I must have sung these words a million times as a young man in Christian Day School and Youth Group. And with this song’s inclusion in our new hymnal, I am sure that the words will soon again cross my lips. This song is of course based on these words from our Lord Jesus:
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
As I led bible class on this verse last Sunday, I was truly struck at how sharp this edge of the verse truly is against our daily way of life. This verse essentially calls us to make kingdom things the center of our life and to pursue them actively, and trust God to actively provide for our daily needs.
Aren’t we much more likely to do exactly the opposite and justify it with ease? Doesn’t it make much more sense to expect the King to take care of the kingdom things and for us humans to take take of our daily needs? Isn’t that what we do each day? We assume God will take care of the kingdom, and we just try to take care our own “house.”
It it truly amazing that God has entrusted his kingdom in the hands of his Church. According to human reason it is almost foolish that God would entrust his reign and rule into the hands of fallible humans. And maybe that is why we so easily dismiss our instruction to seek Kingdom things actively.  We find rest is the words “his kingdom comes without our prayers,” while forgetting that without them his kingdom may not “come among us also.”
It is also amazing that God himself would involved himself in the mundane tasks of putting food in our mouths and clothes on our backs.  Why should he be concerned with such daily needs? Why would he take on such lowly tasks?  Isn’t this false belief we grasp onto each time we tell ourselves that without out our constant attention our daily needs will not be taken care of?
Yes, both parts, that we would be asked to seek Kingdom things first and that God would concern himself with our daily needs seem odd to our reason. And yet, that is precisely where this verse leaves us.
So how does this life look lived out in the modern world. I am certain I cannot paint a complete picture here, but let me suggest a few things that I hope you will add to in the comments:
- First, we should speak of, pray about, and plan concerning Kingdom things. As spouses, as families, we must must make conscious efforts to seek the Kingdom of God.
- We must be in the places where God has promised that his Kingdom will be found. General spirituality or Christianity separated from church where God brings his kingdom in Word and Sacrament will not do.
- We must be serious about bringing the Kingdom of God to those who are not yet citizens of the kingdom. We must do this is word and deed in a way that unabashedly gives all glory to the King.
- We must spend less time thinking about providing for our own daily needs. This is scary and the world and likely many inside the visible church will call us foolish and unwise, but it gives God great opportunity to strengthen our faith in his provision. When we have all of our needs for today secured and our futures insured in so many ways, we end up only paying lip service to the fact that God will provide our daily needs. Only when we have daily need does our prayer about daily bread become meaningful.
Pr. Hoppe,
Great blog. I just found it through Pr. Brackmann’s link on FB. I enjoy your writing–especially the post about asking questions and useless knowledge. My bride accuses me of knowing lots of useless, albeit interesting, facts all the time.
Matt. 6: 33 was my confirmation verse. I remember spending evenings committing it to memory, thinking that I would have to recite it at my confirmation. I was relieved to learn that our pastor, not the nervous confirmands, spoke our confirmation verses at the service .
The benefit is that I committed to memory the valuable Word of God. For years I understood this verse to point me to do “religious” and “righteous” acts-things that I thought were part of “expanding” God’s kingdom and righteousness on earth. I chuckle now at the thought that I could “do” anything in that realm!
It was only within the last ten years that I realized much of what you have taught us here (along with Dr. Luther in his Small Catechism): that God’s kingdom comes to us in His gifts of Word and Sacrament. Likewise, this is where He imparts to us His righteousness. I know it sounds simple to a person who has been catechized well. But I wonder just how many people misunderstood this verse in the way that I did before–focusing on what we do to be righteous rather than what God gives us to make us righteous?
Thanks for the bit of catechesis, Good Pastor!
Pax Domini,
Andy Bates
Andy many thanks! Yes, we all grow, even us pastor types in our understanding. Thanks be to the Spirit. Hope you keep reading and writing. The Lord be with you.