Why Matthew 6:33 is Such an Important Bible Verse
A very great problem today is that much of what we hear is too good to be true. We are bombarded with advertising, promises of politicians . . . so that it is easy to become cynical and believe little of what we hear (which is generally smart and a good thing).
From a Christian perspective, however, this makes the believing (and telling others) the Good News a much greater challenge – the many great promises of Jesus are far beyond and bolder than even those of the most obviously exaggerated advertising or political claims, requiring we are both clear in initially understanding them and subsequently as a (maybe the only) means of grasping, testing and relying on them.
As an early and very important example, in Matthew 6:33 Jesus promises to GIVE us everything we physically need to exist (our food, clothes . . .). This is not a hypothetical or theoretical (or even when we get to heaven) promise – it is a promise for here and now that we either take or refuse. It is a promise given because we can only be His servant and fulfill His desires for us by doing so – this is not promised and given to help those incapable of "earning a living," rather it is necessary for anyone to look to Him as their Master (for a base responsibility of any Master is in supplying his subjects their basic physical needs).
But who can believe this? It is seemingly too good to be true . . . We are not used to religion being presented as doing anything tangible for us now – it is usually taught as what we have to do and sacrifice to please God. Don't all religions promise us pie in the sky (too good to be true!) for great sacrifices now? Yes, they do because they, not being true, can't do anything here and now (or later).
So, this is where TRUE Christianity differs from false religions - Jesus makes many bold promises for here and now and our acceptance or rejection of these promises defines our faith. Jesus was clear in warning those who wanted to believe in Him for heaven while not believing Him for here and now:
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
And this warning still stands for the theoretical, hypothetical, ethereal . . . "Christian" today. Jesus set the rules that the faith God accepts is in looking to Him NOW as our ONLY HELP and HOPE – since it should be obvious to anyone that there is NO alternative. Depend on ourselves? Try that when you are in the funeral home in a casket – and that is where we are headed.
So, yes, early on Jesus makes a clear, bold and testable promise that ". . . ALL these things will be GIVEN . . ." We take it (becoming a His servants, doing His will . . .) or reject it and obtain our daily bread in one of the rejecting-Christ manners.
Oh, and the really really Good News? If/when we start believing and trying this promise we are going to do it very poorly – we will find ourselves slipping away from it, forgetting it, working like the devil . . . but as we return to it again and again, developing the discipline of seeking first, we will, by God's Grace, make progress – grow in His grace and knowledge (the only way we can hope to see or begin to do this seemingly too good to be true promise) so that after a few years (while we are still not great at it) we will naturally consider it more and more and return to it more quickly when we find ourselves foolishly depending on ourselves again!
One of the stupidest promises anyone can make (but politicians do it all the time) is that they will give others "all things" – but Jesus does this as the ONLY One who can and does deliver on the promise. In the end, then, fault will not be found with the promise (its lack of clarity, that it was hidden . . .), but with those who would not BEGIN to consider, try, find a little of its truth, try it more, find greater and greater provision, try it in times of trial and find it works . . . until it becomes a habit and leads them to believing other promises . . . Jesus makes many great, tangible, bold promises only applicable and of value now.
It is probably not being unfair to give a Bible figure a name and assume he is the same person in three different Bible stories – let’s call him Sam and let’s look at him twice in life (once early in his religious life and again later) and then in death:
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first (Jim) and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“‘I will not,’ Jim answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to Sam and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.”
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
Years later we see Sam again – still religious and proud he is better than his brother Jim who Sam considers beneath him because Sam knows (in his head) more of the Bible – Sam:
“. . . went up to the temple to pray, he stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
And, finally, we find Sam before God for judgement:
“God sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
“Jim came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
“‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities’ . . .
“Then Sam came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man [he did not know what grace really was]. You take out [Remember, I tithe!] what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow [I worked hard for my money!].’
“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
“Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take Sam’s mina away from him and give it to Jim who has ten minas.’”
Sam’s religion focused on his pride for what he would do (‘I will, sir”) and later was doing (“I fast . . . I give a tenth”) for God – did he need God to supply his daily bread? Are you kidding? He was able to earn a good living and GIVE God 10% of everything he earned!
Yet, Sam after death was having to answer to God as to why he didn't seek God first (above making a living and doing the other things "necessary" to get by). His excuse? He told God that God took out (required his tithe) without giving him anything – in other words, he failed to believe and accept Jesus' great promise of "all things" so that he could seek first, above all else, to be God's servant and, in the process, praise Him as faithful and God, his Master, giving him "ALL things at ALL times, having ALL that he needed, abounding in EVERY good work which God prepared in advance for him to do.”
We take our choice, our path, and, in the process, choose our God, but none of us can serve two Masters – if we follow the inspiring way Joshua showed us we will likewise wisely say as he did:
“. . . as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD!”
Everyone on the face of the earth (except those who are born or die today) have the same exact 24 hours. Maybe the biggest reason (excuse?) people will give for not "seeking" God is because they don't have time. In one sentence Jesus obliterates this excuse. So the single issue becomes: will we believe Him or not – a belief evidenced by what we do or don't do with this great promise.
Matthew 6:33 is like Jesus saying: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’ But I say to you, as your ONLY means of doing this, seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
These are a few of the reasons why I consider Matthew 6:33 to be so important and pivotal.