(Sermon preached on Sunday, October 8, 2017, at Maranatha Church, Cambridge)
Read through Matthew 6:1-34.
What is the most important goal or purpose of your life? What are you living for or pursuing? Is your life, the way you are presently living it, a God-glorifying life? These are tough questions that cut to the very heart of what it means to be human. If you were to explain your life to Jesus, could you make a good case to Him that you were seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first???
Every part of this chapter addresses who or what we are putting first. Are we actually seeking or serving God when we pray, give or fast, or is it just a religious performance? Are we serving God or money? Are we worrying about our food and clothing, or trusting God for all these things while we seek His kingdom and righteousness first.
In this message I am suggesting that a God-glorifying life is a life that is lived in fellowship WITH God (as our Father), LIKE God (according to His righteous will), and FOR God (for His kingdom purpose). God’s Name is honoured – He is made to look good in the world – when we pursue this kind of life. I also stress that you do not need to become ‘religious’ in order to honour God this way. Anyone and everyone, young and old, whatever occupation, can live SDG (soli gloria dei), to the glory of God. This ought to be the goal or destination we are aiming for. We were designed to live this way (WITH, LIKE and FOR God), and we can only be truly happy when we live like this.
Sadly, we do not live this way… yet. But by grace, God has provided a way for us to aim for this goal, with His help. I will speak more about this in future sermons. But the question for today is, ‘do I WANT to live this way?’ Is it your hearts desire to live the way God made you to live?
What are your thoughts?