Matthew 6: 9-13 and 25-34
Is there a more famous passage in the Sermon on the Mount than the Lord's Prayer? In my second podcast on the most well-known verses within the Sermon on the Mount, I explore the Lord's Prayer, as well as the comforting passage that begins, "Do not worry about your life."
Let me give an overview of my latest "Himalayas of the New Testament" podcast. There are commonalities between these two famous passages in chapter 6.
Both remind us that God takes care of us.
Both insist on our proper response to hate evil, love good, and do the work of God's kingdom.
Both are very focused on today - not the past nor the future.
The Lord's Prayer is basically broken into two parts. In the first half, Jesus instructs his disciples to focus on God - His holiness, His kingdom, His will for each of us and for His earth. There is no clamor of supplication until the second half of the prayer. There, Jesus tells us to ask for our daily sustenance, for forgiveness, and for help in facing evil and temptation.
Similarly, Jesus' words in Matthew 6: 25-34, his landmark statement on the uselessness of worry, also span two sections. In the first, he reminds us that God takes care of our basic needs for food and clothing. Our worry and doubt wounds our faith; we are no better off than those who do not know God. In the second section, he focuses our view on seeking the kingdom of God and right living, while containing our worries to what is in front of us on this day.
Please join me in studying these two great sections of Matthew 6. You'll learn the richness of the Lord's Prayer opening, "Our Father..." You'll marvel at the stark reality of the two verses immediately after the Lord's Prayer, elaborating on forgiveness. You'll appreciate why I have often cited Matthew 6: 25-34 as my favorite scripture passage, as one who is prone to worry.
My podcasts are available on Apple, Spotify and Podbean.com. Please search for "Cecil Taylor Monthly Podcasts." Please sign up on your chosen format to get notified of each monthly addition.
The idea of God through Jesus Christ focusing on the present is a strong theme within my book and video study, “Live Like You’re Loved.” In the section on “Living Like You’re Eternal,” I talk about Jesus’ time zones: The Past, The Present, The Future, and Beyond Death. Ultimately, I conclude that Jesus isn’t interested much in the Past or the Future. He wants us to pivot from those time zones to focusing on the Present, and then to connect the Present to the Eternal.
Please visit CecilTaylorMinistries.com/live-like-you-re-loved to learn more and to view the first video lesson for free.
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