, and it says, and his righteousness in Matthew 633. The way the kingdom of God will display itself, in your life is by you living a life of righteousness. Romans 14, 17 says, The kingdom of God is not meat and drink. It’s not material things. But righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 424, put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Matthew 5. 6 talks about those who are blessed, or those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. You are to seek after righteousness. We ought to be pursuing holiness of life. We have to keep God’s commandments as moral law. We should desire to live like Christ did. How slow sometimes we are to seek after righteousness. righteousness. Something goes wrong in your life and immediately, perhaps, go and seek the Lord’s help in prayer. But the moment you do become perhaps aware of the fact, well, I should have been more diligent about prayer life all along. And you haven’t been seeking for righteousness as you should have been. Else your prayer life would have been earnest prior, perhaps, to the problem. So the Christian faith is growing in your life if you’re one who seeks after righteousness. Let me conclude with two thoughts. The first is this. God will not fail to provide for you if you put his interests first first. Notice how it’s stated here, and all these things shall be added to you. If you give God the preeminence in your life, he assures you he’ll take care of all these necessities of life for you. You never lose out because God promises to provide what’s necessary. No good thing. What will he withhold from those who walk uprightly, Psalm 8411. Now the phrase here added unto you is a very significant. phrase. It was used by merchants and it was related to a custom that they had long ago. And we still have it somewhat today as well. There was a custom form between buyers and sellers when things were sold a lot by measure. And the seller would add an extra amount. Maybe. an extra scoop or a little bit extra to show good faith to the customer. In other words you get a bonus amount with your order. Now today I think there are still, if you go into the baker shop, they still may give you 13 cookies for a dozen. Or if you buy corn at a farm market, sometimes they’ll give you 13 years of corn instead of 12. Instead of you pay for a dozen, but you get 13. And so even so, our Lord here promises that if you put God interest first, you get a bonus. He’ll add all the material things you need. In fact, isn’t it true when we look at our own lives, that God has given us far abundantly above the necessities of life? Look at all the things that God has given us. that aren’t even necessary. But he’s been good to us and he’s provided for us and they’re not even necessary to sustain life, but he’s taken care of you. Put God in his kingdom first, in a central place in your life, and you have the pledge, the pledge of the Son of God himself that God will provide for the necessities that you have in this life. You will not be for God. But see, to put God, first means living by faith, doesn’t it? And that’s what’s required of us. The second thing I want to say is this, and briefly, let me ask you this morning, are you a believer, or are you a stranger, a heathen, a genti, with one of the nations? Because unless you have placed your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you can’t claim to be one of Christ disciples and these words are spoken to his disciples. You’re a stranger to God. You’re not one of his sheep, but a foreigner to him. Do you give any thought as you go through this life to what comes after this life? Do you think about honoring Christ by your life? If you don’t do these things, then you are a stranger to God. You have no hope of forgiveness. You have a problem. with entering into heaven because you’re still in your sins. Remember, these promises are for God’s people and those who have faith. And so I say to you, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saying. He that believeth not shall be damned, the Bible says. It comes down to that. Well, let us close with the word of prayer. Thank you.