2006-02-12 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church
Matthew 6:33-34
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
The Kingdom of God: In Luke chapter 17, the Pharisees demanded that Jesus tell them when the kingdom of God should come, and this was His answer:
Luke 17:20-21
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
I can understand that God provides for the needs of those who are seeking to do His will, but how do we “seek first” a Kingdom that can’t be seen, a Kingdom that Jesus says is inside of us?
During the opening ceremony of the first temple, King Solomon had just finished the dedication prayer when fire came down from heaven, consuming the offerings and sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled it (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
They wanted to go in, they sought to go in, but they couldn’t. This is why we live in such an exciting time. Before the gift of the Holy Spirit, the glory of the LORD prevented the priests from entering His house. Even when the high priest would sanctify himself and make offerings for himself, it was a dicey thing for him to enter into the presence of the LORD. If any un-atoned for sin remained, he could not survive in the glory of the LORD, but after the day of Pentecost, the glory of the LORD was given to abide in men, not in houses.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Our High Priest “needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:27) Jesus laid down His life that the Kingdom of God might be in us, that we might have unstoppable joy, that we might experience the peace that passes all our understanding, that we might receive the purifying flame of His righteousness, and know that we have life that never ends. He bore those stripes in His flesh, He endured the reproaches of sinful men, and He received the piercings of death, all for you, and for me, that we might open our eyes to see the vanity of life without Him, and that we might place Him first in our hearts, every minute of every day.
If we say we have love, but we’re not studying in His Word, continuing in prayer, and living in obedience to Him, then we don’t really have love, and we’re seeking first something other than His Kingdom. If I’m not willing to lay down my life for you, then I’m seeking my own kingdom first, and the love of Jesus is not in me. Hard words, I know, but take a quick look around you. Is there anyone here not worth dying for? Jesus didn’t think so.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
As we partake of communion at His table, we recognize His sacrifice, that He is our Passover. The Scriptures tell us that we must examine ourselves at this table. Did Jesus die in vain for me? How does His love show in my life? Which do I have sitting at the head of the table; Jesus or the cares of this world?