First Things First

Matthew chapter six, verse 33, but seek ye first. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Now let me say that his righteousness is the same righteousness being spoken of When the Lord says, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. This is the same righteousness, the righteousness of the saints. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Now, I've entitled this message, First Things First.

Now, by that title, I'm not talking about us getting our priorities in order. Christ is not first priority. Christ is all to every believer. He's not a priority. We need to put him first. I remember when I was a young man, there was a, preacher by the name of Jerry Falwell. Most of you have probably heard of him and he was endorsing these Jesus first pins. Jesus first. No, he's not. I know what he meant, put him first. No, that's not what we do. But still I want to try to deal with this idea of first things first. Now there's a lot involved in living. working, your job, your career, making a home, parenting your children, providing for the needs of your family, the needs of this life. There's a lot going on, isn't there, with all of us.

And yet he says, seek ye first the kingdom of God. And all these things will be added to you. You don't need to worry about them. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Now most people, anybody that believes in God would say, well, God ought to come first. The things of God ought to come first. Anybody that's not an atheist would make that statement.

But I don't believe anyone is really seeking first the kingdom of God, that's not also seeking His righteousness. Now, if you're not seeking His righteousness, you're not seeking the kingdom of God. It might be something religious. but it's not the true seeking of the kingdom of God. If you're seeking the kingdom of God, this is uppermost in your mind, in your heart, in your thoughts.

Oh, that I may win Christ and be found in Him. Not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faithfulness of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith, that's the same righteousness, as I said, the Lord spoke of in Matthew chapter five, verse 20, when he said, except your righteousness exceed, surpass the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, if somebody is not seeking his righteousness, if I'm not seeking his righteousness, My religion is insincere. It's phony. It's not real.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Now the word first can mean first in time, first in sequence of events, first in order, first in place, or rank, it's sometimes translated chief and best. Christ is first in everything. He said, I'm the first and the last. I'm the alpha and I'm the omega. I'm the beginning and I am the end. I love the scripture in Colossians chapter one where it says, he is before all things.

Whatever it is, he's before it. I don't care if you're talking about creation, he's before that. He's the eternal son of God. He is before all things and by him all things consist. And all who know him gladly acknowledge Joyfully acknowledged. They're glad it's this way. Christ is all. That's what seeking the kingdom of God first and His righteousness is. Christ is all.

I think it's interesting the first time it's used in the New Testament is found in Matthew chapter five. Verse 23. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to your brother. Does that mean we got to first be reconciled to our brother? I reckon it does. First be reconciled to your brother and then offer thy gift. First in order, turn with me for a moment to Hebrews chapter seven.

Hebrews chapter seven, this is speaking of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, I have no doubt He is the Lord Jesus Christ by the description given of him. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a 10th part of all. First, by interpretation, king of righteousness. After that, also king of Salem. which is king of peace.

Verse three tells that he is the son of God without father, without mother, without descent, without pedigree, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the son of God. Somebody says, well, it says he's made like the son of God, but he's not the son of God.

That's not what it says. Now, wait a minute. Do you remember when Nebuchadnezzar looked in the fire and said, I see one like unto the son of God. Does that mean he wasn't the Son of God? Of course not. What about when John said, I saw one likened to the Son of God. Was he saying he wasn't really the Son of God, he was just like him? Of course not. This is God the Son. But notice his name, and this is so important. First, King of Righteousness. After that, King of Peace.

You see, there can be no peace unless there is first absolute Perfect righteousness, a righteousness that stands before God's holy law and God's holy law looks you over and says, perfect. Now, if there's not first righteousness, that's got to come first. There will be no true peace. A peace that is not founded on perfect righteousness is a false peace.

I think of that crowd here at the end of Matthew chapter seven. Lord, Lord. The repetition of his name means you know us. You know us. Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name? In your name have we not cast out demons? Many powerful works. In your name, we've done many wonderful works. Now they were depending upon what they did. And they heard when it was too late, depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you.

First righteousness. And the only righteousness that God will accept is the righteousness and merits of Jesus Christ. First righteousness. If I'm brought into heaven, it's because I have his righteousness as my personal righteousness. First righteousness. After that, peace. Now if the righteousness of Jesus Christ is my righteousness before God, guess what? I have peace. I'm not looking to myself for a thing. I'm looking wholly to Him for everything.

First means first in importance. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, I declare unto you, first of all, this is what is most important. And that's what first means, first in importance. I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and was buried and was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures, first of all. Now, here's what's most important.

