PREPARING FOR THE SERMON
October 6, 2024
Matthew 6:25-7:12
Context:
The current pericope ties together two seemingly disparate topics. Both topics begin with an admonition to avoid a certain behavior (anxiety, judging). Near the end of the first section the audience is instructed to seek God’s kingdom. Near the end of the second section, the payoff to seeking first the kingdom is seen in how people treat one another. When seeking the kingdom occurs, it frees people to be able to treat others with love, grace, and kindness.
The passage is in the middle of the sermon on the mount. Jesus has already discussed where we place value is the master we follow. Here, he builds on that by showing the dispositions that attend to following God. He is leading the audience toward making a choice that would be evidenced both by their fruit and by God’s sustaining. Anxiety, judgment, and provision help orient the audience to connect actions, beliefs, and consequences.
Structure:
6:25-34 “Do not worry” v 30
7:1-6 “Do not judge” v 1
7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
7:12 treat people the same way you want them to treat you
Key Ideas: provision, priorities, judging, actions
Some things to think about: