Day 32- Matthew 6-8

On Matthew 6, Henry writes,

Christ having, in the former chapter, armed his disciples against the corrupt doctrines and opinions of the scribes and Pharisees, especially in their expositions of the law (that was called their leaven, 16:12), comes in this chapter to warn them against their corrupt practices, against the two sins which, though in their doctrine they did not justify, yet in their conversation they were notoriously guilty of, and so as even to recommend them to their admirers: these were hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness, sins which, of all others, the professors of religion need most to guard against, as sins that most easily beset those who have escaped the grosser pollutions that are in the world through lust, and which are therefore highly dangerous. We are here cautioned

So, do not worry for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Explained by Henry, the rich and lustful worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow will give you enough time to worry about the evils of the day, worry about today's evils today.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

The gist of Henry's dialogue on this is that we spend a lot of time yearning after, caring for and wanting things that are not what God wants for us.  If we travel the path of holiness, keeping in mind that the end is with our Lord, then we must only seek the path to righteousness and God will see that we get what we need along the way.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Now, (1.) The general scope of this parable teaches us that the only way to make sure work for our souls and eternity is, to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus, these sayings of his in this sermon upon the mount, which is wholly practical; some of them seem hard sayings to flesh and blood, but they must be done; and thus we lay up in store a good foundation for the time to come (1 Tim. 6:19 ); a good bond, so some read it; a bond of God’s making, which secures salvation upon gospel-terms, that is a good bond; not one of our own devising, which brings salvation to our own fancies. They make sure the good part, who, like Mary, when they hear the word of Christ, sit at his feet in subjection to it: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. (2.) The particular parts of it teach us divers good lessons.[1.] That we have every one of us a house to build, and that house is our hope for heaven. It ought to be our chief and constant care, to make our calling and election sure, and so we make our salvation sure; to secure a title to heaven’s happiness, and then to get the comfortable evidence of it; to make it sure, and sure to ourselves, that when we fail, we shall be received into everlasting habitations. Many never mind this: it is the furthest thing from their thoughts; they are building for this world, as if they were to be here always, but take no care to build for another world. All who take upon them a profession of religion, profess to enquire, what they shall do to be saved; how they may get to heaven at last, and may have a well-grounded hope of it in the mean time.[2.] That there is a rock provided for us to build this house upon, and that rock is Christ.

Sounds like a good beginning and ending point for me....see ya tomorrow!