SEEK AND HIDE

Introduction

We all played the childhood game Hide and Seek. Tonight I want to talk to you about a very serious issue that we might call Seek and Hide. In a world of sorrow, hardship, trials and troubles, we can find a hiding place of peace; however, you can only find this place of tranquility if you know how to seek what is vital and critical.

Jesus spoke the words in our text tonight as part of His Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. He was dealing with worry and the desire for things in the sermon when He shared the words from Matthew 6:33. Basically, he shared the principle of faith in less than twenty words. Let’s look at this verse afresh this evening and ask just how much it can mean to anyone who takes it seriously in all its fullness.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

In the passage before us we discover a promise, a promise that involves the integrity of God Himself. Jesus has declared that a proper focus will result in the necessities of our lives being met - no question about it. He said it and that settles it!

Just before the verse we have read tonight, Jesus told all of us as His disciples not to worry. Now don't misunderstand this. Jesus didn't say that we are not to work. He did not tell us that we are not to plan. He didn't tell us that it is wrong to put forth effort both mentally and physically in order to provide for our families and our future. What He did say is that we are not to worry about His provisions for us, or as we used to say in North Carolina when I was a boy, we are not to 'fuss and fret' over the things of the world. When we put Him and His works first, God will see to it that what we need will be added to us in His and in His own way.

Actually, the way the world works is sometimes contradictory. Like the man who was about to make a trip by plane. He bought a $100,000.00 insurance policy from one of those machines at the airport. Then he noticed a scale nearby that promised to tell his fortune. He popped in a coin, stepped on the scale and out came his fortune card: "A recent investment is about to pay big dividends." Whoa! That is the last thing he wanted to read after buying the airline insurance policy.

This reminds me of the boy who asked his dad to imitate a frog. His dad was amused and asked, “Now, son, why do you want me to croak like a frog?” The boy replied, “I want you to imitate a frog because I overheard mom say that when you croak we will be rich!”

Actually, the world is looking for a quick way to get what they want. The desire for fame, pleasure and riches drives people to do extreme things and leads them away from God. The Lord desires that we look to Him and allow Him to make our lives what He wants them to be. When we do that, He promises to provide.

At a cemetery in one state there are said to be two gravestones with the following on them. On the woman's stone it reads:

"She died for want of things.”

On the husband's stone it reads,

“He died trying to give them to her."

Indeed, not knowing how to focus in life can be devastating and can lead to sickness, sorrow and an early death. God would have us enjoy life and grow in grace at the same time. He will open the windows on heaven upon us and grant us that which He knows is best for us.

So, note with me three truths found in this one verse from the lips of our Lord.

I. Salvation is Found in the Principle Jesus Expressed

What is it that people desire? Life! Joyful, lasting, and meaningful Life is the desire of sane people. Life, real life, can only be found in Christ alone, and knowing Jesus involves salvation.

How is one saved? By looking unto Jesus. A person must come to Him by faith, turning from sin and acknowledging that He is Lord.

You remember the Old Testament story from Numbers 21. The people had rebelled against the Lord and fiery serpents came into the camp. The serpents bit the people and they began to die, so those still alive ran to Moses and asked him to intercede before God for them. Moses prayed and God gave Moses instructions to place a brass serpent on a pole. He was to hold it up before the people and to say, “Look and you will live.” Those who looked by faith upon the serpent lived and those who refused through lack of faith died. In the New Testament, Jesus pointed out that the Old Testament story was a figure of His redemption.

Look at John 3:14-17 with me:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Indeed, looking to the Lord by faith, and trusting what He did when He was lifted up on the cross, brings redemption – eternal salvation. In fact, we might say that where one goes in the hereafter depends on what one does here – here at the cross where we must trust Christ. Look to Him and live!

Those who looked by faith at the serpent on the pole were cured and lived. Those who refused to trust God's provision by faith died that day. Listen, salvation is simple. We are sinners. Jesus came to provide a perfect life (righteousness) for us. He died on the cross in our place - taking our sins. When we look to Him, confess our sins and trust Him as Lord, He saves us from our sins and gives us His righteousness. He rose from the grave on the third day. He is alive. He will keep His promise to us regarding our salvation and since He can do that, He can also meet all the other needs we have as well. After giving us His Son, would God withhold other good things from us? Absolutely not!

