The Practice of Priority

Opening Prayer

Let’s open with prayer. If you have a prayer concern, just offer it up out loud in this space. It can be a situation, a need, a family member or friend. When I sense we are finished I will close out our prayer.

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Introduction

We are doing part 2 of a series we began last summer on the Sermon on the Mount called The Jesus Manifesto. A manifesto is a public declaration of belief, policy, and motives. A manifesto outlines what a person or group believes and the kinds of things they will practice. In this respect, the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ manifesto. It provides the definitive guide for what he meant when he said, “Come, follow me.”

In part 2 of the series we are looking at the kinds of kingdom practices that will help form us to be mature and thriving disciples of Jesus. One of the things we’re trying to stress is that Spiritual practices are not a means to get you into heaven but to get heaven into you. To make us more like Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Do you ever worry about money? Be honest! It seems like worry is pretty standard among people. I’ve felt this worry recently. We recently began a bathroom remodel. We have put away money for the last few years. I thought there was enough there. But then you start buying stuff. Then you hire electricians and plumbers. And you watch that savings balance go down and down. And I’m looking at how much is remaining to do and I feel that pinch in my gut wondering if I’ll have enough to finish the job.

Did you know God doesn’t want you to worry - especially about your normal day-to-day needs? Jesus wants you to imagine this morning a life free from worry and anxiety. He wants you to learn to use your imagination, not to feed your worry, but to expand your faith. He invites you this morning to be released from striving after common things so that you may strive for the uncommon. Today he calls us to the practice of priority.

Negative imagination

"Do not worry.” What is worry? One way to think about it is when we allow our imagination to work against us. If you are like me and blessed with a vivid imagination, you find that it is both a blessing and a curse. Without training, without stewardship, our imagination can come up with all kinds of possible scenarios - most of them negative! “If this happens I might lose my job! I might get my power turned off. I might lose my car.” Worry can set our imagination off down an unhealthy, anxiety-producing direction. Jesus says, “Don’t give in to this.”

Worry has a way of fixing our attention on secondary things. It shifts our priorities from what matters most to things that are distractions. We all have daily necessities - bills to pay and cars to maintain. Jesus doesn’t say don’t attend to them. But he does say don’t let them consume your mind with worry. These things are common. Your life is to be uncommon.

Reason #1 for a worry-free life

Why can we be free of worry? Jesus gives two examples.

Look at the birds. They don’t reap or sow, yet God feeds them. We don’t see birds dropping dead from starvation. They wake up every sunrise knowing they will have to go in search of food. But that they same time they know that their Creator will provide it for them. Look at the flowers in the field. They don’t toil or spin to acquire their clothing. But God has arraigned them more beautifully than kings.

Jesus is not calling us to be care-less about provisions but to be care-free. Birds aren’t careless about finding a worm, but they are care-free. He is not offering a promise that God will bail you out of bad decisions. If you spend your rent check on a lottery ticket, well…

First reason for a worry-free life: You don’t need to worry, to give in to a negative imagination, because Your Father cares for you. You are so valuable to him. Do you believe that? If God will take such good care of something as insignificant as birds and flowers, he will surely take care of your needs. Is the One who sent his Son to die for you going to sit and do nothing while you starve? You can trust him!

Reason #2 for a worry-free life

He says again in verse 31, “Do not worry about your basic needs.” These are the things the Gentiles strive after. Those who don’t know our God, who don’t know his goodness and his care. Their negative imagination consumes them, and they run frantically from place to place trying to secure what they need for life.

But this is not to be our way. We are to work. We are to plan. We are to steward. But we don’t strive. We don’t frantically chase after our needs like those who don’t know God. Why?

Here is the second reason for a worry-free life: Your Father knows what you need. And by implication, if he knows your needs then you have assurance that he will meet them.

This is not a promise from Jesus that we will have bounty, or that all of our wants will be met. He isn’t promoting a “name-it-and-claim-it” or “blab-it-and-grab-it” system. You may still have to buy the Great Value mac & cheese instead of Kraft. But…you will have your needs met.

The practice of priority

Our Father cares for us. Our Father knows our need. Maybe we need to sit with these two truths before we move on. God cares for you - more than anything else he created. God knows your needs - even before you ask him. These two truths have the power to do what Jesus wants to happen - to undergo a shift our priorities. Because of these two truths we are freed from worry so that we may pursue his kingdom. We are released from striving after common things so that we may strive for the uncommon. God is calling you to be uncommon.

What do you think God wants to do in you and through you? It’s certainly more than just provide food and clothing. He has something bigger in store for you. He has nothing less than his rule and reign breaking into your life and the life of those around you. He wants to see you fully activated in what he is doing in the world. Because this is where you come fully alive. You get released from striving after that which doesn’t last so that you can strive for what really matters. The Mission - Robert DeNiro dragging burden through jungle… That’s common. You are uncommon.

“But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

When you begin to strive after God’s kingdom, your priorities start to align with his. What are the priorities of God’s kingdom and righteousness? Well, the good news is that it probably doesn’t mean becoming a missionary to an Amazonian tribe. The prophet Micah helps us answer this question.

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, NRSV)

Do justice. Do what is right by others. Give to people what is due them as image-bearers of God. Seek the rightness of the kingdom of God in their life. You can be a kingdom-builder in others lives. Or as Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is justice.

Love kindness. The Hebrew here is hesed which is often translated “loving-kindness”. To say it another way, love loving people. Show them mercy and grace. Be good to them and be good news for them. God destined you to be a person who changes the atmosphere when you enter a place. You aren’t to be a thermometer but a thermostat!

Walk humbly. A person who walks humbly is one who is attentive to God and remains dependent on him. Just like the birds. Jesus calls you to abiding - to remaining close to the Father, listening to his voice, walking in his favor. This is the person who finds themselves in those places where God’s kingdom can break through to bestow blessing.

Be uncommon.

What is the worry that God is asking you to give to him this morning?

Where is God calling you to shift your priorities?

Don’t worry. Don’t sweat the small stuff. And as the saying goes, with God it’s all small stuff! Pursue being all-in with God’s kingdom project. As you fix your eyes on this, you will notice your worries losing their grip on your imagination. And, all those needs you used to worry about? Well, as Jesus promises, you’ll have those met too. Amen.

Communion

Communion reminds us there is no extent to which God won’t go for those he loves. As the apostle Paul writes, “He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32, NRSV) Communion reminds us of the giving of Jesus for the the redemption of the world. But it also holds the promise that the one who loved us so much is also fully committed to see us through every trial. And so we celebrate this memorial of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with joy and gratitude.

And so we are bold to pray...

The Lords Prayer

Words of Institution