Christ died for our sins. I didn't quote her, did I? As a matter of fact, you can say Christ died for our sins and never come close to preaching the gospel. That's a half-truth. A half-truth is a whole lie, if that's all I got to say. It's how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, the Old Testament scriptures. That's of first importance. Well, how did he die? according to the scriptures. Well, the first thing that always comes to my mind is the Passover. I love that passage of scripture when God passes through the land and says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Everybody that Jesus Christ died for, that he shed his blood for, they're saved. And God was looking for one thing.

He didn't say, when I see your works. He didn't say, when I see your sincerity. He didn't say, when I see your doctrinal understanding. He said, when I see the blood, that's all he was looking for. Now that is how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scripture. He didn't say, when you see the blood. He said, when I see the blood. That's precious to me. God says to me, When I see the blood of my Son, I will pass over you in mercy. Now, somebody says, well, I believe the historical accuracy of those events, Christ died, was buried and rose again. That's not faith. It's how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

I love the way first is translated, chief and even best. Don't you love when the father said to the returning prodigal, bring forth the best robe, the chief robe, the first robe, the only robe of honor and put it on him. He that would be chief, let him be servant of all. If any man desire to be first, the same shall be Last, now when we're talking about first things first, I've been trying to give you ways the word is used and what it means, but we gotta begin right here. Knowing, this is 1 Peter chapter one, verse 20.

Knowing this first, that no scripture is of any private interpretation. The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now this comes before anything else, the scriptures. I must believe what the Bible says about itself. The proposition it makes about itself, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable. All scripture, it's God breathed.

And we're not looking to confessions or men's documents or men's thoughts. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it's because there is no light in them. This is where we must begin, and if we don't begin here, all we're doing is following man's opinion. That's a bad place to be, isn't it? We begin with the scriptures being the word of God. Now listen to this scripture. I never had really thought of it like this. When the Lord said, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, it's first of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

All works salvation is hypocrisy and nothing more. Acting and nothing more. It makes God small, it makes man big, and I think the ridiculousness The ludicrousness of it, the hypocrisy of it, is seen chiefly with that man with a two-by-four sticking out of his eye, with the plank in his eye, and saying to his brother, let me help you with the little moat in your own eye. I love what the Lord said. Hypocrite.

Cast first the plank out of your own eye. then you'll be able to help your brother. And I have no doubt that we spend all of our lives with planks. We're always dealing with. Somebody says, do you ever get to where you don't have any planks or you're able to help your brother out?

Well, somebody says, I have, congratulations. I'm happy for you, but I can't relate. And the Lord said to that man, hypocrite. When the Lord was speaking of the end times, he said, the gospel must first be preached unto all nations. I don't have scripture reference there. I wish I did. Somehow I forgot it. But that's a direct quote. I think it's found in Matthew 24. But the gospel must first be preached. unto all nations. Before these things of the end will come, the gospel must first be preached unto all nations.

Now, I fear a laissez-faire attitude about the preaching of the gospel. Laissez-faire means just letting things take their course without interfering. It'll happen without my contribution, without my help. Yes, it will. But don't you want to have a part in this thing? that the gospel is preached unto all nations, to every creature, and you want to have your part in the spread of the gospel. The gospel must first be preached unto all nations. And I hope my attitude is, Lord, here am I. Send me. In whatever way you see fit, here am I. Send me for the spread of the gospel.

Now, when Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, he began in those first seven verses with one of the clearest definitions of the gospel. I love it. Romans 1, 1 through 7. You'd do well this week to look at it and see Paul's great definition of the gospel.

And then he said in verse 8, after he gave that definition of the gospel, First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now here's what always comes first. Not last, not tacking it on at the end after something has already taken place. This is what comes first.

Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2.13, but we're bound. We're obligated. This is what comes first, to thank God always for you. Brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Now, I'm thankful you're here. I love you being here. I love being here. I'm not gonna thank you for being here. I'm gonna thank God for you being here.

I'm gonna thank God for the hope you have in Christ. We're bound to thank God. And that's why we have the blessed commandment of 1 Thessalonians 5 18, in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Why do I give thanks? It's the will of God. The perfect, acceptable will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me, so everything that comes my way.

I don't mean to be, I don't know how I wanna say this, but here's the way I ought to. You got cancer, thank God. Thank God. Now I realize any kind of physical infirmity is going to trouble us. I want to have health. I want to feel good. I love feeling good.

I'm not talking about an indifferent attitude, but if the Lord does this, whatever he sends our way, give thanks. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. You know, what this is, giving thanks first, is a joyful acknowledgement of our God's absolute sovereignty. That's what this means. We are joyfully acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty in all things, whatever he does is best. And we believe that, we trust his character. We begin with thank God. And then in James, go ahead and turn there. I'll ask you to look at some of these with me. Turn to James chapter three. I love this verse of scripture.

