Resource Detail

2025 Study of Matthew’s Gospel #4

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew 6:19-34

Key Verse 6:33

1. Why do you think Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures on earth (19)? Practically speaking, what might it look like to store up treasures in heaven (20)? How is our heart connected to what we treasure (21)?
2. What do you think Jesus wants us to learn through the illustration of healthy and unhealthy eyes (22-23)? Why do you think it’s impossible to serve two masters (24)? In practical terms, how can we commit ourselves to serving God alone in daily life?
3. What kinds of things do people commonly worry about (25)? How does Jesus use birds and flowers to illustrate God’s care and provision (26-30)? Why do you think Jesus describes worrying as useless (27)?
4. What kinds of questions usually reveal the worries in our hearts (31)? How do pagans typically attempt to meet their needs (32a)? Why do you think followers of Jesus can approach their needs differently (32b)?
5. What command and promise does Jesus give us (33)? What does it mean practically to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness? How could seeking God’s kingdom free us from worries about tomorrow (34)?

2025 Matthew’s Gospel May 4, 2025

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew 6:19-34

Key Verse 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I have an opening question: “How much of Jesus’ teaching do you think is about economics?” Scholars analyze that about 15-20% of Jesus’ teachings directly related to money, wealth, and possessions. That’s because financial issues deeply affect the hearts and lives of his disciples. For us living in the U.S., where materialism, consumerism, and capitalism dominate, it’s essential to have a sound and biblical view of economic life. Today’s message has two main topics: first, store up treasures in heaven; second, do not worry about your life.

First, Store up treasures in heaven.

Let’s read verses 19 and 20 together. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Through these verses, we can see that Jesus doesn’t forbid storing up treasures. In fact, he encourages us to store up treasures for ourselves. Jesus’ point is about where we store up treasures—it’s a matter of location. Jesus compares two places: one is on earth, and the other is in heaven. What’s the difference? Treasures on earth will be destroyed by moths and vermin. Moths and vermin are small insects that were known in ancient times for destroying fabric and food. And thieves will break in and steal treasures on earth. In other words, treasures on earth are not eternal. They will disappear. On the other hand, treasures in heaven are not destroyed by moths and vermin. And since there are no thieves, there’s no risk of being robbed. In other words, treasures in heaven will last forever.

Would you store up your treasure in a place where it will decay and disappear? Or would you store it in a place that is safe and eternal? About ten years ago, I visited Venezuela and exchanged U.S. dollars for Venezuelan currency, the Bolivar. When I came back to the U.S., I didn’t have time to exchange the remaining Bolivars back to dollars, so I just brought them with me. It was worth about 100 U.S. dollars at the time. Later, Venezuela experienced massive inflation. In 2018, there was an inflation rate of 130,060%. Can you believe that such a number is even possible? So the Bolivars that had been worth 100 U.S. dollars became worth just 7.7 cents. They became like trash. I still keep those pieces of paper. Do you think I was wise or foolish?

What if it had been 1 million dollars? That 1 million dollars would have become 768 dollars. Would you be willing to lose 1 million dollars like that? Of course not. So what should you do? You should exchange the money quickly and send it to the United States—then it would keep its 1 million dollar value. But is the United States safe? No, it’s not. America also has inflation. There could be a financial crisis. Then is buying a house with that 1 million a safe choice? No. After the 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse, the average home price in the U.S. dropped by 30%. And earlier this year, there was a wildfire in the Palisades area of L.A., and homes worth 7 million dollars were completely destroyed. Then should we invest in the stock market? After the Trump administration came into office, the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 11% in the first 100 days. Tesla stock dropped by 31.5%. Many Tesla shareholders are angry with Elon Musk. Then should we buy gold? Gold prices rose 23.5% this year. That’s a big gain. But at any time, a thief could break into your house and steal your gold. There is no safe place in this world.

