Study

These Things Ain”t Stuff

December 25, 2016 by in Study

Text:

Matthew 6:31-33:

31:  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32:  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these

       things.

33:  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

 

Theme:

These Things Ain’t Stuff

 

Introduction & Body:

  • MATTHEW
    • The Gospel according to St. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament and of the Gospels of Jesus, the Christ, is the book that contains this first scripture.
      • Matthew, the disciple of Christ, wrote in more detail of the life of Christ and His ministry than any other Gospel writer even though the book was written over 5-10 years later than the rest of the Gospels.
    • In this 6th chapter and the 31st through the 33rd verses of our text, Jesus is at the heart of His “highly acclaimed” “Sermon on the Mount”.
      • Jesus explains to the people
        • Don’t worry about your physical needs life eating, drinking, or clothing
          • Non-believers worry about THESE THINGS (physical needs)
        • God knows THESE THINGS à physical needs à and will provide them for us!
          • How do we get them?
            • They are ADDED and not given (v. 33)
            • They are reactively accepted and not proactively sought after
            • They can pose a challenge but should not be an obstacle.
          • Don’t be confused…there are THESE THINGS and then there is STUFF
            • STUFF consists of what you don’t need but you simply want
              • STUFF is pursued and then accumulated (home items)
              • STUFF is a desire and then a burden (that second car that breaks down)
              • STUFF often comes along with THESE THINGS (home garbage)
                • As Matthew 13:30 says, “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
              • STUFF is what WE get…GOD does not provide…but does allowJ
                • The result can be a home, car, office, or life full of what we then call “clutter” or simply too much STUFF to the point that we can’t function optimally!
            • Most importantly, know that THESE THINGS AIN’T STUFF!!!!
        • Finally, the 33rd verse then tells us what we have to do be provided with THESE THINGS or physical needs:
            • We are to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” à what are we seeking here?
      • PHILIPPIANS gives us significant insight as to the answer to this question
        • The Epistle to the Philippians was written by Paul during the two years when he was “in bonds” in Rome, probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in the end of 61.
        • The church at Philippi, of Macedonia, was the first-fruits of European Christianity.
          • Therefore, Paul was close to the church in Philippi, as he frequently writes, and the church in Philippi was close to him.
            • In the 4th chapter, Paul exhorts the Philippians to stand fast in the Lord…and to hold fast to their identity…as BELIEVERS.
              • Our text in Philippians 4:8 gives us Paul’s plan for there standing fast in the Lord:

“…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

  • We can glean, therefore, a direct correlation between Matthew and Philippians here:
    • When we “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew), we basically “think on THESE THINGS” (Philippians):
      • This time, THESE THINGS are reflective of our Spiritual Needs. Things that are:
        • “true”
          • Against falsehood à Proverbs 12:17, “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.”
          • The Bible à Galatians 2:5, “…that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”
          • Jesus à John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life….”
        • “honest”
          • Expresses or represents Truth
            • 1Peter 2:12, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
        • “just”
          • Performs actions that respect and glorify Truth
            • Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
        • “pure”
          • Consists totally of what is true
            • Psalms 119:140, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”
        • “lovely”
          • Is a reflection of what is true, specifically Love, Himself
            • Ezekiel 33:32, “And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument:”
        • “of good report”
          • Others can report its truth
            • Proverbs 15:30, “The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.”
  • Once again, be careful to not confuse THESE THINGS with STUFF!
    • Spiritually, STUFF is anything that directly or indirectly invades the mind to contaminate the spirit or heart.
      • External STUFF
        • There are false teachers/preachers/prophets who, if given the opportunity, will divert your attention
          • from God’s Word to their words
          • from God’s Face to their face
          • from the Hills which cometh our strength to the valleys which bring about our destruction.
        • THE HEART IS DECEIVED à Have a good heart or good intentions but lead in the wrong direction.
        • As it says in Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”
      • Internal STUFF
        • Once the attention has been diverted then internal stuff grows…we deceive ourselves!
        • THE MIND ATTRIBUTES THE WRONG INFORMATION TO OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS!
          • As Romans 10:1 explains,
            • “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
          • There are distinct consequences to not being submitted to God’s righteousness:
            • Matthew 7:2 explains, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
            • Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
              • Sin brings death and destruction but THROUGH Jesus Christ we may have eternal life!
      • So know that THESE THINGS AIN’T STUFF!!!!

 

Conclusion:

  • In summary, there are two types of “THESE THINGS”:
    • Physical needs (Matthew 6:33)
    • Spiritual needs (Philippians 4:8)
  • God created us so that, through Him, THESE THINGS are necessary (needs), so that we may have LIFE.
    • Then God sums it all up in John 10:10:

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

  • By providing us with THESE THINGS, Jesus allows us to have life!
    • Physical needs that we may live
      • Spiritual needs that we may be alive through and in Him
    • Physical needs that we may sustain life
      • Spiritual needs that we may preach Godly living
  • Then, also, by providing us with THESE THINGS, Jesus allows us to have life more abundantly!
    • He supplies more Physical Needs that we need that we may share with others.
      • He makes our Spiritual Needs available that we can attain Salvation and have eternal life.
    • He supplies more Physical Needs so that we may be a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
      • He makes our Spiritual Needs available that we may justify our Salvation by both faith and works.

So, remember…THESE THINGS AIN’T STUFF!

  • God allows the stuff to be in our lives for now, but ONE DAY God’s gonna get tired of our STUFF and judge us based on THESE THINGS in our lives:
    • He’s gonna come back looking for His children
    • He’s gonna separate the wheat and the tares and burn the tares in the lake of fire!
      • ONE DAY!
    • He’s gonna heal that sick body
    • He’s gonna save that believing soul
      • ONE DAY!
    • He’s gonna make my enemies leave me alone
    • He’s gonna clear the confused mind

So, remember…THESE THINGS AIN’T STUFF!

 

#154

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