Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2021
Trinity XV
Dcn Bill Johnston
“But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness.” Today’s Gospel - Matthew chapter 6, verses 24 - 34 – has a simple outline - one thing to avoid, and two things to seek. We will start with the one thing to avoid.
You can note or mark the word “anxious” in verses 25, 27, 28, 31, and 34. Jesus says, “Do not be anxious” five times in just 10 verses. Do not be anxious over food or clothing. Do not be anxious for your life. Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Intellectually, we know our heavenly Father is sovereign, loving, and will provide for our needs. But Jesus doesn’t tell us to avoid lacking trust in God’s providence; He tells us to avoid being anxious over these things in the first place.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, Anxiety Disorders are common. Nearly 30% of all adults at some point in their lives will experience strong and persistent feelings of unease, fear, or worry.[1] Anxiety often coexists with depression. Anxiety and depression can result from underlying medical problems, early childhood experiences, medication side effects, genetics, and the complex interaction of biological and sociological factors. “Spiritualizing” anxiety and depression can result in false guilt. “If I trusted God more or if I was a better Christian, I wouldn’t feel this way.” God’s Word offers comfort for us this morning. The word we translate here as “anxious” (merimnao) means “to be preoccupied with,” or “to be absorbed by.”[2] Preoccupation is an action of the will. When Jesus says “Be not anxious” He is not talking about our feelings, but our wills. Do not be preoccupied with or absorbed by the things that the Gentiles seek. We do need to allow, however, that anxious feelings may indicate a problem with the will – signaling an unhealthy preoccupation with material or temporal things. And if that is the case, then repentance is needed. But let us not confuse that with mere feelings of anxiety or depression that require not repentance, but understanding, support, and perhaps treatment. So if our wills are not be to be preoccupied with the cares of this life, where are we to direct them?
This question is answered in verse 33: “But seek ye first his kingdom, and [secondly] his righteousness.” Note or mark that the verse begins with the word “but.” This signals a contrast. The Gentiles are “anxious” – that is, preoccupied with and absorbed by – material and temporal concerns. But we are to seek two things first: God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. Briefly, God’s righteousness means our right standing before God – made possible only by His Grace - and second, acting rightly towards others according to God’s standards. We are also to seek God’s Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is marked by His presence, His power, and His rule. Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest calls “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” the “…most revolutionary statement human ears ever listened to.”[3] God’s Kingdom is one of the most important themes in the teaching of Jesus. Saint Matthew alone refers to the Kingdom 27 times.[4] An entire chapter - chapter 13 – is called “The Parables of the Kingdom.” God’s Kingdom is both present and future. This is sometime referred to as an “already, but not yet” aspect of our salvation. Let’s look at the future aspect of the Kingdom first.
“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."[5] The future Kingdom will happen when all earthly kingdoms have been supplanted by the one heavenly Kingdom. The Book of Revelation gives us the completion and finality of God’s Kingdom. Our last enemy, death, is finally destroyed. The entire created order is renewed. The Lamb and His Bride, the Church, redeemed out of all nations and tongues, dwell together forever in ceaseless praise to God. Seeking first this future Kingdom is an antidote to becoming preoccupied with the things of this world. On the Fourth Sunday in Trinity, we ask for God’s mercy, “…That, [as] our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal.”[6] Because of this future aspect of the Kingdom, Jesus could say, “My kingdom is not of this world.”[7]
But in Luke 17:21, Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you."[8] Notice He used the present tense. This brings us to the present aspect of God’s Kingdom. We are to seek this, too. This “already here” aspect of the Kingdom is more difficult for most of us to understand than the future, or heavenly Kingdom. So let’s look at three passages that emphasize the present aspect of God’s Kingdom. In Romans chapter 14, the Apostle Paul admonished the church not to argue over the observances of Jewish dietary laws. Christians may reach different conclusions about “clean” versus “unclean” foods. When they do, Christians are not permitted to judge another’s decision. His concluding argument was based on God’s present Kingdom. “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”[9] Do you want to live more in God’s Kingdom? Right now? Then stop judging others; instead, live in righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. Second, seeking God’s Kingdom first also means repentance. For this, we turn to Saint Mark’s first recorded sermon by Jesus. Here’s the opening: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”[10] The Kingdom of God is at hand. And the very next word? Repent. Living in God’s Kingdom now means a life of ongoing repentance. When we realize this, it leads to a third characteristic of the Kingdom: humility. “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”[11] Humility - the humility to accept that we are sinners in need of grace - is required in order to one day inherit the future Kingdom, and to live in His Kingdom now.
Let’s summarize where we’ve come. In the opening verses, Jesus tells us not to be anxious - that is, our wills should not be preoccupied with - earthly or temporary concerns. In contrast to that, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We seek a Kingdom that is both “yet to come” and “in our midst.” We long for the “not yet” of Heaven. But we live in the “already here” of His Kingdom if we live in righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit, and when our lives are characterized by ongoing repentance and humility.
While there are two aspects of God’s Kingdom - a future one and a present one - there is still only one Kingdom. Where is that Kingdom? Wherever His presence, power, and rule are found. When we pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” we are praying that more of God’s presence, power, and rule, which now exist fully and perfectly in heaven, would operate that way on earth. God answers that prayer - “Thy Kingdom come” - whenever righteousness, peace, humility, and love happen during our personal trials and in our troubled world. We often miss this. But He already told us we would. "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.”[12]
Thomas J. Neal is a seminary professor in New Orleans. As he was standing in line to board a plane, he noticed a couple with their young son. The boy was about 12 years old, and appeared to have autism. Dr. Neal later found out the boy’s name was Patrick. Now Patrick was terrified to get on that plane. He was rocking back and forth, twisting to get away, and crying. When they boarded, Dr. Neal discovered his seat was directly in front of this family. Patrick remained terrified throughout the flight, and everyone in the back of that plane knew it. He often had his head buried in his father’s chest. Here’s what Dr. Neil heard: “It’s okay, son. We’re right here. No, don’t look out the window – look at me. It’s going to be fine. We love you.” What Dr. Neal found remarkable is that no passengers showed any discomfort or irritation. In fact, several people nearby tried to lend a hand and support the parents. When the plane landed two hours later, people clapped for Patrick because he “did it.” As the plane came to a stop, the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, “We’d like Patrick to join us on every flight.”[13] This didn’t happen in a church, or even through a church program. But something of Heaven broke through, or better, was allowed in, that day, anyway. Seeking the Kingdom of God first means seeking it continually, everywhere, and among everyone.
[1] American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders. Accessed 8/16/21.
[2] The New Jerome Bible Commentary (1990), pg. 646.
[3] Oswald Chamber, My Utmost for His Highest (1963), May 21.
[4] Darrell Bock, Jesus According to Scripture (2002), p. 565.
[5] Rev. 11:15, RSV.
[6] The Book of Common Prayer (1928), pg. 194.
[7] Jn. 18:36a.
[8] Lk. 17:21b, RSV.
[9] Rom 14:17, RSV.
[10] Mk. 1:15b.
[11] Matt. 18:2, 3.
[12] Matt. 3:31a, RSV.
[13] Patrick J. Neal, Humber yet Great Builders, Aug. 11, 2021. https://nealobstat.wordpress.com. Accessed August 18, 2021.