VBS 2025 - Seek Ye First - Day 3

Introduction - Welcome to day 3 of PIBC. How many have had a good time so far at camp?

Now I know we have camp fire time —- but is there anyone here who has made a decision for the Lord that they would like to share?

Let’s read in Matthew chapter 6 for just a moment this morning.

Matthew 6:24–33 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The title of today’s lesson is this “Seek Ye First”

Let’s Pray The first day we looked at Isaiah 6- and saw Isaiah before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah saw Him high holy and lifted up. The seraphim— those angels who excel in glory cry one to another Holy…Holy…Holy…

In the presence of the Lord, Isaiah understood how immense his sin (iniquity) was… but the Lord Jesus Christ— His sacrifice cleansed Isaiah. He then heard the Lord asking a question…who will go for us (vs. 8)…

From this we understood that the Lord is seeking…. Isaiah responded - Here am I - send me! To which the Lord gives Isaiah instructions— of which we understood- The Lord is sending.

Yesterday we looked at Abraham and Lot— from Genesis chapter 13. From the lesson of their two differing choices, we learned it is best to let the Lord choose for you.

It is simply this — say yes to the Lord…

Today I want us to look in the book of Matthew and see some of what the Lord Jesus Christ has to say to you and I concerning our time here in the earth.

We already said the title for the lesson is “Seek Ye First”

Do you realize that you guys are in such a good position here this morning age wise?

You have an opportunity to fully set your heart to these words. I want you to realize several things about this passage as we think about this matter of “I’ve enlisted, Have you”

The first point is this:

You cannot serve the Lord and any other Master.

Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” And then He says —- therefore—in other words in light of this, because of you cannot serve two Masters — Serve me and You do not have to worry about your life, Serve me and you don’t have to worry about food, Serve me and you do not have to worry about food or whether or not you have something to drink—-Serve me and you do not have to worry about clothes…

Later on in verse 33 the Master states seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the things will be added unto you.

Notice again the words of the Lord in verse 24 — therefore first part— No man can serve two Masters

Did you know that people attempt to serve two Masters all the time?

People attempt to serve the Lord on Sunday and Self on Monday.

People attempt to serve the Lord on Sunday and given thier lives to money on Tuesday.

People attempt to serve the Master- the Lord when they come to the church house on Wednesday and then when they get up on Thursday they try to serve.

James says the Lord Jesus told you cannot serve to Masters but let me tell you the result of attempting to serve the Masters. James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” It’s like trying to go two different directions at the same time. Imagine someone yanking on this arm and at the same time someone yanking on the other arm… that’s going to create some problems isn’t it. Many are attempting to go one way on Sunday when they are around others Christians and attempting to go another way on Monday—

The point that the Lord is making is this— which way are you going to go?

You cannot serve two Masters… Friend in the words of Joshua the Son of Nun at the end of his leadership role looked out at the generation coming up and the leaders that then were and he stated “…if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;” Joshua 24:15

You cannot add one inch to your height.

Matthew 6:27 “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

A cubit is roughly 22 inches- it is from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger on an average adult. ‘Now I have a confession to make — how many of you want to be taller?

And now how many of you want to be shorter?

How many would say this- I want to be the height God made me to be? That’s good because guess what— that is what you are going to be!

You see people get wrapped up trying to be what they are not— and the Lord says here— I have a plan for — I have a path for you— I know how tall you are going to be — what your talents I have given you —- I know what spiritual gifts I am going to give you if you are a Christian— and I have works for you to accomplish..

Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Isaiah 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” When you discover what the Lord has for you— you ought to pursue that in His timing with all your might.

Don’t worry about trying to be something your not or following every other kid as they try to copy each other — you just say as Isaiah— Here Am I Lord — I am all yours

You are the potter, I am the clay—

You cannot seek the kingdom of God second. The Lord tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. You see everyone wants the blessings that come with a clean life of pure living— but people want God’s blessings without obedience. The Lord says- Seek Ye First

That is what we are trying to communicate to you at camp this week.

If we are going to say yes to the Lord -- then we are going to enlist in God’s plan for my life.

We are going to sign on the dotted line…

The Lord says here, you cannot serve to Masters— many have tried to have one foot in the world and one foot in God’s ways— it does not work.

It results as James said in his epistle as instability.

“The Lord is not just a part of my life— my life is the Lord’s.”

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Can I tell you that best life you could live during your time sojourning here in this earth will be living for the Lord.