Illustrations: "Take NO
Thought" for Earthly Needs(Matthew 6:25-30)
The TRUE KINGDOM DISCIPLE understands that TRUE LIVING
is MORE THAN the satisfaction of EARTHLY NEEDS (Matthew 6:25) - it is SEEKING the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the DIVINE KING to be dispensed
in HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM (Matthew 6:33 cf.Jeremiah 23:5-6)
The FAITH of the FISHERMEN:
"He saith unto them, FOLLOW ME ... and THEY STRAIGHTWAY
LEFT THEIR NETS, and FOLLOWED HIM" (Matthew4:19-20)
The FAITH of the TAX COLLECTOR:
"He saw a man ... SITTING at the RECEIPT OF CUSTOM:
and He saith unto him, FOLLOW ME. And HE AROSE and FOLLOWED HIM" (Matthew 9:9)
The ILLUSTRATION of the "FOWLS of the AIR" -
"they SOW NOT, NEITHER do they REAP, NOR GATHER into barns, YET your HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDETH them" -
how MUCH MORE SO will He provide for HIS EARTHLY PEOPLE (Matthew 6:26)
Thus, Messiah's COUNSEL to "CONSIDER THE RAVENS"
(Luke 12:24)
As one CANNOT "BY TAKING THOUGHT ... ADD ONE CUBIT
TO HIS STATURE" (Matthew 6:27) - so the TRUE KINGDOM DISCIPLE CANNOT MIRACULOUSLY PROVIDE ONLY WHAT
GOD CAN:
Messiah's MIRACULOUS FEEDING of HIS FAITHFUL TRIBULATION
REMNANT (Revelation 12:6,14)
The ILLUSTRATION of the "LILIES of the FIELD"
- "they TOIL NOT" YET "they GROW" and "NEITHER do they SPIN" YET "Solomon in
all his glory was not ARRAYED like one of these" (Matthew 6:28-29) - so "shall He not MUCH MORE CLOTHE you, O ye of LITTLE FAITH"
(Matthew 6:30)
MESSIAH PROVIDES BOTH as He beckons His disciples to "CONSIDER
THE LILIES" (Luke 12:27)
As concerning this present GENTILE "DISPENSATION
of the GRACE of God" (Ephesians 3:1-2), Paul declared "I have LEARNED, in WHATSOEVER STATE I am, therewith
to BE CONTENT. I KNOW BOTH how to BE ABASED ... how to ABOUND ... BOTH to BE FULL and to BE HUNGRY, BOTH to ABOUND
and to SUFFER NEED, I CAN DO ALL ... THROUGH CHRIST" (Philippians 4:11-13)
GOD'S HEAVENLY PEOPLE (Ephesians 2:6) are PROMISED ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in HEAVENLY PLACES (Ephesians 1:3)
Reasons: "Take NO
Thought" for Earthly Needs(Matthew 6:31-34)
TRUE KINGDOM DISCIPLES, i.e. BELIEVING ISRAELITES, were
NOT to SEEK EARTHLY PROVISION (Matthew 6:31), BUT were to TRUST their HEAVENLY FATHER for their EARTHLY SUSTENANCE
(Matthew 6:32)
The FAITHFUL ISRAELITE'S DEPENDENCE ON GOD STANDS IN CONTRAST
TO the GENTILES who "IN TIME PAST" (Ephesians 2:11) were "ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, and STRANGERS from
the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE, and WITHOUT GOD in the world" (Ephesians 2:12)
MESSIAH'S FAITHFUL FORERUNNER when IN PRISON - SENT two
of his DISCIPLES to Jesus ASKING IF He was INDEED the PROMISED MESSIAH (Matthew 11:2-3) - Jesus' ANSWER to John's DISCIPLES was "SHOW John AGAIN those
THINGS which you do HEAR and SEE" (Matthew 11:4), i.e. MESSIAH'S EARTHLY SIGNS (Matthew 11:5 cf.Isaiah 35:5-6)
as CONFIRMATION of being INDEED the PROMISED MESSIAH (Matthew 11:6 cf.John 20:30-31)
The TRUE KINGDOM DISCIPLE was to SEEK FIRST the RIGHTEOUSNESS
of MESSIAH'S KINGDOM and THEN to RECEIVE the EARTHLY BLESSINGS of MESSIAH'S KINGDOM (Matthew 6:33 cf.Luke 12:31-32;Isaiah 2:3-4)