Life's Greatest Priority
Are you living in a way that’s pleasing to God? In this message, you’ll learn about the number one priority in life, plus seven marks of a living sacrifice.
Jesus uses two words to get our attention: “seek first”. When Jesus was asked about the number one priority in life, he said “seek first”. It was a crystal clear message. The success of our spiritual lives depends on how well we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
About the Speaker
Pastor Rinaldo (Ron) Macciola served in ministry since 1976. He was an Associate Pastor at Harbor Light Church in Fremont, CA, retiring in 2022 after 31 years of service. Since 1990, he has served as a Chaplain at Fremont Hospital in Fremont, CA. Ron and his wife Robin have five married sons and enjoy spending time with their 10 grandkids.
Seek First
Live in a Way That is Pleasing to God, A Living Sacrifice
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NIV).
There are two aspects of this verse that are vital for priority:
Seek first.
And all these things will be added to you.
Did you think you could control your life? It doesn’t work that way does it? But God is in control. We have to learn to live to seek God first daily. We are to consistently seek God. Do not worry, God knows all the things you need.
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:31-32).
“All these things” represents food, drink, and clothing. God provides for all your needs. God promises to meet for all our needs just like he provides for the birds of the air. Have you ever seen a bird with a sign that says, “will work for worms?” God provides. Jesus values you greatly and he will provide for all your needs; not your wants (see Matthew 6:26-30). We can’t receive more from God unless we trust him to meet our basic physical and spiritual needs. Jesus said to seek the Lord first. Jesus will lead us by our hearts.
Sometimes God will use a trauma to get our attention. In an excerpt from a Family Circle magazine article (Nov 1, 2001), author Stephen King discusses how a major event in 1999 got his attention:
“A couple of years ago I found out what “you can’t take it with you” means. I found out while I was lying in a ditch at the side of a country road, covered with mud and blood and with the tibia of my right leg poking out the side of my jeans like a branch of a tree taken down in a thunderstorm. I had a MasterCard in my wallet, but when you’re lying in a ditch with broken glass in your hair, no one accepts MasterCard.
We all know that life is ephemeral, but on that particular day and in the months that followed, I got a painful but extremely valuable look at life’s simple backstage truths. We come in naked and broke. We may be dressed when we go out, but we’re just as broke. Warren Buffet? Going to go out broke. Bill Gates? Going out broke. Tom Hanks? Going out broke. Steve King? Broke. Not a crying dime.
All the money you earn, all the stocks you buy, all the mutual funds you trade—all of that is mostly smoke and mirrors. It’s still going to be a quarter-past getting late whether you tell the time on a Timex or a Rolex. No matter how large your bank account, no matter how many credit cards you have, sooner or later things will begin to go wrong with the only three things you have that you can really call your own: your body, your spirit and your mind.
So I want you to consider making your life one long gift to others. And why not? All you have is on loan, anyway. All that lasts is what you pass on.”
Before you die, write your testimony; how God spared you; what he did for you. Give it away now. Why does it take a critical car crash to get our attention? We must get our priorities straight before we end up in a ditch. So what is it that truly matters? Stephen King rearranged his life and found to make his life one long gift to others.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
We must offer our greatest thoughts, energy, and actions as acts of worship. Whatever you have left, do it heartily as unto the Lord. If we come before God with impure motives we offer our lives as a tainted lamb. We must offer ourselves completely.
Paul’s words reminds us how sacrifice can be pleasing to God:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without thinking. There’s a pull from the world that we need to resist. God calls us as Christian’s to be transformed; to demonstrate radically different priorities. Christian’s satisfy themselves with the Lord.
7 Marks of a Living Sacrifice
Paul provided seven marks of a living sacrifice in Romans 12:9-21.
1. Love. “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:9-10). Let love be sincere. Paul describes love with four distinctive things: love must be authentic (without hypocrisy), discerning (hate what is evil), affectionate (be devoted to one another), honoring (give preference to one another in honor).
2. Enthusiasm. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11). Fervent in spirit. Fervent like bubbling or boiling water fighting to get out of the pot. We should approach all our endeavors with enthusiasm. Your enthusiasm may wane with time. Hold onto the cross. Without enthusiasm our lives will languish.
3. Patience. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Rejoicing in hope. In tribulation, persevering. In prayer, constant. In every need we can persevere in prayer. Remember Jesus said that we’ll have tribulation. He said, I have overcome the world—not the tribulation (John 16:13). You gotta work through the tribulation. It will all seem small when we see Jesus.
4. Generosity. “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need” (Romans 12:13a). Sacrificial living involves giving to those in need. How’s your giving? Keep giving. Remember the Lord knows our physical limitations. Don’t worry about what you can’t do; do what you can do.
5. Hospitality. “Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13b). Our relationship with Christ should be characterized by open hearts, open hands, and open doors. Offer kindness to strangers. You can do this through organizations that already exist.
6. Sympathy. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). Rejoice and weep with others. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable to weep with others but that’s OK.
7. Humility. “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited” (Romans 12:16b). Practice being kind. Smile at a homeless person; say hi; open a door.
8. Great-heartedness. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head’” (Romans 12:17-20). Great-heartedness defies our thirst for revenge and justice. God overcame evil with love in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. While the world strives for payback, believers should trust God with results.
God’s still got stuff for you to do. Seek him first.
Suggested Praise and Worship
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