He begins by saying in verse 13, who is a wise man among you and a dude with knowledge among you? Well, let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. You know, wisdom's always meek. Somebody's not meek. There's no true wisdom there. With meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there's confusion in every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above I want to have some of that, don't you? I want to know that Christ is the wisdom that's from above. His gospel is the wisdom that's from above. He is the only wise God, our Savior. The wisdom that's from above is first, pure.

Unmixed. Unadulterated. Undiluted. The wisdom that's from above is first pure. If it's diluted, if it's mixed, it's not the wisdom that's from above. It's first pure. If we don't have that to begin with, we can forget anything else. But then after that, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, approachable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, showing favoritism, and without hypocrisy. And the wisdom that's from above is first pure. That comes first.

First things first. After that, it's peaceable. The wisdom from above is peaceable. It's gentle. It doesn't hold people's feet to the fire. It's easy to be entreated, approachable, full of mercy and good fruits, the fruit of the Holy Spirit without partiality and without hypocrisy and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

I turn to 1 Timothy 1. Verse 15, and I've said this before, I'm saying it again, if this is not my favorite scripture, it ought to be. This is a faithful saying. I love the way it's called a saying. You know, it reached the status of a saying in the early church. You know the saying. You've heard that before. This glorious statement had reached the status of a saying in the early church.

Something often said, this is a faithful saying and it's worthy of all acceptation. Everybody in this room and outside of this room ought to consider this the greatest thing they've ever heard. It's worthy of all reception and acceptation that Christ Jesus, God's prophet, God's priest, God's king, Jesus, the savior, thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

He came into the world to save sinners. That's why he came. to save sinners. And I'm so happy. There's no adjective before sinners. It doesn't say repentant sinners or believing sinners. Or I think the most ridiculous description of sinners that you read in old works is sensible sinners. Sinners are stupid. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Are you in that demographic? Would that describe you? Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and look at this next statement, and this is so amazing, of whom I am the chief, the first. He doesn't say I used to be this way before God saved me, He said this in the present tense, of whom I am the chief. Paul is saying, I am the most sinful man to ever live. And he was saying that under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, believing every word he said. This wasn't trying to act humble. This is what he really believed about himself. I think it's so interesting. In the first epistle he wrote, he said, I'm the least of the apostles. I'm not meek to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. Peter and John and James, those guys, I'm not in the same league with them.

And then toward the middle of his life, he said to the Ephesians, I am less than the least of all the saints. And when he said that, he believed it, I. The man God used more than anybody else to expound the gospel. The man who was taken up into the third heavens and taught directly by Jesus Christ himself. The one, the last one Christ appeared to in the flesh.

Paul, I am less than the least of all the saints. I hope I believe that about myself. If I don't, I'm deceived. I'm sure of that. But toward the end of his life, we read this statement. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief, the first. Now that's how Paul felt about himself. Now Paul was not out robbing banks or visiting brothels.

I know this. The more I know of the Lord, the more I know him, the lower my view will be of myself. And if I have a high view of myself, I've got a very low view of him. And there wasn't anybody who knew the Lord better than the Apostle Paul. Wouldn't you agree with that? Oh, He knew the Lord. And what did that knowledge cause him to say about himself?

I am the chief of sinners. And I hope that is what every one of us really believe about ourselves. You know, nobody knows me like me. I know what goes on in my heart and I know And I believe this. I am the chief of sinners. And what's so sad, I believe that. And if you say, well, I agree you are, you're just as bad. You know, I mean, I'll have some kind of ridiculous reaction like that, but still I know deep down in my heart.

And every believer here feels this way, without exception. and the chief of sinners. I've sinned against more light, against more grace, against more love. I am the chief of sinners. I love what the Lord said to the men who brought that woman who was taken in adultery.

They caught her in the very act. I guess they were spying on her. Didn't bring the man, I always think that's interesting. Man's not even mentioned. They bring this woman, and I'm sure she was humiliated as she took him and threw her before the Lord Jesus Christ. They said this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. There's no doubt about her guilt. Now Moses, in the law, said that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. And they thought, we've got him in a pickle. If he says stoner, we'll say, where's your respect? Or where's your mercy that you talk about having? You talk about being merciful and forgiving, and you're saying stoner? You're talking about both sides of your mouth. And if you say, Let her go, we'll say, well, where's your respect for God's holy law? God's holy law said she should be stoned and you're gonna let her go?

