Exodus: A Group StudySample

What is this passage saying?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes the security in seeking God’s kingdom above all other things.

What is this passage teaching?

Although Abraham had dozens of reasons to not follow God, he believed His promises and stepped out in faith. He trusted God above all things and reaped the reward of faith. In the same way, Jesus is exhorting his disciples to not be anxious about the temporary things in life. If God can feed the birds of the air and clothe the lilies of the field, certainly He can take care of the physical needs of His people. Freed from striving after material needs, followers of Jesus can focus on eternal things knowing God will provide every need that may arise.

How do I respond?

Often our lives are marked by seeking after the things of this world and then if there is any time left over, it is given to God. The kingdom of God, however, inverts this pattern. Food, clothing, shelter – all of these are good things, but they are not the best things. The radical nature of God’s kingdom is that if you seek Him first, He will graciously give you everything you need. Do you trust Him to provide even your most basic needs? This is no flimsy commitment to Jesus; it is wholehearted surrender. A life that seeks the kingdom of God is willing to walk away from good things because Jesus is the best thing. A life that is not anxious about tomorrow is willing to sacrifice cravings, comforts, and conveniences because anything man accumulates can be taken by thieves, spoiled by disease, or wasted away until nothing is left. Like Abraham, you can trust God and His promises. Resolve today to seek Him and seek the things that are of Him. What are the things in your life you put before God? How will you seek to lay them down this week in your pursuit of Jesus?