Now, look at another certainty found in Matthew 6:33…

II. Expansion is Found in the Principle Jesus Expressed

Once we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we must follow Him. One cannot move forward as a believer without keeping his or her eyes on Jesus. He is the One we follow and you can’t follow what you can’t see!

In 2 Corinthians 3:18 we read, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

You see, as we keep looking to our Lord, we become more like Him. No Christian makes progress by simply coming to church or trying to do good deeds. People who are faithful in church often fall into many different kinds of sin. Some people in church lack love, and some even exhibit a mean spirit toward family, co-workers and fellow church members. In order to develop as a believer we must seek the kingdom of God – looking to Lord of the kingdom - Jesus.

Look at Ephesians 4:18-22, “But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Did you note one important part of this passage? Paul wrote that we “have been taught by Him.” He is speaking here of Jesus. Have we been taught “by Him”? This doesn’t say that we’ve been taught ABOUT Him, but rather it declares that we have been taught BY Him. For this to be a reality, wemust be close to Him, we must follow Him, and allow Him to speak to us each day. We can only make progress as we listen to and follow our Lord.

We are told in Matthew 6:32 that pagans run after the things of the world but as believer we must seek a nearness to and likeness of Christ. This is our greatest endeavor and our only way to make real progress in Christian living.

 When we think upon Him and concentrate upon Him, we become more like Him. We are not to spend our time worrying and fretting, but trusting and serving.

I read about one man who said to another, "Man, I got so many problems, I hope nothing else goes wrong today. If it does, it will be two weeks before I will have time to worry about it!" We never need to be like that as believers. Seek Him and He will lead you to have His peace in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. We can only make progress when we concentrate on Him! Our Lord does not want us to worry, He wants us to worship. Remember, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Now, think with me on the third part of this teaching by our Lord...

III. Satisfaction is Found in the Principle Jesus Expressed

Nothing can satisfy the heart of a believer but Jesus. That is why many Christians are frustrated. Having begun in Christ, they have turned back to the world’s way of seeking peace, joy and fulfillment. We are told by the Lord that true joy and gratification comes when we set our affections on things above, when we seek His kingdom and righteousness. Let’s define those terms.

The Kingdom of God is the government of God, or rule of God. The Righteousness of God is Christ ruling in our hearts.

So, the two are in essence similar and almost the same. I must seek His rule over my life, and that means that I must not act like a pagan or use the ideologies of the world for my guide. I am to seek His government – His rule over my life, thoughts, behavior, and ambitions. He has promised me that this will lead to receiving all the things that the world is scratching and scraping to get and will never actually find or be satisfied with!

The songwriter penned,

"I am satisfied,

I am satisfied,

I am satisfied with Jesus..."

You cannot be satisfied with Him if you are seeking everything else in this world to satisfy your soul. The songwriter went on to write,

"But the question comes to me,

As I think of Calvary,

Is the Master satisfied with me?" (Grace B. Maxwell, 1904)

Ah! There may be the problem - we are trying to satisfy our needs using the world's methods. One way to discover your place is God's plan is to ask, "Is the Savior satisfied with me?" If I can say "yes" to that question, I will have peace no matter the state of all the other affairs in my life.

Conclusion

Somewhere I saw a painting of a Christian farmer who had turned from his plow in the early morning sunlight to pray. The amazing thing about this painting was in the background. There one could see an angel going on with the plowing of the field as the farmer prayed. Ah, the ability to keep up the work God has given us, no matter how difficult, requires that we look to Him. He will send His angels to help us as surely as they were sent to aide with our Lord in His hours of hardship.

As we draw to a close of a Sunday evening, it will serve us well to turn again to the One who has called us to follow Him. No matter what you face in the coming week, He will not fail you. Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we will find the strength and joy to finish every task.

Yet, there may be one here in this service who has religion but you do not know the Redeemer. Seek and you will find. Open your heart to see the Lord and He will be right there, ready to save you and give you His peace. Look to Jesus just now, and find the joy and meaning of life this very night.