And the Lord stooped down and started riding in the ground. And then he got back up and he looked at those fellows and he said, he that's without sin among you, let him first cast the stone at her. Pat her up. Come on. You're without sin. You first cast the stone at her.

And they all being convicted by their own conscience, as the scripture said, if they were being convicted by the Holy Spirit, they would have came to Christ. But they all being convicted by their own conscience departed from him. First Timothy chapter five.

Rebuke not an elder, verse one, but entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren, the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters with all purity, Honor widows that are widows indeed. And he went on to give a, if they're under 60, the church should not be responsible for them. He said that in this passage of scripture. He says, honor them, the widows that are widows indeed, but if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to, first, let them learn first to show piety, devotion to God at home and to requite their parents for this is good and acceptable before God.

I love that statement, let them first learn to show piety at home. The people you live with, are the people who know you. When they say, I see piety, true devotion to God in that person. Let them first, this comes first, charity begins at home. Let them first show piety at home. First John chapter four, This is the next to the last one I wanna look at. Verse 19.

We love Him, and we do, don't we? We do. We love Him because He first loved us. That's why we love Him. Now we love Him. I think of what Paul said, if any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha, let him be accursed upon the return of the Lord. That's how serious this thing is. Grace be all with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And we do love Him, whom having not seen, You love, though now you seem not yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. We love Him. We love His salvation. We love His way of saving by His grace. We love being saved by His righteousness. We love His personal righteousness as our righteousness before God. We love His character. We love His attributes.

I mean, when you see the way He treated that woman, taken in adultery, don't you just love him for it? Seeing his kindness to her, and don't you love him the way he handled the Pharisees? Every aspect of his character, we love his attributes, we love, aren't you glad he's sovereign? Don't you love his sovereignty? Don't you love his absolute justice? Don't you love his mercy? Don't you love his immutability, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever?

We love him. and we trace our love to this. Here's the only reason we love Him and we understand this. We're ashamed of the fact that we would not love Him had not this been true. We love Him because He first loved us. We know that. Let me tell you something that's very true. there will be nobody in hell that Jesus Christ loves. There will be nobody in hell that loves Jesus Christ. We love him. We love everything about him. We wouldn't change him if it were in our power. We love him. That's true of every believer. And we know we love him because he first loved us.

I repeat, grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And do you know who he said that to? The Ephesians. That's the way that epistle is closed. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Now turn with me to Revelation chapter three. This will be, or Revelation chapter two. This will be the last one. Remember what Paul said to the church at Ephesus. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Now, was there something Paul saw that made him write that in this church? Because I bet you know where I'm going. Ephesians, or I mean Revelation chapter 2, unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus, write these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

I know thy works. That's the way he began every one of these seven letters. I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil has tried them which say they're apostles and are not, and has found them liars. And you've borne and had patience, and for my name's sake you've labored, and hast not fainted. Now that's quite a resume, isn't it? Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, somewhat is in italics, I have against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

What is my first love? I know what it is. When I first believed. I can't tell you exactly the date of that. But when I first How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed. And when you first believed, you were amazed at the gospel. You were amazed. It always came as good news. It always came fresh and powerful. And you were amazed. You would sing, I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.

Now when does someone leave their first love? I know exactly when that is. When you stop being poor and needy. That's it. When you stop being poor and needy. David, the man after God's own heart, gave this description of himself 11 times in the Psalms. I'm poor. I don't have anything to bring to the table. And I'm needy. I have great need, need of mercy, need of grace, need of his favor, need of the forgiveness of sins, need of his spirit, needy. In the last church that he wrote to, he, well, this was right there, it turned to Revelation 3.

Verse 14, and unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things saith the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. You know what it is to be cold? Your heart is cold. You think, how can I be this hard hearted and cold and unmoved by the things of God? Even in hearing the gospel, I'm unmoved. It's a miserable feeling. Cold hearted.

And then there's being hot. hearing the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit, rejoicing in what you're hearing, rejoicing in the gospel. But he says to the church at Laodicea, you're neither one. You're not cold, you're not hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest, I'm rich, increase with goods, and have need of nothing. I'm okay, I'm all right, I'm good. Need of nothing. And you don't know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

Now, I want to stay, by the grace of God, in all the pride and arrogance that's in me and all the... I'd like to stay poor and needy, wouldn't you? What language can I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend, for this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end? Oh, make me thine forever, and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to thee.

Amen. Let's pray. How we thank you for him who is first and last, Alpha, Omega, beginning and end. Lord, we ask that by your grace, by your almighty, invincible grace, You would cause each one of us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And Lord, we know that all these things that we need shall be added unto us. Bless this message for Christ's sake. In His name we pray, amen.

First Things First

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