So we must transfer our assets to the one place that is truly safe—heaven. There is no inflation. No financial crisis. No housing market crash. No stock market collapse. No thieves. The treasure we store up in the kingdom of heaven is eternally secure and never loses its value. Then how can we store up treasure in heaven? When we die, we can’t take any of our earthly possessions with us. We have to leave everything behind. But while we’re still alive, we can transfer our earthly treasure to heaven in advance. But how? Everything we sacrifice and dedicate for the Lord and for His gospel, God remembers and stores up as treasure in heaven for us. When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and when we love our neighbor as ourselves—every effort we make, every offering we give—Jesus remembers it and stores it as treasure in heaven. When we help those in need financially, God sees it and stores up treasure in heaven for us. And when we invest our entire lives in spreading the gospel and making disciples, God stores our labor as treasure in heaven. But if our lives are self-centered, there will be no reward from God. If we use all our wealth only for ourselves, we won’t be storing anything in heaven. We’ll just be foolish people storing treasure in a world that will soon disappear.

Look at verse 21. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The word “for” here is explaining why we should store up treasures in heaven. It’s because where our treasure is, our heart will be also. We are Jesus’ disciples. So where should our hearts be? On this earth or in heaven? Yes, our hearts and our hopes should be in heaven, because we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Even though we live here on earth as U.S. citizens or citizens of whatever country we belong to, this world is not our eternal home. It’s just a place we pass through for a little while. We are pilgrims on a journey to heaven. So our hearts should be in heaven. But how can we actually live with our hearts in heaven? The key is this: we store up our treasure in heaven. In other words, we live a life of sacrifice and commitment for the Lord and for His gospel. Some people say that if their hearts were in heaven, then they would dedicate their lives to God. But that’s a misunderstanding because the order is wrong. It’s when we sacrifice for the Lord and give offerings that our hearts start to be in heaven.

Is your heart in heaven right now? Or is it still here on earth? Not sure? Let me tell you how you can find the answer to this question. Take a look at your bank account history. Check your credit card statement. What did you spend the most money on last month? Did you spend a lot for God’s kingdom and for your neighbors? Or did most of it go to eating good food and buying nice clothes? Wherever your money is going, that’s where your heart is.

Where we store our treasure is closely connected to our values. Verse 22 says, “The eye is the lamp of the body.” Here, the “eye” means the way we see things—our values and perspective. If our eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light. But if our eyes are unhealthy, our whole body will be full of darkness. Unhealthy eyes here refer to “evil eyes” that are filled with worldly greed and jealousy. On the other hand, healthy eyes are “generous eyes” that love God and love others. People with unhealthy eyes live for pleasure, comfort, and selfishness in this world. So they are full of darkness. But people with healthy eyes live a life of sacrifice for the Lord and serve others. They are full of light.

Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (24) Some people say, “I will make a lot of money and serve God with that money.” If you are thinking this way, take a deep look into your heart. Could it be that you love God but also love money? Some of us want to serve both God and money. But our hearts and bodies are one, so we can’t serve both God and money at the same time. People love money so much that making lots of money has become the purpose of life. Money has become like a god—Mammon. People lie, cheat, and even kill others for money. That’s the reality of human life. We made money, but now money rules over us. So many people live as slaves to money. Since greed is never satisfied, they end up chasing money their whole lives.

​​In the early 1890s, John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world at the time, owned wealth that was equal to about 1.5% of the entire U.S. GDP. A journalist once asked Rockefeller, “Mr. Rockefeller, how much money is enough?” Do you know what his answer was? “Just a little bit more.” Isn’t that an incredible answer? This shows how endless human greed can be when someone becomes a slave to money. Aren’t we also living for “just a little bit more” like Rockefeller? That’s why money continues to have a hold on our hearts.

But Jesus’ disciples are not called to serve money. We are called to serve God and our Lord Jesus. We are not called to be slaves to money. We are called to be good stewards of God. Puritans who founded America considered stewardship extremely important. So what is stewardship? It means recognizing God’s ownership. It means acknowledging that everything we have—our house, car, clothes, and even our talents and our lives—belongs to God. And as stewards of God’s resources, we are to manage them faithfully, diligently, and honestly for God’s glory. Do you recognize that you are not the owner, but a steward of what you have?

Rockefeller began suffering in his fifties from sicknesses. He also struggled with stomach problems, insomnia, and extreme stress. His doctor even told him he might die. At that point, he began seriously reflecting on the wealth he had accumulated. He made a decision to live as a steward of God. He established the Rockefeller Foundation and began giving away his wealth to support education, healthcare, and missions.

The best way for us to live not as slaves to money but as faithful stewards of God is to give offerings to God. When we receive income, it’s so important to first give to God and then use the rest according to our needs. When we live this way, we’re not ruled by money—we rule over it. We don’t serve money—we serve God. And we can live on this earth as Jesus’ disciples with our hearts in the kingdom of heaven.

Second, Do not worry about your life.

Another key teaching Jesus gave us regarding our economic life is: “Do not worry about your life.” Verse 25 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Why do people worry about their lives? Is it because their basic needs—like food, drink, and clothing—aren’t being met? For some, yes. There are people who don’t have anything to eat, drink, or wear today. But worry doesn’t always come from a lack of resources. Go to Walmart and you’ll see shelves full of food and daily necessities, and crowds of people shopping. Many Americans find joy in spending the money they have earned from hard work. New Yorkers have a big advantage: clean drinking water. We don’t worry about the water they drink. And these days, we don’t worry about not having clothes to wear. In fact, many of us have closets overflowing with clothes we probably should get rid of. And at places like Goodwill, you can find decent clothes for cheap—or even free. So why do people worry about clothing? It’s not because they have nothing to wear—it’s because they can’t afford the trendy, expensive clothes they want. Probably the biggest worry New Yorkers have is housing. Rent in NYC is much higher than in most cities. Buying a home in the city is almost impossible for many people. And even after buying one, the monthly mortgage payments are extremely high. There’s also student loans, car loans, and home loans. Paying off all these debts means we have to keep working hard. And if we lose our job, we could quickly end up homeless or in serious debt. That’s why we live each day worrying about tomorrow.

But what does Jesus say to us? “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (26) Sowing, reaping, and storing in barns are work people do in order to have food. But birds don’t do any of that, and still, they have no problem surviving. When they’re hungry, they just fly around and find food. That doesn’t mean birds are eating hundred-dollar meals at fancy restaurants. If they find worms, they eat worms. If they find some grain, they eat grain. And when they eat a tasty worm in the morning, they’re satisfied. They also work. They fly around to search for food. It’s our heavenly Father who feeds them.

Jesus also speaks to those of us who worry about what we’ll wear: “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.” (28) The flowers of the field are so beautiful. A field full of white, yellow, and pink flowers is awesome. Jesus said, “Not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” (29) But those wildflowers are here today and tomorrow they’re thrown into the fire. They don’t last long. Even so, God clothes them with such beauty.

But who are we? Aren’t we God’s sons and daughters? Aren’t we Jesus’ disciples? Aren’t we far more valuable than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field? Then wouldn’t our heavenly Father give us food to eat and clothes to wear? Jesus tells us that the real reason we worry so much is because we don’t trust God—and He rebukes us, saying, “You of little faith!” We worry because we don’t really believe that God is alive and that He is taking care of us. It’s our lack of faith that leads to worry, and that worry brings so much pain into our lives.

But think about it—does worrying ever actually solve anything? Jesus asked, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Honestly, if worrying could help us live even a little longer, we might be more willing to worry. But the truth is the opposite. The more we worry, the more our health suffers, and our lives are actually shortened. When we fall into worry, we’re filled with negative thoughts. We struggle with anxiety, restlessness, irritation, anger, sadness, and even a sense of helplessness. We can have trouble sleeping, feel our hearts racing, and have difficulty breathing. Some people even develop stomach ulcers. Others suffer panic attacks that feel like they’re dying. Worry drains our life. It doesn’t help us at all. That’s why we don’t need to worry about tomorrow in advance. Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (34)

So then, what should Jesus’ disciples do instead of worrying? Let’s read verse 33: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The verb ‘seek’ here doesn’t mean a one-time action. It means ‘continue to seek.’ We are to keep seeking his kingdom and his righteousness, again and again. And the word ‘first’ means priority. We all have many things to do in this world, but above all else, we must make his kingdom and his righteousness our top priority and keep seeking them.

His kingdom means God’s reign. We must continue to seek for God’s reign to come into our personal lives, our families, our society, and this world. We should pray, “His kingdom come,” and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our neighbors so that God’s kingdom may expand. His righteousness means having a right relationship with God. It means obeying God’s word, repenting of our sins, and restoring our relationship with God through faith. It means living a life centered on God and His Son Jesus.

Then what is the promise that’s given to us? “All these things will be given to you as well.” God will meet all our needs. So we don’t need to worry about what we will eat, drink, or wear. Instead, we can simply live a life that continues to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. This is God’s promise. Do you believe this promise of God? This amazing promise will be fulfilled for you if you trust in God. Amen.